Relevant elements: Discrimination trial, the Springsteen song
Why it resonated: This was pretty much the first major-release film about AIDS
General comments on the film: I'm actually glad I'm only watching this film now. It gives me the bittersweet satisfaction of noting how dated it feels today. Much of the movie is dedicated to laying out demonstrations that gay people are human beings too, in ways that would seem grossly unnecessary and maybe even offensive today, but were probably pitched correctly in 1993.
In terms of the film itself, I just have to say that the legal elements didn't seem quite kosher (though I was tickled by the obligatory "partners sitting in leather chairs smoking cigars on the top floor" scene and even more obligatory "I'll allow it" judge), but the range of cinematographic approaches kept me interested visually and the Philly flavor (Dr. J! Ed Rendell!) made me a little homesick. Even though they gave the trademark song to a guy from Jersey....
