Our Sons

In OUR SONS, Oscar winner Julie Andrews made her TV movie debut as a wealthy socialite who is asked by her gay son (Hugh Grant) to travel to the town of Fayetteville to find the mother (Ann-Margret) of his lover (Zeljko Ivanek), who is dying of AIDS and wants to see his mother before he dies. This movie shows all four characters going through a myriad of emotions as not only does Andrews have to deal with the fact that her own son is gay and that his lover is dying, she is forced into bonding with this stranger, who not only knew nothing about her son being gay, but now that she knows, wants nothing to do with him and seems curiously unmoved by the fact that her son is dying. Also complicating matters is a clash of social classes as Andrews finds Ann-Margret's character to be uneducated white trash who resents this wealthy woman's intrusion into her life, which ignites some very powerful emotions between the two women. Equally moving are the scenes between the two lovers. This movie is well-directed and acted and brings up quite a few unpleasant questions regarding homosexuality and AIDS. An adult motion picture drama that tackles some unpleasant subject matter but is well worth watching for the adult and open minded movie viewer.

Our Sons, although a more than fine TV Movie, doesn't bring anything new to the table, the moral basically being watered down to "Love your kids, even if they're gay." In the movie's defense, it did come out around the peak of the AIDS epidemic and while I wasn't born at the time, I can say for certain there was a lot of stigma around the virus.

Regardless, I can recognize the importance of this movie, though an obvious product of its time. It might pander to straight people a little bit too much at times, but if movies like this make at least one parent accept their queer child, then so be it.

a film about AIDS. touching for its provocative manner to present not the most comfortable themes, using a cast who, at the first sight, seems be ideal for different genre of film. but this is the detail who gives to a simple story force and significance and status of support for reflection. because it is impeccable in the translation of states of each character. in the conquest of the past. in definition of motherhood. in the delicate way to examine the roots of different forms of love. and this did it a must see.

Our Sons is one of the better films dealing with AIDS that I've seen next to The Normal Heart. It casts Julie Andrews and Ann Margret as two radically different women who must come together when one of their sons is dying of AIDS.

Hugh Grant has an early role as Andrews' son and he pleads with his mother to bring Margret's character from Arkansas to see his dying lover and her son. This doesn't go as planned and Andrews must convince Margret to see her son, because Margret is under the impression that her son deserves what's coming to him because of his lifestyle.

Even 30 years later, this story is all too resonate with parents abandoning their gay children all the time. Our Sons tells an incredibly moving story about how it's never too late to reconnect and forgive. Andrews and Margret have never been better and you have to give them credit for willing to star in a non-judgemental story about AIDS when people were still scared to talk about it.

Our Sons is an ok tv movie but could've been better. I did get a good laugh out of Julie Andrews calling Ann Margret " A stupid bitch". Ann Margret and Julie Andrews are good but Hugh Grant is annoying as usual.