Nicky, a young basketball player is killed in a car accident.  Vancouver writer/director Carl Bessai (JOHNNY, LOLA, EMILE) tells the story of the lives of the 3 involved.  The mother, Catherine (Carrie-Anne Moss) is still mad, grieving at the expense of her family.  Walt (Callum Keith Rennie), the drunk driver tries to find redemption while Jordie (Kevin Zeger) sorts his life out while serving time for stealing the car that was involved in the crash.  As the title implies, every character wishes life to be NORMAL but director Bessai’s essay on life leads otherwise. 

It is hard to tell what the purpose is of his movie.  Infidelity gets punished, coping on with life doesn’t and crying is ok.  NORMAL is watchable but it does not make emotional sense unless you consider it Bessai sense.  Bessai also co-wrote, co-produced and served as cinematographer for NORMAL.  NORMAL is beautifully shot in the city of Victoria, B.C.