Normal (2003 film)
| Normal | |
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| Directed by | Jane Anderson |
| Produced by | Thomas J. Busch Cary Brokaw Lydia Dean Pilcher |
| Written by | Jane Anderson |
| Starring |
Jessica Lange Tom Wilkinson |
| Music by | Alex Wurman |
| Cinematography | Alar Kivilo |
| Edited by | Lisa Fruchtman |
| Distributed by | HBO Films |
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Release date
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Running time
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110 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Normal is a 2003 drama film produced by HBO Films, which became an official selection at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival. Jane Anderson, the film's writer and director, adapted her own play, Looking for Normal. The film is about the gender transition of Ruth Applewood, a transsexual woman who had been living as a man for 25 years of marriage. A Midwestern factory worker, Applewood (then going by "Roy") stuns her wife of 25 years by saying she wishes to undergo sex reassignment surgery and transition to living as a woman. The film was praised by most critics, and was nominated for numerous awards.
Applewood (Tom Wilkinson), after fainting on the night of his 25th marriage anniversary, shocks her wife Irma (Jessica Lange) by revealing that she suffers from gender dysphoria and plans to transition into living as a woman and be renamed Ruth. While Ruth tries to keep the family together, Irma's initial reaction is to separate from her. Patty Ann (Hayden Panettiere), their daughter, is more accepting, but Wayne (Joseph Sikora), their son, struggles with the transition.
Ruth faces ostracism at church and at work. She finds understanding from her boss but not from her minister. In the end, Irma discovers that love transcends gender and the family survives.
Normal was nominated for three Golden Globe Awards, won one Primetime Emmy Award and was nominated for another five.
Jessica Lange and Tom Wilkinson both received acting nominations for the Golden Globes, Primetime Emmy's, Online Film & Television Association Awards and Satellite Awards.
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