Customer Reviews

My Own Country [VHS]

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I saw this movie several years ago. It took me days to stop thinking about it. I thought all of the acting was good-to-excellent, and the subject matter is extraordinarily powerful. This is NOT just for homosexuals or people coming to grips with AIDS. This is a wonderful exploration of the prejudices that occured with the emergence of AIDS in this country (and continue to be a problem in some quarters even today). But the subject matter is somewhat disturbing. It really makes you stop and THINK about the AIDS epidemic and it really brings home what is happening in Africa right now.

Naveen Andrews is a fine actor; he was really good in The Buddha of Suburbia and The English Patient. However, this movie doesn't show his fullest potential as an performer. I felt the screenplay was a bit under-developed. Many important and interesting events that happened in the book version either got little attention or got cut out altogether in the film version. I am a bit disappointed by Mira Nair; having seen the well-written, well-directed Mississippi Masala, I was expecting better from her. I suggest reading the autobiography by Dr. Verghese before seeing the movie.

Nonetheless, this is still a good movie and I suggest everyone to see it. My only problem is that Marissa Tomei got top billing on this film, when she appears for only ten minutes. The kudos should have been given to Andrews, who portrays a doctor who did a very brave act of humanity in a time when it was seen that way.

It's a sad but yet beautiful story of love for humanity. Dr. Abraham Verghese came to America to practice medicine. His specialty is infectious disease. He came here in the '80s so of course he has to deal with AIDS. At that time you would not think it would be in Tennessee. He treated his patients with not just respect but with love. He truly cared about his patients. To the point his marriage was in jeopardy.

He was from India and Johnson City, Tennessee was where he ended up. He wasn't treated like a outsider, the town folks treated him with dignity, as one of their own. Dr. Verghese felt like it was his own country.

So many people think Southerners are a cruel backward people like in Deliverance. They're not. They may be behind the times but if you treat them respectfully, they will bend over backward for you.

I saw this movie several years ago. It took me days to stop thinking about it. I thought all of the acting was good-to-excellent, and the subject matter is extraordinarily powerful. This is NOT just for homosexuals or people coming to grips with AIDS. This is a wonderful exploration of the prejudices that occured with the emergence of AIDS in this country (and continue to be a problem in some quarters even today). But the subject matter is somewhat disturbing. It really makes you stop and THINK about the AIDS epidemic and it really brings home what is happening in Africa right now.

This is a really good movies. I had read about it and it sounded pretty good, but was much better than I thought it would be. A good buy.

For a movie made ten years ago, the director did an amazing job depicting the "world" Dr. Verghese was living in Tennessee. The movie, based on his book, depicts the Doctor's interaction with several HIV patients who returned home to family and friends for their final days. And how Dr. Veghese struggled both personally and professionally with the disease. Well cast, well acted and an engrossing story. Dr. Verghese is a remarkable man and it was interesting to watch this movie and learn more about him and the things that shaped his incredible writing-both biographical and the magical stories (Cutting For Stone).

This movie is about a doctor who tries to help those infected by aids in his home country. I didn't really like the movie but maybe those who wants a better understanding of HIV or AIDS may want to view it. It is something that a hetrosexual may not to view this movie. But the Homosexuals or HIV OR AIDS positive people may want to view it to show what people goes through with this deadly disease.