Longtime Companion Movie Review

Longtime Companion shows how a happy, creative, close-knit group of friends are decimated by the AIDS virus throughout the ‘80s. First to go is John (Dermot Mulroney), then David's lover, Sean (Mark Lamos), a television writer. Bruce Davison deservedly won an Oscar nomination as David for an achingly restrained performance reflecting the real-life role that lovers continue to play all over the world. Longtime Companion transcends the terminal illness genre because of its funny, perceptive, timely script and because of its strong cast, including Campbell Scott as Willy, Stephan Caffrey as Fuzzy, and the luminous Mary-Louise Parker as Fuzzy's sister Liza. The most wrenching moment occurs on the beach where everyone enjoyed the sand, the sun, and the surf in the early ‘80s. We revisit it at decade's end with the sad knowledge that nearly everyone has died since then. There is a heartbreaking fantasy where the ghosts of the characters we have come to know and love are laughing on the beach again, while Blondie sings, “The tide is high and I'm moving on….”

1990 (R) 100m/C Stephen Caffrey, Patrick Cassidy, Brian Cousins, Bruce Davison, John Dossett, Mark Lamos, Dermot Mulroney, Mary-Louise Parker, Michael Schoeffling, Campbell Scott, Robert Joy, Brad O'Hara; D: Norman Rene; W: Craig Lucas; C: Tony Jennelli. Golden Globe Awards ‘91: Best Supporting Actor (Davison); Independent Spirit Awards ‘91: Best Supporting Actor (Davison); New York Film Critics Awards ‘90: Best Supporting Actor (Davison); National Society of Film Critics Awards ‘90: Best Supporting Actor (Davison); Sundance Film Festival ‘90: Audience Award; Nominations: Academy Awards ‘90: Best Supporting Actor (Davison). VHS