NORMAL (2003) - Movie Review

Director: Jane Anderson
Starring: Tom Wilkinson, Jessica Lange, Hayden Panettiere, Clancy Brown, Joseph Sikora
Genre: Drama
Writer: Jane Anderson
Runtime: 110 min
Rated: Not Rated
Buy This Movie: DVD (Amazon)

This blog is supported by its audience. When you buy through links on my blog, I may earn an affiliate commission.

Synopsis:

Ray and Irma are a devoted couple living a normal life in rural Illinois, until Roy decides that his life must change and confesses to Irma that he's a woman trapped in a man's body. Now Roy must face their friends, his coworkers and his own children with the whole new way of life he has planned - and they must face him. What happens to a town, a factory and a loving marriage when confronted with such a transformation is all about being who you are, being in love, and simply being normal.

Review:

American actress, playwright and filmmaker Jane Anderson wrote and directed HBO's TV drama "Normal" from her own play "Looking for Normal". The film, which is incredibly hard to come by these days, is a complex examination of a difficult topic. What happens when a middle-aged man, happily married for 25 years, with children, living in a conservative Midwestern community, decides to undergo a sex change procedure (or gender-affirming surgery as it's called today) and transition to a woman.

The movie does a great job at exploring not only the trials and tribulations of Roy Applewood (Tom Wilkinson), the factory worker with gender dysphoria, but also how his decision affects his family. A brutal change in the dynamics of married life also comes into play as his wife Irma (Jessica Lange) is at first shocked and resentful, but slowly learns to accept and support Roy. There's actually a beautiful love story at the core of this movie, one that transcends the physical and the limits of social approval. It's the deepest kind of love there is. Perhaps even the kind of love that we expect from God: absolute and unconditional.

Roy's interactions with his family, friends and coworkers are explored with empathy and a keen eye for the finer points of the human condition, avoiding the trappings of sensationalism or political correctness, and even allowing some humor to pierce through the heavy drama at just the right moments. Wilkinson and Lange are outstanding, bringing warmth and humanity to their roles, while Hayden Panettiere and Joseph Sikora give solid supporting performances as their kids.

"Normal" is a smart, skillfully written and directed, and exceptionally well-acted drama, but is unfortunately very hard to find these days. I own the DVD from way back, which is why physical formats should never go away, but HBO should consider making this movie available for streaming on Max.

SCORE: 8/10