Buddies

A gay man (in a happy monogamous relationship) becomes a buddy with another man dying of AIDS. They slowly become closer and closer...

I was one of the few people to actually see this in a movie theatre back in 1985. It played at a VERY small art house cinema and was the first film ever made to deal with AIDS. It was written and directed by a gay man (Arthur Bressan Jr.) who, sadly, died of AIDS two years later.

It was shattering. At the time I was a closeted gay man with no gay friends and knew nothing about AIDS. This movie really opened my eyes. It didn't scare me from coming out though--it does have the gay, HIV- couple who clearly love each other. The acting was great and it all built up to a powerful climax that left me crying (I wasn't alone--everyone else in the theatre was in tears also).

This is a powerful, depressing film but it should be required viewing for everyone! It's also sad that Bressan is no longer with us. He had the courage to make this film and it is well-written and directed. This has disappeared completely since 1985 and was overshadowed by "Longtime Companion" in 1990. That's too bad--I'd love to see this again.

Powerful and moving. A 10.