Norman's Awesome Experience

Norman's Awesome Experience is a 1989 Canadian-Argentine time travel adventure comedy film written and directed by Paul Donovan. Shot under the title A Switch in Time, the film was retitled to capitalize on the success of Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (also released in 1989). In spite of its seeming derivative nature, Norman's Awesome Experience is notable for breaking new ground in the subgenre for a variety of artistic choices.

In modern-day Switzerland, Norman (Tom McCamus) is a nebbish Canadian junior scientist working at a local nuclear power plant which his life takes a whole turn when an attractive Canadian model named Erica (Lori Paton) and her Italian photographer boyfriend Umberto (Jacques Lussier) persuade him to allow them access to the plant for a photo shoot. The next day, the three central characters are literally zapped back in time by a freak accident at the nuclear power plant in which none of them was an active participant. The three of them find themselves in an open field in the distant past at the exact spot where the nuclear power plant from the 20th century was. Their presence was not known to the scientists nearby, and time-travel was not the intent of the experiment at the nuclear facility. Therefore, Norman and his two friends are completely unable to return to their own time and they do not even bother seeking an attempt to get back, nor do they concern themselves with the possibility of changing history.

The Parisian locale of the film is about to be annexed by the Roman Empire at the time the protagonists arrive (during the reign of the Emperor Nero). The Roman soldiers whom capture Norman, Erica, and Umberto actually speak Latin (presented with English subtitles). Only Umberto can speak Latin and is therefore able to effectively communicate and function in the society. The three are taken to a small village where several dozen local Gallic people native to the area live. But most of them speak a primitive tongue requiring Norman to communicate in gestures.