There is no greater cure than a true friendship
'The Cure' is a touching film about a true friendship. A friendship that exceeds all of the preconceptions. I agree that this is a tale of happiness under tragic circumstances. Plus, it portrays an ignorant side of society. Many believe that AIDS is strictly a "gay" disease and transmittable through the air and mock and treat miserably those who have it. This movie can teach us all many lessons and morals.This story is about two unlucky boys with different personalities and some problems in common (both are rejected and unwelcome by society). Erik is, I assume, 12 years old (like Brad Renfro himself back then), an easy target for a bunch of dorks and his mother is a horrible person and ignorant (and so is his unseen grandmother). Erik's neighbor Dexter is 11 (like Joseph Mazzello at the time). Dexter has a loving mother but he is a cursed child. He is very nice and sweet but he got AIDS from a blood transfusion when he was a baby and just because of his illness he is treated by the ignorants as if he was a plague. This is Dexter's drama. Poor Dexter!
Erik and Dexter got off to a bad start but Erik quickly learns to like and respect Dexter and they become great friends. Together they live adventures and moments of fun and happiness at the same time they attempt to find a cure to save Dexter. Their friendship has no boundaries and both find out they're braver than they ever imagined, as their courage helps them in sticky situations. Erik gives Dexter a chance to live life as it should be lived.
There is a number of heartwarming moments, such as the scene when Erik gives his tennis shoe to Dexter to comfort him and make him feel safer. Another part that gets me every time is the tense sequence when Dexter stabs his hand and says the haunting line «My blood is like poison» and gets far weaker after this bravery act and has to be taken to a hospital.
During Dexter's stay at the hospital, there are some fun moments which serve as a perfect comic relief under a tragic circumstance. The boys prank the doctors that Dexter is unconscious in two occasions. Dexter scares the hell out of the doctors and laughs a lot. But in a 3rd attempt to prank them, when Erik asks Dexter «Are you ready for another victim?» and Dexter smiles and nods "Yes", the sad irony is that Dexter no longer wakes up. The cure is not found. The nice tyke doesn't make it.
The two boys take the movie all by themselves and shine like stars: Brad Renfro as Erik and Joseph Mazzello as Dexter.
Brad Renfro was talented and always looked mature for his age. That and the fact that his voice sounded mature for the age made him look some years older than he really was. Shame he did put himself in a bad spot few years after this movie was made and passed away early.
Joseph Mazzello always proved to be a fine young actor. He is simply wonderful in this serious role. And he was a very cute kid and had the cutest and most adorable voice, along with Judith Barsi.
Annabella Sciorra's acting as Linda also deserves my praise. The soundtrack is worth of my praise too, it sounds so peaceful-minded, fits perfectly in the mood of the film. This movie is a classic, deserves much better luck than it got.
Title in Portugal: 'Laços de Amizade'.
score 10/10
bts1984 26 January 2011
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw2375841/35908
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