Government action against homosexuals leads to the 1969 Stonewall Riots in NYC. Danny Winters is a runaway from Indiana. He is befriended by Ray and his group of gay friends. They struggle to find a place in the world.

Everybody is played over the top including the flat doe-eyed Danny. There is only so many Danny jaw drops that I can take. It's overwrought at almost every point. I want to say it's unflinching but it's more like pulp fiction. There are hints of artificiality which are the flat notes of this historical drama. The struggles of the fictional Danny Winters in his home town could be a compelling story by itself. Roland Emmerich's insistence of tying it to the Stonewall Riots is questionable. It's like saying the history cannot be comprehended without a white middle America protagonist. Ray is a more compelling character. The plot is also overstuffed which sidetracks the story and drags the pacing. This is problematic especially considering the needs of this important history.

This is a full blown Roland Emmerich film. Technically great (as all Emmerich's films). But also VERY respectful to those of us who suffered - and still suffers - oppression due to our sexuality. 

It is certainly an utterly historically inaccurate film. Things happen - that could not - and did not happen.

But hey: Do you remember the small child with cancer - saved in the last minute in 'The Day after Tomorrow'? And the American president - that has to lead the attach on the spaceship in 'Independence Day'? Far over the top! But so much over the top that it is obviously just the director playing with all of us. And I love it.

The film is loaded with quite beautiful scenes with characters you either hate or love. I understand their feelings and actions. For a gay man like me, it is sometimes very emotional, not at least due to some great acting. Yes: these people actually do exist in the real world!

So watch this film as an Emmerich experience. It does not show how it was - exactly. It may not be adored by the 'political correct' gay community, this film is far too mainstream in it's access to historical accuracy. But it is a great and very entertaining and beautiful movie. Far, far too underrated!

A movie that talks about an historic event ignoring history and the people who started the movement they talk about. No transgenders, black or white, in the movie. Only focus is Gay people, ignoring not only transgender issues, but the LGBT movement in general. And even without the cis and whitewashing, its still a poor movie, with no charisma and lacks emotion. It at least can bring people together, be straight, gay, cis or trans, everyone can dislike this movie together.