I can scarcely believe it myself, but for once I entirely agree with something that Leonard Maltin has written. Indeed it was perhaps sadly inevitable that Hollywood's first film about AIDS would be an exercise in the politically correct that constantly watched its back. That is not to say that Philadelphia is a bad film. In fact is quite a good one. Director Demme should be credited for crafting an interesting and entertaining film that at least doesn't fall into the trap of being patronising to the point of insulting. Hanks is brilliant as the lawyer who is fired by his firm for having AIDS. In his first role after spending his career making comedies, he gives his `every man' routine its first outing, a style that he has been feeding off ever since with Apollo 13 to Saving Private Ryan. Washington too is great as the lawyer who loathes homosexuals, but worships fair play and eventually takes on his case. However the film stumbles over the script, which prevents its from reaching the great heights of profundity which it clearly aspires too. The characters are pretty much all caricatures. Hanks as the innocent, almost saintly gay lawyer out for simple justice from his evil heterosexual superiors (`He brought AIDS into our bathrooms!') while Washington as the nice black lawyer attempting to put the World to rights. We simply don't know anything about Hank's background, his family and lover Banderas are too good to be true and the fact that the audience even sympathises with him is testament to the dignity of Hanks' performance. The film works well given its limitations of the standard Hollywood courtroom drama. But 7 years on, the time is right for a more realistic and gritty portrayal of the issues at hand. 6/10