MovieChat Forums > Poetic Justice (1993) Discussion > News Recieved On Phone

News Recieved On Phone

posted 20 years ago by Randy_Watson_n_Sexual_Chocolate
8 replies | jump to latest

Just watched Poetic Justice from the upteenth time this evening...

I had always assumed that the news "Heywood" recieved on the phone was about him being HIV positive, but then again I just assumed, because what other kind of news could you get over the phone to make you that depressed...ANYWAY. ...

wondering if anyone owned the DVD that gave more insight to the scene where "Heywood" picked up the phone and Jessie the owner of the salon asked.."what did they say"

[–] indycysive 20 years ago

From what the commentary said by John Singleton, that scene where Heywood picks up the phone is one of those "AIDS" moments to be left ambiguous for the audience, since Heywood was a gay character. JS wanted to throw that scene in there to make the audience speculate the person on other line is actually a doctor telling Heywood the results to his AIDS test. This was left vague to not totally lose focus of the plot (if there was any).

[–] JaysonT 20 years ago

You are like right on my page!!!! I was wondering the same thing and I think you hit it on the head, because I assumed the same thing as well. 1993 was the height of the AIDS awareness, and with "Philadelphia" also in theaters that year, I would bet that was the case in "Poetic Justice".

[–] campeon_s 19 years ago

yeah but if HE was HIV POsitive he'd be freaking Out.. PErhaps it was his PArtner who had been struck. dont know.. das wat i heard..

[–] fiatlux-1 19 years ago

And I wondered if it was news about his own HIV status, a doctor would never give the results over the phone, would they???
I figured it was the news that a friend of Heywood's was HIV positive, and that was why he was so upset, yet much more calm than if the news was about him??

"I offer you this rose...my heart, my soul, my love."
"Love?"
- Legend

[–] only1me 19 years ago

I thought that too. I also thought maybe he told his family about him being gay and they started going crazy to him over the phone.

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] CaliSugarPlum 19 years ago

I have the Dvd and John Singleton said during the commentary the the news he received was supposed to be about his lover finding out that he had HIV and it causes him to stress over it because apparently they been sexually involved.

[–] LadyRae23 18 years ago

I'm glad that someone could explain this because I never got that part in the movie. I'd always assumed that Heywood finds out that he has AIDS.

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