gbkmmaurstad A biography based on the lives of police detective, Laurel Hester (Julianne Moore) and her domestic partner mechanic, Stacie Andree (Ellen Page). When Laurel is diagnosed with terminal lung cancer after 23 years on the force she wants Stacie to have her pension after she dies. They soon find out that pensions can only be inherited by spouses, not by domestic partners.If you've ever been on the fence about gay marriage this is a realistic view of why it has become law in so many states. Regardless of your views on the topic, it will give the viewer insight to a lifestyle you may not have, but may help you understand those who do a little bit better. This film many not be for young viewers, but anyone old enough to date should see this film.

bkoganbing One of the things that has always annoyed me about people opposing gay rights laws is the absolute refusal of the opposition especially those religiously based to recognize romantic love. It's not recognized in the holy works of religion therefore it doesn't exist. Even in this film where we are talking about two people in love. Believe the evidence of your own eyes about Laurel Hester and Stacie Andree in the film Freeheld.I worked for NYS Crime Victims Board and in death I came in contact with a lot of ordinary LGBTQ people who in death had their lives magnified far more than what they did in their lives. Such is the case with Laurel Hester who was a detective with the Ocean County Police in New Jersey. I'm not sure she was closeted, but she certainly was discreet in her male dominated work place.Discretion went out the window when she meets Stacie Andree a much younger woman at a softball game. The two start living together and while it's not all roses, the commitment is truly there.And then cancer strikes and what to do about whatever estate Hester might leave. This story illustrates precisely the problem that LGBTQ people had before marriage settled the issue permanently. You could in some places get a domestic partnership certificate and have the relationship recorded. But it wasn't mandated that private industry and government recognize it.Thus was the issue of the film as the town of Freehold and its governing body would not extend survivor benefits to Ms. Andree. They were not married, but legally they could not get married. At least without a lot of agitation and organizing.Which is where Steve Carrell as Steven Goldstein comes in, leading the same sex marriage lobbying group. The issue as he says is so neatly encapsulated in the problem that Hester and Andree face.Two things I liked about Freeheld that make this a special film. One was the chemistry between Julianne Moore and Ellen Page as Laurel and Stacy. They made me believe the love was real.The second was the scenes among Laurel's police colleagues with her and among themselves. The differing reactions was a sampling of straight and male America, quite nicely documented.Freeheld is a great film showing the need for same sex marriage as few others have.

James De Bello Even though it treads a lot, and I mean it, a lot of ground that has been covered by countless films before, especially recently, "Freeheld" is a well-crafted film that has committed and passionate work behind it that manage to make it come through a lot more than it could have in many other situations.I am baffled by Juliane Moore honestly, that is the first and only thing that comes off the top of my head thinking of the film. She is so talented it is ridiculous. Because even if this is a performance that we have seen so many times before, even by Moore herself last year, she still manages to make it fu**ing interesting, new and genuine. This actress is a legend really. Right from her way of moving on screen she just lives and breathes the characters she is given and makes them so much more of what is on paper, which is also the main reason this film succeeds.Because the film does recycle a lot. Both in ideas and style. It fits right into the streak of true story films that we have had in recent years and doesn't really emerge. It doesn't have a personal stamp, it doesn't really say anything special or new and what it says it really throws in your face without space for a more subtle or emotional narrative. As always with true story movies it gets deep into manipulating your emotions by pulling very, very easy heartstrings and doesn't make an attempt at trying to make a movie first before a recounting of the true story.Yet, you feel that much of it, despite being standard, is truly heartfelt by the cast. Micheal Shannon is really, really good, Ellen Page doesn't always find her place on screen, but still manages to come off as the very good actress she is.So in the end what we have is something that excites and moves in a way too conventional and seen-before way, that comes off as a pleasant experience thanks to its actors' commitment. I will never, ever watch this film again, but I will also never regret having seen it.

David M Farrington It's 2002 and we open on… No, wait, it's 2003 now. A year has gone by and… No, wait, she's typing "as per the law enacted in 2005" now but only a month has seemed to pass in the story and… Oh, screw it! I can't keep up anymore. Freeheld, the new movie from director Peter Sollett and Oscar nominated writer Ron Nyswaner, is a relevant film with a discussion about LGBTQ equality that must be had, though it has suddenly become not so relevant. The message is the star of the film and it seems as if Sollett and Nyswaner rushed to make the movie in time forgetting that at heart they are storytellers. They defaulted to the use of clichéd dialogue and stereotypical archetypes, mostly wasting the talents of a stellar cast to release a film that could have had so much more impact if seen just four months earlier, before the SCOTUS decision on Marriage Equality. What they forgot in their haste is that if the story is not told well, we become lost and the thematic elements become insignificant as we just don't care.Freeheld tells the moving true story of Laurel Hester (Julianne Moore/Still Alice, Boogie Nights), a highly decorated detective of the Ocean County, New Jersey Police Department who was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. Closeted at work in order to...Check out the full review on David 'n the Dark! https://davidnthedark.wordpress.com/2015/10/12/too-cliche-and-too- quick-to-care/