Simply A Masterpiece

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

1996's It's My Party is a smart, funny, and emotionally charged film that combines hot button issues with flawed, but richly drawn characters and had me riveted to the screen as well as fighting tears.This is the story of Nick (Eric Roberts), an architectural designer who is in a committed relationship with a film director named Brandon (Gregory Harrison), a relationship that ends shortly after Nick learns he has AIDS. A year later, Nick learns he has contracted an AIDS-related disease that will soon be turning him into a vegetable and not wanting to live that way, decides to commit suicide by swallowing a bottle of pills and having a huge party the night before to say goodbye to his friends and family.This film sucked me in right from the beginning by establishing that this was first and foremost a love story...the relationship between Nick and Brandon rings true from the beginning and we are so happy when Brandon drops everything to be at the party when he learns about it, despite the initial tension his arrival causes, tension you can cut with a knife.Director and writer Randal Kleiser, who also directed Grease and The Blue Lagoon almost effortlessly ties together the tension of this situation with the bitchy gay sensibilities that would always be prevalent with these kind of characters, evidenced in the constant movie quotes offered by several characters, not to mention the handful guests at the party who are inevitably going to make what's going on all about them. Yes, there are laughs to be found here, but some of them are very nervous ones. The scenes surrounding Brandon's initial arrival at the party and the scenes near the ends where Nick poses for final pictures with his family and friends perfectly display this fusion of humor and tension.Eric Roberts delivers a rich and layered performance as Nick and Harrison gives the performance of his career as Brandon, but what's more important here is the relationship that the two actors create on screen...it's completely believable and has us rooting for them from the beginning. It's why we want to cheer when it is revealed that Brandon broke up with the guy he left Nick for and came to the party because he wants him back.Kleiser has assembled a superb ensemble cast behind the leads that delivers the goods, especially Bronson Pinchot as a fast talking agent, Margaret Cho as Nick's favorite "hag", Marlee Maitlin as Nick's sister, Paul Regina as Nick's new lover, and especially Lee Grant, in an Oscar- worthy performance as Nick's mother, who walks the delicate line between blaming herself for what's happening to Nick and making it all about her.Yes, it does play like a photographed stage play, but a really good one and though not for all tastes, a very special experience for those who are game, and yes, I did shed a few tears along the way.

Christ how will I explain this in words, it was just so heartbreaking to think that Nick organised a two day party just to say goodbye to his friends and family because of the fact he was dying of AIDS. It would really make you feel so sad and think that he was so brave once you get into this movie. I felt so mad to think that Brandon left Nick to die slowly, just because of a small argument. I mean of course if my partner had Aids, I certainly would not cope but I would support them as best I can. However Brandon ran off and not talking about this with Nick at all. No wonder, Nick's family was so peed off. I swear, I felt like shouting to Brandon!Anyway on the positive side, the good parts of this film were:*Margaret Cho and Olivia Newton-John: I was so excited to see these legends on this movie!Both looked stunning so they did!*Monty- guys, you better watch out for this guy cause he is hilarious! I think Bronson Pinchot was great at acting Monty, he really came out with stuff that would just make you laugh! I have to say, Randal Kleiser, you are a genius for writing this film!

Absolute dreck, even by movie-of-the-week, "we're trying to humanize AIDS" standards. Interesting only (and only briefly) from a sort of historical perspective on Hollywood's (mercifully brief) goody-two-shoes approach to AIDS, it helps explain Gregg Araki and the rest of the "rebound," which was, more than anything, a demand for an end to stories about rich, squeaky-clean white boys who die beautifully while spouting deep philosophy about the Meaning of it All. So incredibly painful to watch.... Most of the scenes played hardest and most desperately for emotion and tears simply make one laugh at how inept and Hallmark they are. Eric Roberts, never a great actor, is utterly unbelievable here, but only slightly less so than the cross-eyed Gregory Harrison as his lover. Marlee Matlin does the standard turn she did in the 1990s in every politically correct film ever made; George Segal is pathetic; and Lee Grant plays her "tragic" role with all the subtlety of a meat ax. The soundtrack is soupy and sappy, and you need only compare what Randal Kleiser got out of Bruce Davidson in this film with what Norman René got out of him in _Longtime Companion_ (1990) to understand that Kleiser is a rank amateur. I can only imagine that some diabetes-inducing sentiment along the lines of "let's make a film for 'the boys'" is what got this cadre of red-ribbon wearing stars to participate in a travesty of such monumental proportions; at this point, the only kindness would be to burn all the copies and pretend it never happened.

Although, a tear-jerker.....I loved it! True life! The actors/actresses were all fantastic! I love Eric Roberts, anyway. Many terrific people in this movie, including Lee Grant, Devon Gummersall, Paul Regina (love him), George Segal and many more. Could really relate to this movie as to what has happened in my own life. If I had to choose, my choice would be the same as Eric Roberts in this film. I could put myself in so many shoes on this film ~ Gregory Harrison's thoughts, Lee Grant's feelings, Margaret Chou being a friend to Eric, etc. You have to see it! I'm adding it to my DVD collection ~ yes worth watching over and over!