“The Man I Love” Wants Us to Do More Than Mourn
Ira Sachs resists the attention economy, using objects and people to tell a moving story of 1980s New York amid the HIV/AIDS crisis.
In a scene reminiscent of 1980s bohemian New York, a group of individuals gathers around a coffee table filled with various glassware. They are all eager to sing a few bars of a song. One person awkwardly sings "Someone's in the Kitchen with Dinah", another vibrates a spiritual, while a third struggles through the verses of "How Are Things in Glocca Morra?" from Finian's Rainbow (1968).
The atmosphere is carefree and eccentric, reminiscent of a time long gone, yet still resonating with those who remember and those who do not. There are no televisions or smartphones present; instead, people are singing in a display of joy and shared secrets. They are aware that some in the room may not survive the year, but they sing regardless.
Ira Sachs's film, The Man I Love, is an AIDS movie without explicitly mentioning the illness. Set against the backdrop of the pandemic, the film avoids clichés such as lesion reveals, tidy redemption, or a funeral filled with festive friends. Instead, it encourages us to embrace the vitality of the era to better cope with its impending loss.
The story follows Jimmy George (played by Rami Malek), a theater artist who co-writes a new production and develops feelings for a young Englishman named Vincent (Luther Ford), who moves into their old building. Jimmy's partner, Dennis (Tom Sturridge), tolerates their growing relationship but is annoyed by Vincent's efforts to integrate himself into the couple's sizable queer network.
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