It's My Party

I watched this movie alone one morning on video, expecting it to be a cool ensemble cast movie. It ended up pulling me in so completely that I ignored the phone and never once touched the pause button. It is another of those Hollywood films that may be technically or structurally lacking in the minds of critics...but in my heart and mind it was powerful and effective. By casting known names in many of the subliminal roles...we had a built-in sympathy for them in this situation. The comedy, although sometimes very macabre was believable. I also found the situation believable based on the type of character played by Eric Roberts...the farewell party seemed to fit his personality. I recommend this film to people willing to open their hearts and who don't mind a good cry...

Brandon Theis (Gregory Harrison) and Nick Stark (Eric Roberts) have been lovers for years. Then Nick is diagnosed with HIV. Brandon promises to not leave him---but eventually does. He can't handle the HIV. A year later Nick is told he will die very soon of lesions in the brain. Rather than slowly become a vegetable and wither away, Nick decides to commit suicide. He invites all of his friends to a 2 day party--at the end, he'll take the pills and die. Brandon finds out and attends the party. But does Nick want him there and will Nick be able to forgive him before he goes?

Strong, powerful movie. I saw it in a theatre in 1996 and cried my eyes out. I saw it 2 years later with a friend and we BOTH cried our eyes out! Saw it again tonight--cried again. This drama is harrowing at times and brings about questions about love, death with dignity, suicide, HIV...etc etc. But it never gets too maudlin and is always fascinating.

Roberts is just superb as Nick. Strong, handsome, refusing to wither away. He also approaches his HIV condition with strength and humor--as he should. Lee Grant is (sadly) wasted as his mother. Harrison is so-so as his boyfriend. Usually he's sort of stone-faced but there were a few moments that the looks on his face made me break down. There's one scene of him and Roberts just looking at each other across the room--you can see the love, fear and hatred in their faces--it's just great. And Harrison really delivers during the last 30 minutes of the movie.

There's a huge cast in this movie--Margaret Cho (hilarious); Marlee Matlin (wasted); Olivia Newton-John (just great); Bronson Pinchot (overdoing the bitchiness a bit); Bruce Davison; Roddy McDowall. There's the problem--there are too MANY characters! I'm still not sure who McDowell was and Sally Kellerman shows up looking great but--who is she? We're never told. Also, the party scenes are scattershot--the camera seems to linger around catching certain characters and snatches of their conversations. I also have a hard time believing that anyone has this many friends and they all keep quiet about him committing suicide. Still--problems aside this works.

I think this film hit too close for director/writer Randal Kleiser. Supposedly he went through the same things with his lover. When this movie was released he couldn't promote it. It came (and went) very quickly. That's really a shame. It's a strong, powerful movie that should be seen by everybody. And Roberts gives out one of his best performances. The scene when him and Harrison kiss is heart-breaking.

Well worth catching--an excellent drama. Just bring plenty of tissues--you'll need them!

Excellent and touching drama about a man who has AIDS and finds out he has not that much longer to live, decided to throw a farewell party for himself and invites his family and friends. And also his ex. The results are dramatic, heartbreaking and even a little humour is in here too. The whole cast does an excellent job but a few stand out... Eric Roberts as Nick who is dying of AIDS, Lee Grant as his mother, Maragret Cho as a best friend, Olivia Newton John as a best friend, and Gregory Harrison as Nick's ex. This is an excellent film that I have watched more then once. It will make you laugh and cry. Oh man, will it make you cry!! The score is excellent also as is the direction. Recommended.

This was a very good tearjerker movie. Everybody in this movie gives an oscar calibre performance. I think that Eric Roberts, Gregory Harrison, and Lee Grant derserved an oscar nomination for this movie. Eric Roberts gives a performance of a lifetime. This is his best movie in his career. I cry everytime I watch this movie. This was better than beaches. This is the movie that deserve alot of oscar nominations.

It's My Party is truly one of the best movies I've ever seen. The two main actors were amazingly believable as gay men and the supporting cast was good too. It will make you understand how important life is and how important friends and family are. If you like sit-down movies, this one is for you. I cried for about 3/4 of it.