I found it quite revealing that of the several reviews I read around the web about this movie, almost to a tee they started . “I’m not gay …”, “I’m a straight person but ….”, “As a straight person…..”, “Certainly I’m not a gay person but …..”

Interesting concept. As if you could actually catch a gay bug and become gay just by watching a movie about gay people. That very outlook is what this movie is all about. It isn’t about being gay, it is about the fear of coming in contact with something you don’t understand and fearing you will catch it. It’s about AIDS.

And it isn’t about AIDS in an ugly way but in a human way A way that touches a group of young and vibrant men and follows them through about a ten year history as they watch friends and lovers fall to the disease. It is about avoiding contact with each other, ‘air kissing’ someone that is sick and scrubbing your hands and neck to wash away the germs. As if a hug, under normal circumstances, could pass along this virus. I’m not saying that it couldn’t happen but it would take a strange set of circumstances to do so.

And the real crux of the movie is about the title Longtime Companion. That little blurb that is allowed on the obituary to acknowledge someone that devoted their life to another person. Were they heterosexual it would proudly claim ‘Wife’ ‘Husband’ Girlfriend’ Boyfriend’ or whatever euphemism you decided to paste there. But as a gay couple it is delegated ‘Longtime companion’ or ‘life long friend’. as if the survivors were ashamed of their loved one, ashamed that they lived in a way that wasn't accepted by the norm.

Longtime Companion opens on Fire Island, long known as the place to be in the gay community over the Summer. Our cast is a diverse one, for the most part engaged in a profitable job or at least one they enjoy. There is one female among this group of fellows. This is the year that the AIDS virus first tips its’ greasy hat into the gay community in New York and San Francisco and starts to make headlines. Just an innocent little article buried in the newspaper. It’s the early 80’s and people are still a bit free with their sexual lifestyle but more and more are starting to settle into relationships.

The movie gives us enough of each personality to develop an interest in them. It doesn’t dwell on one or two exclusively although there are certainly solos and highlights for each one. And for each one we watch them either fall victim to the disease or stand by their lover or friend as they fall victim to the disease.

Perhaps the most revealing are David and Sean. David is apparently well-to-do, family money, and Sean is a well known television soap opera writer. It is David and Sean that host the Summer events on Fire Island. David, so complacent about life and Sean, who imagines each small cough and cold will turn into the deadly one. Through them we meet Willy, employed as a personal trainer at a gym and John, employment not stated. Willy and John are not a couple but are always together. Great friends.

I believe it is John that first falls to the AIDS virus, cloaked as pneumonia. From there we carry on, viewing how his death touches each person and how it teaches each of them their own boundaries of acceptance.

I’ve watch many films dealing with AIDS and find this one perhaps is the first one that deals with it on a personal level. Most of the time we are watching people react just as expected, closing themselves off from something they don’t understand and fear. Closing themselves off from even those they love.

The cast chosen was remarkable. Willy was played by Campbell Scott, who did such a brilliant job in Dying Young. His feelings and reactions are what were normal at the time. Fear of touching someone, thinking they might pass the virus on to you by a simple handshake.

Included in the cast was Mary Louise Parker as Lisa, the female companion of the group. Apparently a long time friend of several of the parties, she holds them all together when required. She was perky when need be and sympathetic when need be. Patrick Cassidy played Howard, a performer on the soap opera that Sean wrote. Dermot Mulroney was the always prankish and playful John. I didn’t even recognize him for a while he looked so young.

Perhaps the most outstanding character in the cast was David, played by Bruce Davison. I have never felt such a bound between a character and their part as Davison put into this one.

Longtime Companion was nominated for various awards and won quite a few. Davison was nominated for best supporting actor by the Academy but did not win. That is truly a pity. However he did win a Golden Globe, NSFCA award, and NY Film Critics Circle for his performance. The movie won the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Film.

Some of the music will take you back a bit to those sun drenched days in the 80’s. I got a particular laugh when a trio performed a take-off of Y.M.C.A., certainly not what you would expect from a bass, violin and, dang, some other instrument, I forget now.

Directed by Norman René and written by Craig Lucas, Longtime Companion is a movie well worth viewing. It is sensitive, campy, revealing, and carefree. There are some sexual scenes but nothing over the top, mostly hugging and kissing. It is rated R. it is an honest look at real feelings about something we still don’t understand and still don’t accept, AIDS.

Thanks,
Susi



Recommended: Yes