Jonathan Demme

Roger Corman

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It should be stated outright that Philadelphia contains some of the director's best work. The opening credit sequence shows a clear and thoughtful artistic progression: the camera roams the city streets like an omniscient observer, only this time the multiracial extras break the fourth wall, acknowledging those of us beyond the screen with heartfelt greetings. Equally remarkable is the epiphanic opera moment between AIDS-stricken lawyer Andrew Beckett (Tom Hanks) and homophobic ambulance chaser Joe Miller (Denzel Washington)

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But Philadelphia is damagingly reticent in its portrayal of a gay man's lifestyle. Instead of going for broke, as was the case in The Silence of the Lambs, Demme walks on eggshells not to offend, portraying Beckett and his lover Miguel (Antonio Banderas) as ethereal, asexual creatures.

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