Leaving Normal
I did not enjoy the film Leaving Normal at all. I think this was due to the choice of the actresses in the film. I found Marianne to be extremely annoying and much too passive to view for two hours. Though I know she is attempting to find herself through the road after leaving an abusive husband, but I did not find the characters intriguing at all. I think I would have enjoyed the film more if the character, Marianne was played by a different actress. Looking back, I find the story to be an interesting one. I could not find any character to identify with as Marianne was so naïve and a complete child. I found the characters to be very stereotypical and hard for anyone to identify with. I did enjoy how there are two complete, opposite strangers and they grow into a family. I did enjoy the end of the film with the completion of their home in Alaska, but found myself to be extremely annoyed throughout the film with Marianne. She acted like a dim-witted schoolgirl who was incapable of doing anything. I find that personality to be extremely annoying and difficult to watch. She did not even seem to develop as the film progressed. She had her occasional outbursts at Darly, but never changed. I also found the movie to be extremely corny. I do not think it was up to par with any of the other films we watched this semester. It lost my interest very early in the film with the bad and corny writing. It was not realistic at all in comparison to the other road films and was very cheesy and aggravating to watch a character like Marianne continue to speak when I just wanted her to speak up for herself and progress as an individual.
My favorite film this semester was Adventures of Priscilla: Queen of the Desert. Not only was this film hilarious, but it was completely unexpected. I came late to that class that day so I did not hear any summary of the film before it started. It was a great film in my opinion. It kept my interest with the dynamic characters and the witty writing. It was unlike any movie I have ever seen. It stood out with the feathers and singing from the other films we watched because it was based on a homosexual’s view of the road as a means of escape and an individual journey. It brought in a whole new situation that would have never entered my mind. Drag queens on the road in the outback? I loved the film. The singing scenes and the mocking between characters left me laughing in my seat. Not only was the film funny, but it also addressed some serious issues like discrimination as the men in the outback fought with anger as they discovered the woman was actually a man. It also brought in the double life that many men feel that they have to have with a career as a drag queen. It addressed such issues while still keepin the film entertaining and witty.