Normal is a 2003 American made-for-television drama film produced by HBO Films, which became an official selection at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival.[1] Jane Anderson, the film's writer and director, adapted her own play, Looking for Normal. The film is about a fictional Midwestern factory worker named Roy Applewood, who stuns his wife of 25 years by saying he wishes to undergo sex reassignment surgery and transition to a woman.
| Normal | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Drama |
| Based on | Looking for Normal by Jane Anderson |
| Written by | Jane Anderson |
| Directed by | Jane Anderson |
| Starring | Jessica Lange Tom Wilkinson |
| Music by | Alex Wurman |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Producers | Thomas J. Busch Cary Brokaw Lydia Dean Pilcher |
| Cinematography | Alar Kivilo |
| Editor | Lisa Fruchtman |
| Running time | 110 minutes |
| Production companies | HBO Films Avenue Pictures |
| Original release | |
| Network | HBO |
| Release | January 21, 2003 |
In an HBO interview, Anderson was asked "Were you drawing on any sources when you were researching this? Or was it purely out of your imagination?", to which she replied "Oh, it's my imagination, it's all fiction." She also said that she wanted to use the play "as a metaphor for a study of marriage", calling transition the "ultimate betrayal".[2]
Plot
editRoy Applewood (Tom Wilkinson), after fainting on the night of his 25th marriage anniversary, shocks his wife Irma (Jessica Lange) by revealing plans to transition into a woman named Ruth. While Ruth tries to keep the family together, Irma's initial reaction is to separate from her. Patty Ann (Hayden Panettiere), their daughter, is more accepting, but Wayne (Joseph Sikora), their son, struggles with the transition. He mocks Ruth after receiving an explanation letter.
The movie follows the fictitious story of the character Ruth in the depiction of her transition. She buys women's clothes, wears earrings and puts on perfume. She finds graffiti on her truck "You are not normal". Her mother decides not to tell her father. She is kicked out of the church choir. Irma finds Ruth in the barn with a gun to her head. She invites her back home. Her teen daughter just got her period and doesn't like being a girl. Their son Wayne comes home for Thanksgiving and ends up in a fist fight with Ruth. The son yells obscenities at her and then cries in her arms. After a year passes she goes in for surgery with full support from Irma.
Ruth faces ostracism at church and at work. She finds understanding from her boss, Frank, but not from her minister. In the end, Irma discovers that love transcends gender and the family survives.
Cast
edit- Jessica Lange as Irma Applewood
- Tom Wilkinson as Roy / Ruth Applewood
- Clancy Brown as Frank
- Hayden Panettiere as Patty Ann Applewood
- Joseph Sikora as Wayne Applewood
- Richard Bull as Roy Applewood Sr.
- Mary Seibel as Em Applewood
- Randall Arney as Reverend Dale Muncie
- Rondi Reed as Roy's Sister Beth
Reception
editRobert Pardi of TV Guide, reviewed the film and stated "Writer-director Jane Anderson tries to shoehorn her own play into the TV-tragedy", "but it's an awkward fit" and "Although the performances are superb, the film's detachment doesn't suit the bizarre material".[3]
On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 100% based on 7 reviews, and an average rating of 7.2/10.[4]
Awards and nominations
editNormal was nominated for three Golden Globe Awards, won one Primetime Emmy Award and was nominated for another five.
Jessica Lange and Tom Wilkinson both received acting nominations for the Golden Globe, Primetime Emmy, and Satellite Awards.[5]
See also
edit
- Transamerica (2005)
- Transparent (2014)
- Becoming Us (2015)
- Transgender in film and television
References
edit- ^ James, Andrea (January 21, 2003). "Film review: Jane Anderson's "Normal"". www.transgendermap.com. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
- ^ "HBO Online Exclusive Interview with Jane Anderson". HBO. Archived from the original on February 5, 2009.
- ^ Pardi, Robert. "Normal, TV Guide". TVGuide.com. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
- ^ "Normal". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
- ^ Jerry Roberts Encyclopedia of Television Film Directors, p. 8, at Google Books
- ^ "Me and My Emmy: Jane Anderson". Television Academy. February 26, 2016. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
- ^ Neil Landau The Screenwriter’s Roadmap: 21 Ways to Jumpstart Your Story, p. 16, at Google Books