Normal (2003)

A Midwestern husband and father announces her plan to have a sex change operation.

Director:

Jane Anderson

Writers:

Jane Anderson (play), Jane Anderson (teleplay)

Stars:

Richard Bull, Mary Seibel, Danny Goldring

Nominated for 3 Golden Globes. Another 4 wins & 18 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Richard Bull	...	Roy Sr. - Roy's Father
Mary Seibel	...	Em - Roy's Mother
Danny Goldring	...	Church Friend Pete
Jessica Lange	...	Irma Applewood
Tom Wilkinson	...	Roy 'Ruth' Applewood
Hayden Panettiere	...	Patty Ann Applewood
Randall Arney	...	Reverend Dale Muncie
Rich Komenich	...	Co-Worker Bob
Kirk Anderson	...	Machinist
Christian Ambrose	...	Band Member #1
Joe Foust	...	Roadie #1
Sean Rice	...	Band Member #2
Mickey Tuman	...	Roadie #2
Joseph Sikora	...	Wayne Applewood (as Joe Sikora)
Clancy Brown	...	Frank

Storyline

In the countryside of the United States of America, Irma Applewood and her husband Roy Applewood have been happily married for twenty-five years and they are model citizens in their community. Roy brings Irma to meet Reverend Dale Muncie, who is their pastor and friend, to tell that he is a woman trapped in a man's body and he will have a sex-change operation. Now Roy has to face the deception of his wife and the intolerance of his colleagues, members of his church and his son Wayne. But Irma loves him and after the impact of the news, she understands and supports him with their teenage daughter Patty Ann (Hayden Panettiere) and Roy's boss Frank ('Clancy Brown') that is their friend.

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Plot Keywords:

sex change | intolerance | f rated | workplace bullying | transgender | 

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Taglines:

Love. Marriage. Acceptance. Sex change.

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 March 2003 (USA)

Also Known As:

Eine Frage der Liebe

Filming Locations:

CNH Tractor Assembly Plant & Foundry, Racine, Wisconsin, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

HBO Films, Avenue Pictures Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Although this was made for television by HBO Films, it was still an official selection at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival.

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Quotes

Patty Ann: Mom, Dad and I have the same breast size now!

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Crazy Credits

Workshop production, 1998 New Works Festival at the Mark Tapen Forum, Los Angeles, CA

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Connections

Featured in The 61st Annual Golden Globe Awards (2004)

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Soundtracks

Long Ago and Far Away
Written by Jerome Kern and Ira Gershwin
Performed by Jo Stafford
Courtesy of Capitol Records
Under license from EMI Film & TV Music

User Reviews

A brilliant and brave film

This is a disturbing movie, one not easy to watch. Much more than the formula driven "dysfunction of the month" movie, this tackles a very real medical and sexual problem. It does so candidly and honestly, even using humour in several scenes. Yet it takes neither cheap nor trivial shots and never fails to show deep respect for the problem and for the characters affected by it. It must have been a hard sell to the producers, a movie delving into (and under) a subject that is little understood, which has small public sympathy and which is deeply disturbing to both men and women viewers. Yet it's encouraging that all the comments I read here on IMdb were similar to mine. There was nothing negative. I gave it an 8 rather than a 10 only because Jessica Lange may have been just too much of a saint. Yet who knows what any of us would do if confronted with such a situation in our own marriages. It sparked a good discussion between my wife and I. Any movie that gets you thinking and talking is a good movie.