''Roommates'' is a 1994 American

made-for-television A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...

written by Robert W. Lenski and directed by

Alan Metzger Alan Metzger is an American film director, cinematographer and producer. He directed numerous television films A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film tha ...

. The film stars

Randy Quaid Randy Randall Rudy Quaid (born October 1, 1950) is an American actor known for his roles in both serious drama and light comedy. He was nominated for an Academy Award, BAFTA Award and a Golden Globe Award for his role in ''The Last Detail'' i ...

Eric Stoltz Eric Cameron Stoltz (born September 30, 1961) is an American actor, director and producer. He played the role of Rocky Dennis in the biographical drama film ''Mask'', which earned him the nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Support ...

Charles Durning Charles Edward Durning (February 28, 1923 – December 24, 2012) was an American actor who appeared in over 200 movies, television shows and plays.Schudel, Matt (December 26, 2012) "''In real life and on the screen, he played countless role ...

Elizabeth Peña Elizabeth Maria Peña (September 23, 1959 – October 14, 2014) was an American actress, writer and musician. Her work in films included ''Nothing like the Holidays'', ''Batteries Not Included'', '' La Bamba'', '' Down and Out in Beverly ...

Frank Buxton Frank Buxton (February 13, 1930 – January 2, 2018) was an American actor, television writer, author, and television director. Buxton grew up in Larchmont, New York. He was a graduate of Northwestern University (B.S.) and Syracuse University (M ...

and

Jill Teed Jill Teed is a Canadian actress. She is an actress who has appeared in many sci-fi roles. She has appeared in a number of television guest roles such as ''Street Justice'', ''The X-Files'', ''Stargate SG-1'', ''Sliders'', and '' The Outer Limits ...

. It aired on NBC on May 30, 1994. The film was inspired by a true story of two men dying from AIDS.

Plot

The movie is inspired by a true story and deals with a heterosexual ex-convict on parole for bank robbery Jim Flynn, who contracted AIDS from a blood transfusion and Bill Thomas, a gay wealthy Harvard-educated professional, also dealing with the disease. They become unlikely roommates at a hospice for people with AIDS. Initially full of mutual disdain, the roommates regard one another with cultural snobbery and stereotypical intolerance. One reads ''Moby Dick'' and wears neckties, while the other smokes, drinks and watches sports on a blaring TV. It's a match made in hell but one that gradually develops into a durable friendship.

Cast

as Jim Flynn *

as Bill Thomas *

as Barney *

as Lisa *

as Mr. Thomas *

as Barbara Thomas *

Babz Chula Babz Chula (born Barbara Ellen Zuckerman; circa 1946 – May 7, 2010) was an American-born Canadian actress. Chula spent her early childhood in the working-class neighbourhood of Jamaica, N.Y., but her widowed mother, Abby Zuckerman, a bookin ...

as Norma * Philip Maurice Hayes as Mickey * Kenn Hooker as Eldon

Production notes

Executive producer Michael Filerman and NBC knew the movie was going to be a hard sell to advertisers, and NBC felt like the controversial subject matter would require having feature actors in it who normally don't do television, to "give it a sense of more import". So feature actors Randy Quaid and Eric Stoltz were cast in the lead roles. Stoltz said he wanted to do the movie for a couple of reasons: "I liked the script and I knew Randy was doing it...and I respect him tremendously." Before production began on the film, Stoltz and Quaid visited various hospices in Los Angeles and Vancouver, where the film was shot. Stoltz said that the majority of the hospice residents were quite open about talking about their illnesses. Several patients worked as extras in the film. The movie was shot in just 18 days, but NBC was hesitant to give it an airdate during a sweeps period. In an interview with TV critics in January, Quaid said he didn't know why the airdate was put off; the movie "may not be the most popular thing to look at, or the most entertaining or exciting action piece, but it has real issues and deals with them realistically". Stoltz said he was "befuddled" about the airdate and also opined that "maybe NBC feels they have much better movies to show...or maybe they're afraid." The film eventually received an airdate of May 30, five days after the sweeps period ended.

Critical reception

The ''Los Angeles Times'' wrote that "Robert Lenski’s teleplay and Alan Metzger’s direction avoid land mines of sentimentality with a narrative full of surprises and candid emotions...and aside from its strong acting and technical polish, the production’s thematic achievement is twofold: (1) it demolishes the myth that AIDS is a gay disease, and (2) it refreshingly punctures holes in the prejudices of both straights and gays." TV critic John J. O'Connor wrote that "for all its relentless predictability, it frequently manages to be remarkably affecting, thanks to two extraordinarily fine performances...by Mr. Stoltz...who brings to the reserved, finicky Bill an enormous reservoir of strength...and Mr. Quaid who manages to convey the loneliness and submerged tenderness of Bill as he acerbically flails away at the world in general."

Tom Shales Thomas William Shales (born November 3, 1944) is an American writer and retired critic of television programming and operations. He was a television critic for ''The Washington Post'' from 1977 to 2010, for which Shales received the Pulitzer Pr ...

, TV critic for the ''Washington Post'' wasn't impressed with the film writing, "it seems contrived and antiseptic...the producers deserve credit for doing an AIDS awareness film, and probably for making a statement on behalf of compassion, but the movie comes off as compromised and flat". ''Variety'' gave accolades to the actors saying, "Quaid and Stoltz perform at high standards...and Elizabeth Pena turns in a strong supporting performance as a social worker" They also complimented the director for keeping things running smoothly and capitalizing on witty situations.

References

External links

* *
Roommates
' at

BFI The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves film-making and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...

*
Roommates
' at

The Paley Center For Media The Paley Center for Media, formerly the Museum of Television & Radio (MT&R) and the Museum of Broadcasting, founded in 1975 by William S. Paley, is an American cultural institution in New York with a branch office in Los Angeles, dedicated to ...