031. Staying Together

031. (25 Jan) Staying Together (1989, Lee Granted) 55



This testosterone-fueled family drama runs high with emotion and sentimentality. It's occasionally about as tense and melodramatic as coming of age films get, though its focus on three brothers keeps it from feeling as personal as it should. It's nevertheless a melancholy look at middle-class life with parents who can't communicate and kids who can't control their emotions. Dermot Mulroney shows genuine star power here while Melinda Dillon is absolutely outstanding in a supporting role.

199. Citizen Cohn

199. (11 Sep) Citizen Cohn (1992, Frank Pierson) 48



Airing less than a year before Angels in America hit Broadway, Citizen Cohn falls heavily in the shadow of that work. Both feature Roy Cohn on his death bed being visited by from ghosts of his past, but this straightforward, more fact-based biopic offers less insight into the man. James Woods is earnest in the lead role, but shouty and preachy scenes set years apart, mostly in courtrooms, place this firmly in mediocre telefilm territory. It's a harshly critical look at the man, but refusing to humanize him in any way seems cruel. The film revels in his misfortune. Neglecting his same-sex relationships makes this seem especially timid.