Normal (2007)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

Carl Bessai

Writer:

Travis McDonald (written by)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A deadly car accident brings together a group of previously unrelated people, each of whom is forced to deal with the emotional fallout.

Plot Keywords:

Car Accident | Ensemble Cast | Brief Female Frontal Nudity | Rough Sex | Actress Breaking Typecast

Awards:

6 wins & 11 nominations

Cast

Carrie-Anne Moss	...	Catherine
Kevin Zegers	...	Jordie
Callum Keith Rennie	...	Walt Braugher
Andrew Airlie	...	Dale
Tygh Runyan	...	Dennis Braugher
Camille Sullivan	...	Elise
Lauren Lee Smith	...	Sherri Banks
Michael Riley	...	Carl
Brittney Irvin	...	Melissa (as Britt Irvin)
Allison Hossack	...	Abby
Cameron Bright	...	Brady
Tara Frederick	...	Sylvie Farber
Benjamin Ratner	...	Tim
Zak Santiago	...	Bob the Social Worker
Hrothgar Mathews	...	Jerry

MPAA:

Rated R for sexuality and language.

Runtime:

Canada:100 min (Toronto International Film Festival)

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Canada:18A | Australia:MA | USA:R | New Zealand:R16

Filming Locations:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Head Gear Films

Nothing Radically Novel, But I Liked It

This film is actually for the beginners. Beginner everything. Beginner cine-goer, beginner observer, beginner lover, beginner recuperating person. It did not tell me anything I already did not know. But I liked the style of representation in this film. Similar situations do happen in real life, though sometimes much less predictable, much more pivotal, and beyond redemption. There is, however, no point in making a film on what is the worst that could happen. It makes all the more sense to show while on your way to the last stand, at the edge of loneliness, what it is that you would cling on to or let go of. Sometimes that thing is within your reach, sometimes it is not. Sometimes it is well-deserved, sometimes it is just a matter of chance. This film looks into some such characteristic cases.

Pretty much everyone in this film did what they had been asked of, I think. That was not much of a challenge. They are making more films like these nowadays, so probably it will not leave any deep impression for the days to come. But still, watching it just once will not be an utterly disappointing or revolting experience. You can raise questions, of course. But as you will soon realize, the answer to most questions is "It was never really meant to be a masterpiece or anything." And that pretty much sums it up!