Synopsis
After being raised in the wilderness, a teenage girl moves to the city hoping for a normal life with her anything but normal mother.
North of Normal
Cast
Director
Producers
Writer
Original Writer
Editor
Cinematography
Executive Producers
Joel Reilly Patrick Patterson Sarah Gadon Michael Risley Rob Connolly Adrian Love Noah Segal Berry Meyerowitz Jeff Sackman
Production Design
Composer
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Country
Language
Alternative Titles
Au nord de la norme, 노스 오브 노멀
Genre
Releases by Date
Premiere
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Canada
Toronto International Film Festival
Theatrical
28 Jul 2023
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Canada
Digital
28 Jul 2023
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Canada
Releases by Country
Canada
11 Sep 2022
- Premiere Toronto International Film Festival
28 Jul 2023
- Theatrical
28 Jul 2023
- Digital
Popular reviews
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Score : 6.7/10 ✅
It’s good but it misses a certain – je ne sais quoi’ to make it more poignant. If you are looking for something that tackles the daily life and challenges of living in the wild; then Captain Fantastic (2016) may be your best choice.
North of Normal is a testament to how our environment doesn’t necessarily define us. It’s also interesting to follow this mother-daughter relationship back-and-forth in this asymmetrical structure. It starts good and glamorous and it transforms itself into this grim and upset routine where we realize that the mother forgot her primary role; to provide stability to her beautiful child.
The dynamic is quite interesting when adulthood is around the corner. Suddenly mother…
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>100 WITH <100 #3
(Backlogging marathon)If you liked NOMADLAND, CAPTAIN FANTASTIC, LEAVE NO TRACE, or any off-the-grid and/or rural coming of age films, I think you will like this little relatable indie based on a memoir.
So many of my friends had a bohemian, carefree, partying single mother with a rotating roster of creepy casual stepfathers and a steady flow of drugs and drink greatly impacting the safety and security of their childhoods and education.
These are the kids who have to grow up quickly and play the parent, developing a complex in which they feel they have to save their parent from that life and their bad decisions, and any experienced poverty or misfortune.
The dream to run…
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I never found this movie particularly convincing but it isn't terrible and it does at least give a heaping helping of screentime to Sarah Gadon so that's a passing grade in my book.
I could've done without hearing her cover "Take Me Home, Country Roads" though, simply because I could do without hearing anybody else cover that song at this point.
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North of Normal aims to translate Cea Sunrise Person's complex memoir into a cinematic experience that captures the essence of a unique childhood marred by idealism and harsh realities. In her efforts to explore the delicate equilibrium between a child's curiosity and the harsh realities of growing up, Director Carly Stone is accompanied by a talented cast comprising River Price-Maenpaa as young Cea and experienced actors Robert Carlyle and Janet Porter portraying her grandparents. Yet, despite its lofty goals and moments of genuine charm, the film struggles to fully realise its potential, culminating in a viewing experience that feels both underwhelming and disjointedly executed. At the heart of the film is Price-Maenpaa, whose portrayal of Cea is undeniably captivating. Through…
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Feels a little too lite, surface level. Wish it hadn't just felt like a series of events and spent a bit more time on reacting to things that happened.
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VIFF 2022 #13
3:00pm
International VillageVery interesting story, but I feel like a lot of what was presented was quite surface level. A lot of the dialogue was very on the nose, and I would have liked to see more character being revealed in the exchanges between Cea and her mother rather than just telling us what we already know. The acting, however, is fantastic, and all of the leads give the performances their all, which elevates the script above what was written. Sarah Gadon knocked it out of the park as always. I have yet to see her give a bad, or even middling performance.
I do think this film at least piqued my interest in Cea’s story…
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TIFF 2022: Film #17
Another film in this surprisingly long residing subgenre of counterculture parenting. Much more confrontational and responsible than something like The Glass Castle but still wish there was a bit more interiority. Absolutely amazing performances from Robert Carlyle and especially Amanda Fix though.
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A wonderfully rendered film. The storyline is depicted with great sensitively and nuance, the flashbacks and flash-forwards artfully weaving a tapestry of the complex relationship between a parentified child and child-like parent. The acting is superb and the cinematography achingly beautiful. The musical selections help evoke the free-wheeling spirit of the early '70's. Highly recommended!
