Philadelphia is one of those movies that I remember seeing pretty heavily advertised when it was released in theatres in 1993. However, I more remember this being a bigger deal when it was released on VHS the following year in 1994. The three places that rented movies where I was all had tons of posters and copies of the movie. As a kid, I did not have much interest in the movie at all, and it was something I never saw until many years later.
Where to Watch Philadelphia
Philadelphia was released on January 14, 1994. You can stream the film from a digital platform. If you are looking for more legal drama films, we recommend Kramer vs. Kramer, A Few Good Men, or Erin Brockovich.
The Movie Review
To be honest, I am not sure what I can really say about the plot. I would wager that even if you have managed to go these past 30 years without seeing Philadelphia, you probably know what the plot is. Or at the very least know that it is the movie about Tom Hanks playing the role of a man with aids. Not only that, it is pretty common knowledge that this movie was huge for Hanks, winning him an Oscar for his performance as Andrew Beckett.
The story is about a talented lawyer called Andrew Beckett. Andrew works for a high-profile law firm in Philadelphia, and he keeps the fact that he is gay and that he has aids a secret. A colleague notices a lesion on Beckett, and that sparks suspicion, and his firm comes up with an excuse to fire him. Convinced that the reason he was fired was because he is gay and has aids, Beckett looks to sue them.
No one will take his case, including Denzel Washington’s, Joe Miller, who at first is grossed out by the fact that Beckett is gay and has aids. However, Miller soon realizes that the discrimination against Beckett is similar to what he has faced, and he agrees to help him fight this case. Seeing the friendship blossom between Beckett and Miller is great, and I think that the character growth shown by Miller is one of the best aspects of the movie.
Performances That Made the Movie Iconic
Tom Hanks gets most of the attention for this movie, and to be fair, he does a tremendous job. However, I think that Denzel Washington deserves just as much credit for this movie as Tom Hanks does. I am shocked that Denzel did not win as many awards as Tom Hanks did, as I feel he really deserved it. The movie simply would not have worked as well as it did without him.
A Classic Courtroom Drama with Lasting Impact
This is basically a courtroom drama, but it is a very entertaining one, and the movie does a great job of making you care for Beckett and want to see him get justice. I do think that the movie is a product of its time, and it was no doubt groundbreaking for the early 90s, but some of the language may raise some eyebrows for a new audience watching it for the first time today.
The Unforgettable Soundtrack
Oh, we cannot talk about this movie without mentioning the soundtrack, specifically, the main song by The Boss! Streets of Philadelphia by Bruce Springsteen is just an incredible track, and I would put it up there as one of the best movie songs and one of Bruce Springsteen’s very best songs, too. The song is probably just as well-known, if not more so, than the actual movie!
Is Philadelphia Still Worth Watching in 2025?
I am writing this in 2025, and I guess the question is, is Philadelphia worth watching today? I still think that this is a good movie, mainly due to the fantastic action by Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington, but I would not go as far as to say that this is my favorite Tom Hanks or Denzel Washington movie. Still, if you have never seen this, it is certainly worth a watch.
