A PERFECTLY NORMAL FAMILY

Denmark, 2020, 97 minutes, Colour.

Kaya Toft Loholt, Mikkel Boe Folsgaard, Rigmor Ranthe.

Directed by Malou Reymann.

With this title, and its tone, audience will expect that we are not going to be looking at this perfectly normal family. This is a Danish film, dramatising gender transition. (And remembering that Denmark was the location for the 1953 celebrated case of transition, Christine Jorgensen).

At first, the family seems perfectly ordinary, mother, father, older daughter, younger daughter, and seeing them together, the little girl playing football with her father support, a family gathering. Then, the announcement that Thomas the father has already begun transition and his wife has asked for divorce.

While the film does give some attention to Thomas and his transition to Agnete hormone treatment et cetera in Denmark, going to Thailand for the final surgery, returning, email appearance, style, manner.

The focus of the film is on the effect of the transition on the two children, especially the younger daughter. She switches in moods and attitudes towards love for her dad, upset at the change and the consequences for the family. There is an effect on the older daughter who seems to be more accepting. The key scene is the older daughter’s confirmation where everybody gathers, speeches are made, acknowledgement of Agnete, the younger daughter making a speech and the two sisters embracing.

There is a further complication when Agnete decides to take up a position in London, the two daughters most unwilling but finally capitulating and some sequences of their visit to London and sightseeing with their dad.

Those interested in the transgender issues, a strong talking point. For those against transgender issues, and during the early 2020s, quite some resistance, for example in the US, providing more ammunition for their cause.

1. The title, the focus on the family, ordinary, the change, the consequences?
2. Danish society, issues of transgender, acceptability, public opinion? The director from Holland?
3. Ordinary society, homes, school, football matches, outings? The musical score?
4. The father, Thomas, the marriage, relationship with his wife, the two daughters, their ages, his bond with Emma and her football? Jovial? The mother, in the background? The meal, her announcement about the divorce, the instant reactions?
5. Thomas and his story, the long sense of being female, his marriage and children, still being dad, but consultation, therapy, hormone treatment, the change, the meetings, the family with the therapist, the upsets, his going to Thailand, the surgery, his coming back?
6. Thomaas becoming Agnete, the name, his appearance, clothes, female manner, with the children, in going out, social, the future?
7. The repercussions for the two daughters, Caroline, her age, more accepting? Emma, her age, trying to comprehend? The ups and downs of the relationship? The issues of living with each parent? The holiday, sharing the enjoyment, Emma and her ups and downs, acknowledging Agnete or not? The other families, the table, the comments about the resembling their mother…?
8. At home, the situations, the football, Emma at school, the gossip of the children, the taunts, her reactions? Caroline, building up to the confirmation, the celebration, everybody present, her grandfather’s speech, reference to his son-in-law, the song, Emma and her speech, Caroline happy, the mother happy?
9. Emma and her ups and downs, relying on her ups and downs?
10. Agnete, deciding to move to London for the job, the reactions of the children, Emma and her demands, Caroline and her demands? Agnete and her explanation, the promises?
11. The upbeat ending, the visits to London, the tourism? The future of this perfectly normal family?