Normal Life (1996)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

John McNaughton

Writers (WGA):

Peg Haller (written by) &
Bob Schneider (written by)

Release Date:

25 October 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

Love Was Their Addiction, Crime Was The Drug.

Plot:

Chris is young idealistic cop who falls in love and gets married to Pam, a beautiful but emotionally...

Plot Keywords:

Police | Unemployed | Beautiful Woman | Drug Addict | Bank Robber

Cast

Ashley Judd	...	Pam Anderson
Luke Perry	...	Chris Anderson
Bruce A. Young	...	Agent Parker (as Bruce Young)
Jim True-Frost	...	Mike Anderson
Edmund Wyson	...	Darren
Michael Skewes	...	Officer Swift
Scott Cummins	...	Hank Chilton
Kevin Mukherji	...	Homeowner
Kate Walsh	...	Cindy Anderson
Tom Towles	...	Frank Anderson
Penelope Milford	...	Adele Anderson
Brian McCann	...	Justice of the Peace
Dawn Maxey	...	Eva
Kevin Hurley	...	Norman
Brian Blondell	...	Toy store clerk

MPAA:

Rated R for scenes of violence, sexuality, drug use and language.

Runtime:

101 min | Portugal:89 min | UK:102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Astrocolor)

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:16 | USA:R (certificate #34237) | Germany:16 | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:18 | UK:18

Filming Locations:

Arlington Heights, Illinois, USA

Company:

Fine Line Features

Trivia:

The bar where Chris and Pam first meet is the Bartlett Tap, and is located in downtown Bartlett. It's a tavern that has been there since the 1800's.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Pam is at the store and her credit card is denied, she has the clerk call the credit card company to override. When the clerk calls the credit card company, he never mentions Pam's name or number, but somehow they know to deny. Even when Pam gets on the phone and starts telling them about her making the payments and they agree to extend her credit without knowing who she is.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Chris Anderson: Lock and load. You ready?
[Pam nods]
Chris Anderson: Time to go.

Well drawn characters of a hopelessly incompatible couple.

An incompatible couple try to find a normal life. Differences of opinion constantly lead to outbursts of anger and threats of ending the partnership. Pam (Ashley Judd) is an irresponsible woman who makes up for the lack of excitement in her life by indulging in drugs and alcohol. She is certainly not content to be a housewife. Policeman Chris (Luke Perry) on the other hand is a level-headed husband who pampers her in every material way. He is soon in dreadful debt.

The turbulent life-style of these two main characters occupy the screen most of the time and we feel there is no hope for either of them. Indeed their incompatibility is enough to put one totally off marriage. Their shouting matches are quite savage and somewhat depressing.

When Chris resigns from the police force and discovers a new way to riches and living life to the full, excitement takes over and the characters are fired with a new enthusiasm. Pam insists she be a part of this new game and for a time she becomes a new woman.

The characters are well drawn, the car chases quite exciting. This change of mood spices up their sex lives clearly depicted in a series of bedroom scenes.

The final sequences are dramatic and exciting so stay with the film to the end. The old saying that "Crime does not pay" is clearly delivered and understood.