Movie #1982 "Normal People" (Hulu streaming) limited series, 12 episodes, each about 25 minutes. This series is evidently based on a very popular book (that I missed reading) so I came to this show with a blank slate --- I wondered about the title. How "normal" will this couple be? or is it being ironic? Well, I quickly figured out it was going to be a teen angst love story, and I was going to be watching it alone in this household. That is okay, and since it was short, I was able to see it in about 4 days, later in the evening. I found it quite intriguing for a number of reasons. First, it is sparse in dialogue ---the two leads are quiet, shy loners, for one reason and another. She (Marianne) is well off, smart and a bit standoffish -- doesn't trust people, coming from a very cold family. He (Collin) has a mom who cleans the big house Marianne lives in , and he's popular in sports and good looking. So the castle system (this is in Sligo, Ireland --- and later at Trinity College in Dublin) looks to make it to be the big conflict that would not put these two together. But there's something sensitive/smart/empathetic about him --- and that's what attracts him to Marianne. The series is sparse, but it is, I think, terribly believable --- when they say things , oftentimes what they say is pertinent (as in every relationship) -- but oftentimes we, the audience, search for the meaning, as do they who are teens, dealing with first love and self-worth issues. They make mistakes and misspeak many times, but the audience senses what Collin confirms later on in the series, that Marianne and Collin "get" each other --- of course, a lot in the series is physical -- but never are the sex scenes gratuitous to me (and believe me, I look for that in films and will be quick to label them as such) because even clues as to the why's is within many of these scenes. That in itself elevates this teen romance for me --- also, the believability of the characters, the subtleties in what is said, the quietness in the scenes, the looks and pauses ---- there's a focus on the minute details here ---I must admit that at times it was frustrating to me, (who is a person who sometimes loses patience when action in film doesn't seem utilitarian), but I had to step back and experience the film in a different way. I usually am walking/moving in late night watching, or working on the computer, etc. but I had to put everything down because this show demanded my attention. I was pulled in that much -- It made me think about so many subjects concerning first love and building relationships: the masks we put on, the importance of just one word being said, the feeling of self worth within the confines of a couple, jealousy as a indicator of imbalance, the balance of power in a relationship, co-dependency, which is a foremost subject here -- the ups and down of any relationship, esp. first love -- what are soulmates? There were lots of times that the two weren't together, but the show still pulled me in, allowing me to watch the individual growth while hoping THAT growth would feed into the growth of the couple., I watched the end last night, and I'm still thinking about it and appreciating it --- the last discussion got to me, and I felt it was poignant and satisfying while still remaining subtle, sparse, and quiet. I would give this 4.5 out of 5, but not recommending it to everyone at all. It is purposefully slow, quiet, sparse, frustrating at times, awkward, and full of a lot of sex scenes, that I realize might put people off. But never have I ever seen in a film, such a concentration on first love and that difficult search for what you want in a soulmate, while learning that no one is perfect. I will miss these two characters, and that's a good mark of a successful show.
"NORMAL PEOPLE" R-rated (includes: nudity, abuse, suicide) 12 episodes, 25 mins each -hulu
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