Liberty Sex

A trilogy of gay/lesbian stories tracing societal attitudes towards homosexuals and the homosexual lifestyle from the 1950's to the present, this is the first "legacy" film for gays.

Superbly written, acted and produced, the three tales revolve around the themes of prejudice and acceptance, with the middle story of a young student's "coming out" as an impetus for his role model teacher's lifestyle disclosure, being the standout episode and should be seen by anyone wrestling with their sexual identity.

Bravo Paramount and Showtime for this outstanding and compassionate film.

Donna Deitch has done a great job of conveying highly pertinent real life aspects of gay and lesbian recent history and modern life.

With very tight scripts and damned fine acting from all players, it would be hard to go wrong, but Donna makes the whole film cohesive and attractive. I also really enjoy the stereo soundtrack.

I've seen Common Ground several times, enough to be inspired to import the NTSC tape - and the only problem with it is that the left and right channels are reversed (it's worth swapping your cables around temporarily).

Even though I know my emotional buttons are being pushed, I still enjoy every word and aspect of this film. It offers inspiration for younger and older gays and lesbians - and food for thought for our family and friends.

This is high quality, gimmick-free and utterly honest film-making.

Although I have seen many excellent "gay" movies, this movie tops them all. Along with Showtime's TV series "Queer as Folk", this movie accurately portrays the struggles and triumphs in the lives of most homosexuals. Luckily, I was able to purchase a copy on eBay (this movie is not available on DVD or VHS, except to members of the Academy Awards Nomination Committee), and I have shown it to all of my friends and family members. All agree that this movie should almost be mandatory viewing. I highly encourage any and everyone to take the time to watch this film. If you are a homosexual, then this film will make you feel great about who you are and your history. If you are not, then this film will certainly open your eyes as to what it means to be a gay or lesbian man or woman in the world today.

COMMON GROUND sports excellent acting and generally very strong writing as it tackles different shadings of the gay experience in a small town setting. Small towns can be most unforgiving about differences, especially differences that are hated and feared, like homosexuality. This was brought across quite well in COMMON GROUND which traces gay/lesbian life in three different time settings: 50s, 70s, and the present day. By far the strongest segments were the first two. The last, written by Harvey Feirstein, was lighter in nature, which isn't a bad thing, but the characters were not as fleshed out as in the prior segments. Overall, though, it is an excellent show and a must see for everyone to get a glimpse of the gay experience in America.

This film tells the story of the residents of a small town changing attitudes towards homosexuals through the decades.

"Common Ground" is an amalgamation of three stories in different decades. Out of the three stories, united by the sacred War Memorial in the centre of the town, the first story is the best. A woman who is unsure of her sexuality, and is rejected cruelly by her town and even by her mother. It deeply touches the heart strings and is very engaging. second story tells the story of a seventeen years old boy who is bullied because he is gay. It is touching because the characters in the story shows courage and remains true to themselves. The third story, however, is a huge mess. The plot is almost ridiculous as it cannot seem to decide whether it is pro gay or anti gay. The father suddenly switches stance with no apparent reason, making the whole segment a huge joke.

I am lucky enough to own a VCD of this film. I think I will keep it.