Review of The Ryan White Story

Because I lived during the era when HIV/AIDS was a HUGE worry, I remember pretty clearly the sad case of Ryan White. The boy contracted AIDS as a result of his treatments for Hemophilia...and folks in his community were so scared of the illness. After all, not a lot was known about the illness at that time. The school board responded by expelling Ryan...and the boy was the center of a media frenzy. It was a sad story...especially when so much of the rhetoric surrounding this was hateful by the folks in his community and the White family was treated abominably. Because of this, I basically spent much of the film in tears...and I think this is going to be the case with most viewers. It's a sad, awful story...no matter how it's told. This film is a made for TV movie that came out a year before Ryan's death.

So is the story well done? Yes. I am not sure how much they changed facts to make the story more cinematic...but it is very effective in presenting the story. Well acted as well...and well worth seeing.