NORMAL LIFE
US, 1996, 101 minutes, Colour.
Ashley Judd, Luke Perry, Bruce A. Young.
Directed by John Mc Naughton.
Normal Life is an ironic title for the film, the story of an earnest young policeman and his infatuation with an erratic beautiful woman who is prone to depression and to drug addiction. They marry, he becomes more desperate. However, when he is sacked from his job, and he does not relate well to other police, he decides to put his talents to robbing banks, and then sharing the robbing of banks with his wife. The film opens with the end of his career and his arrest so the audience knows that from good beginnings, there are going to be sad endings.
The film stars Luke Perry, popular from television series, as the young policeman. He does well in this role and is matched by Ashley Judd, at the beginning of her career, as the erratic Pam.
The film was directed by John Mc Naughton, an eccentric director who has shown a great interest in portraying crimes and criminals. Some of his films are Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (with James Woods), Mad Dog and Glory with Robert De Niro and Uma Thurman, and Wild Things.
1. The title, its irony, what was normal, the struggle to be normal, the decisions by Chris Anderson not to be normal?
2. The film based on a true story?
3. The American Midwest, the credits, the town, home, the police, the malls, ordinary town? The musical score?
4. The structure of the film: the robbery, the pursuit, the arrest and chase, the shootout? The flashbacks to two years earlier, the portrait of Chris and Pam, their lives, decisions? Resuming the bank robberies, the aftermath and the violence?
5. The pessimistic tone of the film? For both Chris and Pam? The sadness of life, the void?
6. The initial police comments on Chris when he was arrested, their surprise, the flashbacks, the police work, Chris as a loner, not relating well to his fellow police, not countenancing their brutality, not playing the games, their not giving him any backup? His love for books? For reading? Eventually for selling the second-hand books?
7. The episode in the bar, Pam surrounded by the men, the disorder, a sign of things to come? Chris and his attraction to Pam?
8. Their meeting, talking, the dates, the shooting, sharing, the relationship, marriage?
9. The wedding, the formality, the father, the family coming, the cough during the speech and its irony? The meal and Pam in the bathroom? Sign of things to come?
10. Pam as a character, sharing with Chris, the explanations, her interest in the stars and planets, the telescope, the potential depth in her character? Yet self-centred, caring less, her tantrums? Sexual behaviour, refusal?
11. Chris and his work, Pam and his getting the dog, the arguments at the parents’ house, Pam and the bike, the dog, the meal? Chris and his always giving in?
12. Pam as wilful, the credit card, the coming eclipse, her extravagant buying of equipment, presents? Working, her being late, her being fired?
13. Chris and his being fired? The accounts, the debts? Pam not interested? Looking for new opportunities?
14. Pam, her friend, the sexual behaviour? The arguments, the reconciliation with Chris?
15. Chris opening the shop, selling second-hand books, doing security work? The possibilities for settling down?
16. The robberies, the plans, the cars, Chris and his disguise, success, eluding the police, his watching the media reports? Pam following him, seeing the cash, getting an allowance, wanting to participate in the robberies?
17. The number of robberies, the banks, their reputation? The pursuit, the arrest, Chris listening in on the police radio? Pam and her shooting, her death? The Bonnie and Clyde echoes?
18. Chris, going to court, his brother and family supporting him, his changing character, the gun, his death?
19. The irony of the title in view of this story of two ordinary people and their normal life changing to extraordinary and destructive?
