DVD Review: Almost Normal
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::Movie review
The great thing about independent films is that they aren't constrained by the conventional, safe Hollywood mindset. Because there isn't a corporate board room examining only the bottom line, independent films can explore ideas that would otherwise be watered down or flat-out shelved. Good or bad, filmmakers have the freedom to completely control their work and tell the story they want the audience to experience.
Almost Normal provides an almost perfect example of a film left in the hands of the filmmakers, versus one taken over by the studio.
Almost Normal opens by introducing us to Brad Jenkins (J. Andrew Keitch). Brad is a professor at the University of Nebraska , he's lonely, he's in his 40's, and he's gay. He is frustrated because despite living in our so-called enlightened age of Will and Grace, he can't be himself. His parents are in denial and his best friend, Julie (Joan Lauckner) is not-so-secretly in love with him. Although he never says that he wants to change who he is, Brad laments that he just wishes he could be normal.
Following an unhappy birthday party, Brad drives off drunk and gets into a car accident. He wakes up from the crash to discover that he's in his teens and that he's somehow traveled back in time to high school. However, that revelation is tame compared to what he discovers next. It seems that Brad has also entered an alternate reality where everyone is gay. Society has developed to view male and female sexual relations as only an act for procreation. Males breed with their female best friends, and then they cooperate, along with their significant others, to raise the children. The thought of males and females falling in love is considered taboo and such people are shunned.
Now, the practice of juxtaposing roles has long been an effective storytelling method for conveying alternative points of view. Not very long ago, John Travolta stared in the film White Man's Burden, which flipped racial issues around, making Whites the minority.
Unfortunately, that film suffered from the conventional Hollywood mindset of playing it safe. A number of promising early scenes showcasing the mistreatment of minorities are quickly glossed over and forgotten about as the film degenerates into the realm of a mindless action thriller.
Contrast this with Almost Normal, a film that isn't compelled to do anything else but explore the issues it raises.
At first, Brad feels as though he's awakened into a paradise. His parents are finally accepting of him (one poignant scene has Brad confessing to his father that he likes men, something he could never do with such ease in the “real” world). Even better, he discovers that the boy he always had a crush on in high school, Roland (Tim Hammer), actually has a thing for him and the two become the school's hot couple.
Then things take an interesting twist when Brad's best friend Julie transfers to the school. Brad discovers, much to his shock, that he has feelings for Julie and soon she admits to having feelings for him. Up until now, it would have been possible to write the film off as an idealized gay fantasy, but instead this is where it really begins to make some valid and important points about acceptance.
There are things that us straight people take for granted that this film turns upside down. Holding a girl's hand, for instance, seems like a natural and innocent act. Because this is “the way it is,” we simply can't fathom having to hide such a simple display of affection. Even for those of us who don't harbor hatred or fear of gays, it is still impossible to relate to the day-to-day stress and strain of maintaining a same-sex relationship.
This is what Almost Normal attempts to convey. By making the taboo relationship one between a boy and a girl, it removes the “shock” value of seeing two people of the same sex falling in love, and therefore opens a window of access to its straight audience.
Almost Normal finds a number of clever and poignant ways to illustrate the prejudice and hurt often inflicted upon gays. For example, straight people are called "breeders" in this topsy-turvy world, but the term carries the weight of hatred that "faggot" does in our world.
The story also seems relatively well-thought out in respect to how this world functions. It may not explain why the world is the way it is (any more than our world has an explanation), but concepts like the “opposite partners” for showering and the parental arrangement make sense.
However, that isn't to say that this film is perfect. There are some elements that I wish would have been handled better, and perhaps this is the fault of the short 90-minute running time. For instance, the relationship between Brad and Julie seems to explode a little too rapidly. Also, the character of Roland seems to go from hurt regarding Brad's sexual orientation, to total acceptance with almost no stop in between. Finally, the complexities of this alternate reality seem so well thought out that it just would have been nice to get to know this world a little better.
I also felt that the film may unintentionally create ammunition for anti-gay sentiment. A scene near the end where all of the gays suddenly “switch” and start dancing with the opposite sex, and the fact that the main character so easily falls into a straight relationship in his fantasy world may be misconstrued as an admission that homosexuality is a choice. A little more in-depth storytelling, as I mentioned above, might have alleviated some of this.
From a technical standpoint, this is an independent film, and so it can't be expected to have Hollywood-level production values. Filmed on location in Lincoln , Nebraska , and using mostly local talent, the acting is pretty decent, but does suffer from a few clunky moments. The direction by Marc Moody (also the writer) and editing by Sharon Teo was also fairly solid, however I did come across a few perplexing choices and rough areas that I'm sure will improve with experience.
Almost Normal will have obvious appeal to the gay community, but I think it addresses issues of universal importance regarding acceptance and being comfortable not only with ourselves, but with others as well.
::Video
Shot on 16mm film, it would be unreasonable to expect Almost Normal to have Hollywood-standard production values. There is a definite lack of detail, particularly during the many night scenes. Occasionally, colors seemed a bit off from scene-to-scene and there was quite a bit of video noise and I couldn't tell if it was due to the source material or compression. However, as I said, holding my standards too high for an independent film is useless and for what it is, the video looks fine.
::Audio
Much like the video, the audio has to be weighed against the source and not what is possible within the limits of DVD technology. This sound mix isn't fantastic, but it services the film well.
::Special Features
It's a pleasant surprise to find extra features on an independent film.
First up is a screen specific audio commentary with writer director Marc Moody and film editor Sharon Teo. I thought these two did a great job of discussing the film and both the joys and hassles of making a low budget film. Also, since I live in Lincoln, Nebraska, where the film was shot, I particularly enjoyed their anecdotes about shooting here. One other thing that amused me: When I was watching the film, the first thing I thought of when the character of Brad's dad (played by Brad Buffum) came on screen was that if this were a mainstream Hollywood film, that part would be played by Elliott Gould. The reason I find this funny is because Marc Moody specifically comments about how much Buffum reminds him of Gould.
Also included are a handful of deleted scenes and outtakes. Unfortunately, I was a bit underwhelmed by these. The deleted scenes really didn't seem all that interesting and I wish there had been more outtakes.
Finally, the disc includes the trailers for Almost Normal, as well as other productions from Wolfe.
::Bottom Line
In Almost Normal, Brad Jenkins seems to realize that it's OK to be who he is, which is a positive message that I think we can all benefit from. On a deeper level, the story also suggests that love is beyond gender and who we fall in love with isn't always a matter of choice. Although a bit imperfect, Almost Normal is a solid story with valuable lessons, that is delivered with humor and heart.
Buy Almost Normal at Amazon.com
| Movie |  |
3.5 / 5 |
| Video | |
2.5 / 5 |
| Audio | |
2.5 / 5 |
| Extras | |
2.5 / 5 |
| Family Friendly | |
1 / 5 |
| Almost Normal most definitely deals with mature themes, and while the film is careful not to show anything overy explicit, there is quite a bit of strong language. The younger kids should be kept away, but it may be a valuable film to let the teens watch. | ||
| Overall | |
3 / 5 |
- Robert Wurth, ©2005
::Technical Specs
Studio:
Wolfe Home Entertainment
Year of Theatrical Release:
2005
Disc Format:
1 single-sided, Dual Layer
Image Format:
Anamorphic Widescreen
Aspect Ratio:
1.85:1
Region Encoding:
1 (North America)
Sound Format:
Dolby Digital 2.0 (pro logic)
Running Time:
92 minutes
Director:
Marc Moody
Stars:
J. Andrew Keitch, Joan Lauckner, Tim Hammer, Virginia Smith, Mary Douglass, Brad Buffman
MPAA Rating:
N/A
Disc Supplements:
- Commentary with writer/director Marc Moody and editor Sharon Teo
- Deleted Scenes
- Outtakes
- Trailers
