Norman
By Tracy Moore,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Affecting drama about terminal illness has mature themes.

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Norman
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What's the Story?
High schooler Norman (Dan Byrd), who is dealing with the recent death of his mom and his father Doug's (Richard Jenkins) terminal cancer, decides to tell everyone he is the one suffering from cancer, and now he must live out the lie on a daily basis at school. Soon the word spreads to friends, teacher Mr. Angelo (Adam Goldberg), and his new girlfriend Emily (Emily VanCamp).
Is It Any Good?
This poignant drama grapples with a complex set of issues -- devastating loss and terminal illness -- against the backdrop of the usual anxieties of high school life and young love. It's incredibly well acted and very touching and has a wiser-than-his-years protagonist who excellently conveys the burden and isolation that come from managing excessively traumatic events at a young age. The film should be commended for tackling all the gray areas and nuance of suffering -- the unresolvable feelings, the ambiguities, the rights of the dying to exit as they desire -- while still showing the innocence and lightheartedness of teenage firsts (helped along by indie darling Andrew Bird's original score). But the loss of both parents, the discussions of how to live at age 18 newly orphaned, the complexities of grieving and loss -- these are big questions without easy answers, and parents may want to stick close by for any discussion that arises.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about whether lies can ever be justified in the service of something good. Through lying, Norman makes connections with his teacher and peers he previously lacked. Does this justify his lie? How so, or why not?
When should the rights of the dying be respected, and when shouldn't they?
Do you think the film shows grieving accurately? What other ways do films show the grieving process, and how accurate do you feel they are?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: April 8, 2014
- Cast: Emily VanCamp, Dan Byrd, Adam Goldberg, Richard Jenkins
- Director: Jonathan Segal
- Studio: Freestyle Digital Media
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Friendship, High School
- Run time: 98 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: Rated R for some language.
- Last updated: February 26, 2022
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