And Then There Was One (1994) starring Amy Madigan, Dennis Boutsikaris, Jane Daly, Jennifer Hetrick, Martha Henry, Cameron Arnett, Kenneth Welsh directed by David Hugh Jones Movie Review

And Then There Was One (1994)   3/53/53/53/53/5


Dennis Boutsikaris and Amy Madigan in And Then There Was One (1994)

Being Positive

Screenwriters Roxy (Amy Madigan - Field of Dreams) and Vinnie Ventola (Dennis Boutsikaris - Batteries not Included) desperately want a family and after years of failure try via IVF and successfully have baby Miranda. But their happiness is short lived when Miranda is taken ill and after first being diagnosed with flu, then pneumonia is diagnosed with Aids and not given long to live. Told to get tested as well both Roxy and Vinnie learn that they too have Aids and have to face how to deal with their future and their friends and trying to stay positive.

So with "And Then There Was One" we have a TV movie made in the 90s which deals with a true story from the 80s which when watched now has some issues. For example there is no distinction between having HIV and Aids and before we even get to that we have Roxy and Vinnie shown as a happy wise cracking couple who keep on smiling even through adversity. These issues thankfully don't ruin the movie but they do keep it down as being only good.

Cameron Arnett in And Then There Was One (1994)

So what the real focus of "And Then There Was One" is a look at how Roxy and Vinnie cope with lives after being diagnosed with Aids. We see how they individually deal with it in different ways, both having highs and lows, using their wit as a defence mechanism and trying to stay positive. It is interesting to see how Vinnie would rather not have people know because he fears how people will treat them whilst Roxy would rather know who her real friends are. We also see how others react to them such as their friend Janet who being misguided abandons them in fear of catching Aids, yes I did say catch because she fears infection just through touch.

The trouble with "And Then There Was One" is that whilst Amy Madigan and Dennis Boutsikaris work well as a wise cracking couple we get no real depth to their characters. That trouble arises from the build up as there is very little as although we see them struggle to conceive we are at the diagnosis before we know it. That issue also presents itself with the supporting cast with them popping in and out but only usually to fill out a scene.

What this all boils down to is that "And Then There Was One" is an interesting movie with both its look at a couple who were diagnosed with Aids but also a look at the attitudes of people during the 80s towards those with Aids.


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