How to Survive a Plague

Name: How to Survive a Plague
Genre: History, Documentary, News
Released: September 21, 2012
Duration: 120 min
Rating: 86
Cast: Bob Rafsky, Iris Long, Larry Kramer, Peter Staley

2012

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 23 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 31 Ratings

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8.1	User Score Universal acclaim based on 31 Ratings

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How To Survive A Plague

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Movie Details & Credits

Sundance Selects | Release Date: September 21, 2012 | Not Rated

Starring: Bob Rafsky, Iris Long, Larry Kramer, Peter Staley

Summary: How To Survive A Plague is the untold story of the efforts that turned AIDS into a mostly manageable condition – and the improbable group of young men and women who, with no scientific training, infiltrated government agencies and the pharmaceutical industry, and helped identify promising new compounds, moving them through trials and intoHow To Survive A Plague is the untold story of the efforts that turned AIDS into a mostly manageable condition – and the improbable group of young men and women who, with no scientific training, infiltrated government agencies and the pharmaceutical industry, and helped identify promising new compounds, moving them through trials and into drugstores in record time. These drugs saved their lives and ended the darkest days of the epidemic, while virtually emptying AIDS wards in American hospitals. (IFC Films)… Expand

Director: David France

Genre(s): History, Documentary, News

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 120 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Wesley Morris

Sep 27, 2012

We're now far enough from that era that seeing it all again feels like a slap to the face in the same way that watching certain moments in the civil rights epic "Eyes on the Prize" chills your bones. This doesn't have that series' stately magnitude. It's smaller and crasser, but it's comparatively galvanic. Read full review

100

The Playlist Katie Walsh

Sep 20, 2012

One of the best documentaries, and best films, of the year, it is required viewing for anyone with a desire for making their own world a better place, inspiring you to act up and fight back. Read full review

Ella Taylor

Sep 20, 2012

ACT UP soldiers on today, as it must, given the lack of official attention to the resurgence of HIV among young American men in metropolitan areas. Read full review

R. Kurt Osenlund

Sep 16, 2012

Presents a cast of characters who must continue fighting, for what's at stake is the very real, very imminent threat of their own deaths. Read full review

Sara Stewart

Sep 21, 2012

How to Survive a Plague, while a shaggier-structured documentary than many, is a heart-wrenching portrait of one of the saddest, most heroic chapters in American history. Read full review

The Guardian Peter Bradshaw

Nov 7, 2013

As activist Larry Kramer remarked, the movement had "its good cops and its bad cops", and there is a remarkable, angry, passionate funeral speech from campaigner Bob Rafsky that helped mobilise Act Up and awaken America's conscience. Read full review

Ann Hornaday

Oct 11, 2012

Scrappy and unsubtle where "We Were Here" is elegant and nuanced, How to Survive a Plague isn't nearly as formally beautiful as its predecessor. Read full review

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User Reviews

J_Lloyd

Sep 21, 2012

Truly inspiring story of the early struggles and eventual success of the AIDS treatment movement. Documenting the early NYC days of the AIDS epidemic during the 1980s, this film shows never before seen found footage of AIDS patients and activists struggling to convince others the importanceTruly inspiring story of the early struggles and eventual success of the AIDS treatment movement. Documenting the early NYC days of the AIDS epidemic during the 1980s, this film shows never before seen found footage of AIDS patients and activists struggling to convince others the importance of finding a cure. Admittedly, I expected a depressing and slow documentary. What I found was truly moving and remarkably fascinating.… Expand

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

katezoe

Dec 28, 2012

The best documentary of the year. The archival footage is amazing! The deaths cuased by the lack of action by President George H. Bush is heart breaking. Kudos to the documentarians for keeping our history alive. I thought the documentary would be depressing instead it was a joyous accountThe best documentary of the year. The archival footage is amazing! The deaths cuased by the lack of action by President George H. Bush is heart breaking. Kudos to the documentarians for keeping our history alive. I thought the documentary would be depressing instead it was a joyous account of the heros and heroines who took action and helped find a cure for AIDS!!!… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

LaGuerta

Apr 29, 2014

Watching this film is an undeniably bitter-sweet experience and you cannot help but feel the highs and, more so, the lows with the victims. It's masterful use of archive footage ensures that the audience is dragged back to that time to witness the achievements of human will and the damageWatching this film is an undeniably bitter-sweet experience and you cannot help but feel the highs and, more so, the lows with the victims. It's masterful use of archive footage ensures that the audience is dragged back to that time to witness the achievements of human will and the damage caused by prejudice, tradition and inaction. A truly moving and important piece of cinema.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

LamontRaymond

Sep 24, 2012

A truly powerful film about a group of individuals who, through force of will and against the threat of imminent death, moved big Pharma, federal, state, and local governments and society at large into action to develop drugs which would save many of their lives. I would have given the filmA truly powerful film about a group of individuals who, through force of will and against the threat of imminent death, moved big Pharma, federal, state, and local governments and society at large into action to develop drugs which would save many of their lives. I would have given the film a higher score had it been a bit more even-handed politically. I don't blame the individuals in the film for lashing out at Reagan & Bush the elder. They were in power - the buck stopped with them. Other than a brief sequence, the film gives Clinton a pass. And the film completely ignores what George W. Bush did for AIDS treatment in Africa - that is, more than any other world leader had ever done. Had it at least made this acknowledgement, it would have been a near-perfect doc. (All the shots of George HW Bush golfing? Far too partisan without the shots of Clinton at all the Arkansas basketball games, etc.)… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

seancriswell

Jan 12, 2013

In my estimation you must show two sides of a subject to consider yourself a documentary. We see maybe two or three shots of various politicians saying slightly inflammatory things and this is the only opposing perspective we receive. Then in the the final half hour of the film we see ourIn my estimation you must show two sides of a subject to consider yourself a documentary. We see maybe two or three shots of various politicians saying slightly inflammatory things and this is the only opposing perspective we receive. Then in the the final half hour of the film we see our heroes admitting that most everything they did during the first hour and a half was misguided, but they redeem themselves with their actions at the end. There is no evidence in this film that the group Act Up had anything to do with the progress that has been made in Aids research. Their is also no evidence in this film that the politicians that they demonize stalled Aids research in any way. I'm sure that this film is getting the positive publicity that it is because it revolves around the scariest most deadly disease of the last 30-40 years. However if you are going to pass your film off as a documentary as pure fact and not an editorial then you need to give me some facts to hold on to. This is no documentary.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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