the audience applauded

Brilliant and touching

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

Normal is about Roy Applewood, who then becomes Ruth Applewood. Early on in the film Roy expresses to his wife Irma that he has always desired to live as a female. The emotional turmoil that this puts Irma through is very profound, and she struggles to accept her husband's change of lifestyle. She even goes as far as to nearly commit adultery against Roy/Ruth through her emotional turmoil. A particular issue in the film is their son's feelings of awkwardness regarding Roy's transformation. The family is weakened and strengthened by the following turn of events. The film depicts how the couple works though this issue together, and the strength of the bond of family and marriage.One thing that should be noted is that the overall feeling of the film is very bland. All characters are very old (no offense to anyone,) dialogue becomes very heavy/boring, cinematography is flat, and the overall pace of the film is very slow. Since the story is unconventional, and the pace of the story is very slow, the film would have been aided by having more artistic film-making/experimental shots. But unfortunately since the film was produced by HBO films, we already know that we will not get anything artistic, but simply something which is trying to appeal to sexually repressed older/married people. HBO is a mid-life crisis exploitation channel, and this film demonstrates that clearly.On a positive note, the film could have significant meaning particularly for someone who is married and has had any sort of transgender feelings.

Normal is a human drama about a married man who makes a decision to go through a sex- change operation. He confesses to his wife that he has been struggling with a gender disorder since he was a child. The film without a doubt explores the life of Ruth, in the most realistic and non-glamorous way possible without eliminating its emotional connection with the audience. As a truck factory worker in a very masculine working environment, and living in a very small town that is limited in such knowledge on alternative lifestyle, Ruth struggles to be accepted, respected or even looked as a human being. His relationship with his wife is explored in a non glamorous way, and clearly sets the stands for both Ruth's and his wife Irma's character, their view on the situation and their emotional journey through the process of Ruth's sex change. The reaction from their off springs is another subject that the film succeeded in representing. Both children have different reactions to their father's decision, but relate and explain their reactions from their age and characteristics. Both Irma and Ruth have great acting that transcends their emotional journey and hardship through such less explored topics on gender in film. But the film does not take the topic of gender completely foreign and stills keeps the mood of common social issues the same way it does with other human dramas, which succeeds in making it easier for the audience to consumer.

This is an incredible powerful movie regarding unconditional love,acceptance and responsibility for ourself and our loved ones. Roy and Irma are a middle class couple with one rebellious adult son and a quick minded teenager daughter. They are a pillar of their small community and active in the local church. During the celebration of their 25th marriage anniversary Roy passes out. The couple go for counseling advice to their pastor. Roy admits that for several years has been struggling against the desire to became a woman because he feels entrapped in a man's body. Irma is flabbergasted and ask Roy to leave the house. Roy goes ahead with his plan to become a female with courage enduring the taunts of his colleagues at work,the bitter irony of his son and the ostracism of his congregation. However Irma eventually ask him to go back living with her and help him in his journey to become Ruth giving him advice and support and acceptance. When the pastor tell her that she is free to divorce Roy she simply says"" Leave him?He is my hearth!!The final moving scene is the night before the sex change operation when Irma hugs Roy and ask him to see his male body nude for the very last time.

I recently re-watched this film after having first seen it several years ago, and I love it even more. Although it's not representative of how a real-life transsexual situation in a marriage might go, the film delves honestly into the issues and delivers an entertaining movie, too. Tom Wilkinson, plays Roy, a very middle aged bear of a man who finally works up the nerve to put himself right and admit that he's actually a woman born in the wrong body. The first time he says that, you laugh, as you are supposed to. Are you kidding me? Roy looks as much like a woman as a desk does. But he's determined, perhaps helped by modern times and science that has proved cases of "gender dysphoria." Problem is that Roy lives in a small town populated by people who don't subscribe to any such thing. In reality, Roy's story would have probably ended in the barn during his father's birthday party. Or he would have had to leave town altogether and go to Chicago. But this is a movie and Jane Alexander, the director, keeps the setting true and mines it for all the conflict and entertainment value possible. Jessica Lange gives a beautiful performance as Roy's wife, who grieves over losing her husband but ultimately reconciles Roy with Ruth by realizing they are the same person, physical container aside.