Like the recent film Carol, Freeheld portrays the romance between two women who are very different with each other in age and ideology, but with sincere emotions transcending any difference.
And, also like Carol, Freeheld employs the romance as the framework of wider subjects, revealing the injustices committed against people who don't fit into the supposed standard of "normality" approved by society. But unlike Carol, Freeheld portrays true events which happened in this century, proving that there's still a long road to finish. The romance between the main characters of Freeheld feels honest and absolutely credible thanks to the precise screenplay and the wonderful performances from Julianne Moore and Ellen Page. Freeheld is a very well structured film, with a first half which perfectly establishes the situation, and a second one which reaches a high narrative eloquence while strengthening the drama without manipulating the audience. Besides of Moore and Page, the performances from Steve Carell and Michael Shannon are also worthy of applause, and their characters efficiently represent the complex political and social angles from the touching story. In conclusion, Freeheld is a brilliant film which deserves a very enthusiastic recommendation. And even though it didn't receive as much acclamation as Carol or Philadelphia, I personally found it much more powerful and memorable.