This was Hollywood's first film to tell the story of how AIDS devastated America's homosexual community during the 1980s. A big hit at the Cannes Film Festival, it focuses on a group of friends whose lives are all affected in different ways by the deaths of lovers (the film's title comes from the euphemism given to gay partners in obituary columns) and friends. Made on a minuscule budget of $1.5 million, it skilfully weaves educational information with storyline and successfully avoids being at all mawkish during the more emotive scenes. Not without moments of great humour, the film does contain one truly outstanding performance from Bruce Davison (the father in the Harry and the Hendersons TV series): he was deservedly nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role as the lover of a TV soap scriptwriter who allows his friend to die with as much dignity as possible. A brave landmark film.


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