MPS Discount Stores

VHS : Common Ground (2000)


Get all your favorite discounted items here in VHS and Common Ground (2000)!



 : Common Ground (2000)

List Price: $14.95
Price: $4.89
You Save: $10.06 (67%)
Prices subject to change.



Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days




Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Binding: VHS Tape
EAN: 9780792170709
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
ISBN: 0792170709
Label: Paramount
Manufacturer: Paramount
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: Paramount
Release Date: January 29, 2002
Running Time: 105 minutes
Studio: Paramount
Theatrical Release Date: January 29, 2000
Sales Rank: 4283




Related Items:

Editorial Review:

Amazon.com:
In Common Ground director Donna Deitch (Desert Hearts) uses three stories to explore attitudes toward homosexuality in the fictional small town of Homer, Connecticut, over a period of almost half a century. "A Friend of Dorothy's" tells the story of a girl who returns to Homer in 1954 after leaving the Navy. When it emerges that she was discharged after being arrested in a gay bar, she is ostracized by everyone except the owner of a local diner, a woman who has her own reasons for wanting to help Dorothy to escape. "M. Roberts" is set in 1974, when a gay teacher (Steven Weber) has to decide whether to jeopardize his career in order to help a troubled pupil who has been targeted by homophobic bullies. Finally, in present-day Homer, "Andy & Amos" follows the preparations for a gay wedding. While protesters gather on the town commons, Amos's father (Ed Asner) has to choose between long-held prejudices and his love for his son. Thanks to a Harvey Fierstein script that combines sexual politics with humor and believable characters, this is the most successful part of Common Ground. Ed Asner's gradual realization that his son's monogamous, long-term gay relationship is more conventional than most heterosexual marriages is deftly handled, achieving a balance between message and drama that the other stories lack.

Despite the credentials of their authors (playwrights Paula Vogel and Terrence McNally) the first two segments feel more like lectures than stories. Their impact is weakened by clumsy dialogue (Dorothy's mother actually says, "I have no daughter") and stereotypical characters. The film's message is an important one: the road to equality is built upon the struggles and sacrifices of past generations. Unfortunately Common Ground is too uneven to deliver that message with the force it deserves. --Simon Leake



Customer Reviews
Average Rating:  out of 5 stars

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars - Intro to Gays & Lesbians 101
The stories are timeless and still relevant, even though one takes place in 1954, one in 1974, and the last in 2000. It is a similar format to "If These Walls Could Talk 2" in which there are three stories from three different generations. The 1954 sequence hits home, in spite of a "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy within the armed services, because even now, a military career can still be irreparably damaged if a soldier or officer is outed. Gay youths can relate to the 1974 story, seeing minimal progress ... Read More



Rating: 5 out of 5 stars - absolubtly phenomenal
This could very well be among the greatest movies I've ever seen. It gets kind of corny at times, but corniness is good when dealing with these themes. If you liked Angela's Ashes, you'll LOVE Common Ground. It made me cry, not because I could indetify (I'm straight), but my brother is gay and it really helped me see some things differently. Watch it, you won't regret it.



Rating: 5 out of 5 stars - Why not on DVD!!!
Come on folks VHS is DEAD.

DVD please



Rating: 5 out of 5 stars - Loved it, loved it, loved it.
Great film.

However, I couldn't help but notice what an UGLY OLD HAG Margot Kidder has turned into! YIKES! I could hardly stand to look at her. LMAO



Rating: 4 out of 5 stars - Excellent and Timely
Unforunately, this video is still very relavent today. Contrary to Mr. Diamond's comments - LGBTQ youth are still beaten and murdered today and are four times more likely than their straight peers to commit suicide (Mass. Youth Behavior 2000). I was harassed severely in high school and had to transfer due to physical threats. To say that youth today do not know what it was like is just plain wrong. As an active member of several queer youth organizations trust me, we know and we are grateful. But we have ... Read More



Browse for similar items by category: