Philadelphia (1993)

Set in Philadelphia, a senior associate (Tom Hanks in an Oscar winning performance) at a large corporate law office keeps his homosexuality and his HIV diagnosis from his co-workers and bosses. But when he is fired because of his sexual orientation and HIV diagnosis, he reaches out to a homophobic "ambulance chaser" (Denzel Washington) to take on his case. Directed by Jonathan Demme (SILENCE OF THE LAMBS), PHILADELPHIA was the first mainstream Hollywood film to address the subject of AIDS and homophobia. It received excellent notices and garnered five Oscar nominations including best picture. Curiously, in the ensuing years there's been sort of a backlash against the film which I don't get. The film gathers the fear and homophobia that greeted the (then fatal) disease and puts it on display with accuracy. While that fear of persons with AIDS has long since gone, homophobia is still rampant so the movie is still relevant. The movie holds it own today as a gripping courtroom drama. Hanks justifiably got a best actor Oscar but Denzel Washington should have gotten his due also. He's wonderful here, first introduced as a homophobic attorney who so subtly changes into a more compassionate person before our eyes. With Joanne Woodward, Mary Steenburgen, Jason Robards, Antonio Banderas, Charles Napier, John Bedford Lloyd and Anna Deavere Smith.