Philadelphia (1993)

Philadelphia was built to reach audiences who had never thought hard about AIDS, and you can feel that careful aim in every scene. The story is told mostly through Joe Miller, the lawyer who has to unlearn his own prejudice, so Andrew’s life with his partner Miguel stays politely at the edges, and Antonio Banderas gets little more than warm glances. Still, Tom Hanks is extraordinary. He lets Andrew grow physically weaker while his mind stays sharp and funny, and the late-night scene where he walks Joe through an opera aria, eyes closed, line by line, is unforgettable. Denzel Washington plays Joe as a guy who insists he’s not the issue, and watching that certainty crack is the real arc. Jason Robards makes the senior partner chilling in his politeness. The courtroom scenes play like solid TV drama. It made $206.7 million worldwide on a reported $26M. An 8.2 because the performances are towering and the caution is visible. $95.05 says you look up that opera aria afterward and play it start to finish without skipping.

What works: Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington are both outstanding, and the opera scene is one of the most moving moments in nineties film.

What doesn’t: The film keeps Andrew’s relationship with Miguel at a careful distance, and the courtroom scenes are more dutiful than gripping.

Who it’s for: Anyone who wants a sincere, beautifully acted courtroom drama, and families ready to talk about prejudice and illness afterward.