Stonewall (1995)

Save your money for something good and enjoyable

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

Ok... Let's be honest. It cannot be the best movie but is quite enjoyable. The movie has the potential to develop a great plot for future movies

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

"Stonewall" is a fictional but very inspired and moving account of events leading up to and culminating in the famous gay riots in NYC. Don't be fooled by the packaging...this is in no way a fluffy work in the vein of "Can't Stop the Music." It is deeply moving, very nearly tragic as it depicts the complex stressful lives of several characters. Fred Weller is marvelous as the genuine and untried hick Matty Dean who can't accept the comforts of compromise when he knows most of his compatriots are unjustly suffering. Guillermo Diaz as the drag queen La Miranda, who resembles Connie Francis when made-up, is outstanding as Matty's insecure mentor and eventual mate. Hopefully, the rampant police brutality against LGBT persons will be alleviated after the events depicted. I have heard several horrifying stories from a few who were arrested and their subsequent brutal treatment in jails. This film is so well-acted and paced that it should be seen by anyone, gay or straight, who has any interest in basic human rights issues. It will certainly make you think, and doubtless leave a lasting impression and perhaps not a little enlightenment.

I love this movie! The mixture of fact & fiction works very well. The music of the girl group The Shangri-Las immersed into the storyline is also an asset. These characters are so appealing & they feel like friends, so you just can't wait to see what happens next. The acting of Guillermo Diaz as La Miranda is so natural & relaxed it makes him so likable. Sexy Fred Weller as Maddy Dean is adorable. His character's faults make him all the more appealing. I get choked up every time I see him sing & play the guitar, with the others on the bus coming back from their rally, not exactly defeated, but far from being winners either. Mizz Moxie & Helen Wheels add just the right touch of campy, comic relief. Duane Boutte as Bostonia is excellent & insightful. His interaction with his homophobic homosexual lover, the Italian/American Vinny & owner of The Stonewall Inn, is passionate & sparks fly between them when they are confronting each other concerning their relationship issues circa 1969. The only character I'm not too crazy about is Brandan Corbalis as Ethan. I found him pretentious & condescending. Aside from his nice butt in the shower (if in fact that was his butt) there's nothing appealing about him really. The riot scene is fast & somewhat clumsy, yet it's electrifying & very exciting to view. All gay people should watch this film & get a feel for what happened on that hot summer night in '69. It gives you a sense of your history & what others before you endured. (The premature death of icon Judy Garland adds a bittersweet footnote to the precedings).

It's a well-meant effort with a lot of heart behind it but far less by way of acting, writing and directing prowess. The leads are competent but flat and the direction is pretty standard issue (with the exception of the riot, which is quite badly staged and directed). The period pop songs, lip synched by the drag queens, grow tiresome after a while. I found the Duberman book powerful, passionate and engrossing as any novel - maybe someday someone will feel inspired to do a film adaptation right. All in all, this movie's a heroic effort but not a success.

this is one of the great low-budget "queer cinema" triumphs of the 90s'....contrary to the above commenter, i do think the details are right... and yes, the cops were homophobic.. they used arcane, outdated laws to close gay bars.. have u read the book "stonewall"? they make it very clear that lots of bars - gay and str8 - were "illegal".. only the gay ones were shut down..i was very impressed by the right-on details in the production design..