NORMAL

Canada, 2007, 100 minutes, Colour.
Carrie- Anne Moss, Kevin Zegers, Callum Keith Rennie, Andrew Airlie, Tygh Runyan, Camille Sullivan, Lauren Lee Smith, Michael Riley, Brittany Ervin, Alison Hossack, Cameron Bright, Tara Frederick.
Directed by Carl Bessai.

Normal is a story about the aftermath of a car accident. It is what might be called a normal car accident, could happen anywhere to anyone?

The film opens with the mother of a dead boy grieving. She is played with stern sadness by Carrie- Anne Moss. She is alienated from her husband who has not wept at the death of her son. She is distant from her surviving son (Cameron Bright). Another strand of the story involves Walter (Callum Keith Rennie) who was the drunken driver who crashed into the stolen car in which the dead boy was a passenger. He is looking after his autistic brother (Tygh Runyan). The third element of the plot involves Kevin Zegers as the young man who stole a car and had the dead boy as his passenger. He gets out of juvenile detention, is angry with his intolerant father, has a liaison with his young stepmother (Camille Sullivan) and meets the girlfriend of the dead boy.

The film, rather grimly, pursues the emotional torments of each of these characters. It finally brings them to some kind of connection, the young man wanting to meet the mother of his dead friend, the drunken driver finally meeting the mother and experiencing her angry outburst against him. The film moves to some kind of resolution, as the characters try to deal with their grief and their guilt.

The film won a number of awards in its native Canada.

1. The impact of the film? Grim? The reality of accidents, the reality of grief, the reality of angers? People’s ability or inability to continue with life?

2. The setting, the aerial shots of the beautiful area, the cliffs, the water? Homes? A comfortable area? The musical score?

3. The title, the accident, the reactions as normal? The challenge to go back to normal?

4. The family story, the home movie of the young boy, Catherine and her comments on losing her son? Her keeping his room, clothes? Her alienation from her husband and his inability to understand it? Her distancing herself from Brady? The tension in the household, Brady and his surliness, the basketball, his father criticising him, the father’s accident, Brady and his confrontation with his mother, with his brother’s basketball? The carrying on with life, but Catherine in a lifeless manner? Meeting friends, going out? Absent-minded and not listening? The build-up to a confrontation, her burning her son’s clothes and possessions? Her husband’s reaction, putting out the fire, her turning on him, accusing him of not weeping? Her trying to reconcile with Brady, deciding to go away to her sister’s? Jordie and his phone call, her sitting with him, a reconciliation? Walt and his arrival, her angry outburst, dragging him out of her way? Able to face life? Brady smiling? The distance between husband and wife?

5. Jordie’s story, coming out of detention, with his father, the tension between them? His father and Elise? At home, his violent outbursts, hitting Elise, fighting with his son? Jordie and Elise, their talk, the seduction? Jordie and his meeting with the dead boy’s girlfriend, their sharing memories, going out? Jordie and his work in the pizza shop, surliness, clash with the owner and walking out? His being disturbed, by himself, the decision to ring Catherine, talking with her, his confessing and going over what happened, the stealing of the car? Some kind of forgiveness from Catherine?

6. Walt’s story, drinking, in the car? Relationship with his wife, the break-up? His looking after Dennis? Dennis and his autism, the effect of the accident, staying in his room? The autistic behaviour, the repetitions, the nervousness? Walt and his friendship with Sylvie, Dennis talking with Sylvie on the phone? Walt trying to do the best for his brother, get him outside the room, his failure? Walt and his teaching? The meeting with Sherri, her wanting an extension, their going out, dating, the sexual relationship? Her work at the television, wanting a degree, not just wanting to be a glamorous weather girl? Dennis watching her on the television and liking her? The break? Sherri and her upset at the visit to Dennis? Sherri and the man in her room, the fight with Walt, the reconciliation? Her telling him how she interviewed him at the court, the story of Catherine’s attack on him? Walt, drinking, trying to come to terms with what was happening? Sylvie, her arrival, Dennis talking through the door? Finally deciding to go out, in the bus, the night out? Walt satisfied with this? His going to meet Catherine, her violent outburst against him, dragging him out of the way of the car, leaving him? Some kind of hope or not?

7. A humane experience, yet a gruelling emotional experience for audience? Insight? Empathy?