Profoundly Normal

Of all the movies I've watched with leading characters with mentally diminished capacity, I've never seen one with a woman playing the leading role. "Nell" doesn't count because Nell (Jodie Foster) wasn't mentally slow though they made it seem like it. The fact is, she was raised completely isolated and had a mother who couldn't speak correctly, hence Nell was socially maladjusted and couldn't speak correctly. "Profoundly Normal" stars Kirstie Alley who played Donna Thornton, a woman who was legitimately mentally disabled.

This movie is a memoir of sorts that highlights her adult relationship with her husband Ricardo Thornton (Delroy Lindo). Ricardo may not have been mentally disabled at all, but he was labeled such and so it was. The two of them met at an institution called Forest Haven in Maryland. Forest Haven is just like what you'd imagine a big institution for the mentally handicapped would be in the 60's: big and soulless with a cruel and abusive staff. They sought to marry and live a normal life together even if those with the smarts and the degrees said otherwise.

This is a darling movie along the lines of "I Am Sam," but based upon real people. And I think that knowing "Profoundly Normal" is about two real people makes it more endearing, sentimental, and sympathetic. I've never seen Kirstie Alley in anything serious and I thought she had a marvelous performance in this movie. I expected nothing less from Delroy Lindo. He was as professional as always.

I went through an emotional roller coaster watching this movie. I laughed, I cried and I got upset.

The story was extremely touching and the acting was fantastic.

The Thornton's are extraordinary people and I felt very privileged to have the opportunity for the glance into their spectacular lives.

Profoundly Normal is profoundly moving... It is well rounded, I laughed, cried and got very disturbed at times. This story of a couple who just happen to be "retarded" and in love is beautiful. The story covers the lives of both Donna and Ricardo from about the ages of 10 until the present. Sharing their lives, their triumphs and their heartaches, in the institution where they met and out in the world. This is a must see for anyone who has a heart, even one 2 sizes too small, it will grow.

I too had never considered Kirstie Alley a "real" actress. She is a very good comedian, but "Serious Actress" is not a description I would have ever used with her. . . .until I saw this movie. I was actually at work (at a sportsbar) when it came on. I was flipping through the channels looking for sports, when I stopped for a moment, and in that short moment I was amazed! I sat entranced for the next 2 hours (ignoring customers, and killing my tips), but it was worth it! Not since Sybill (with Sally Field in the 1970's) have I been so awe struck with the performances in a TV movie! Congrats to Kirstie Alley! You have proven yourself to be brilliant, talented, inspired, and most of all a "Serious Actress" on a par with the great film actresses of today!!!!!!

Wow.

I had turned to channel 3 to play some video games, and was rewarded with this movie. I was blown away, and I loved every moment of it. I was immediately attached to the characters during the opening credits, and I was never let down.

I'll begin by saying I never considered Alley to be a "real" actress, and that may be because of the unfortunate shows and movies she has been in (not that they're bad, they just never required real acting). But I've taken a 180 and am now convinced that this woman is phenomenal. She embraced her character and performed so realistically that it took me several minutes before I realized that was her. I had to come to imdb just to make sure. It can't be easy to play a mentally retarded character, especially when so many stereotypes and prejudices exist. Ms. Alley, though, was beyond convincing. She was profound.

Perhaps some people may consider this to be a simple battle of overcoming society, but imagine the difficulty of surmounting the woes the world presses against you unfairly and without cause. Imagine being told every day of your life that you couldn't do something over and over again, and believing it for yourself. What do you do when you HAVE to do it? When you have to survive?

Was the story heartwarming? Of course. Was it endearing? Most definitely. But what I loved about it was the reality you could feel from the people. There is one argument (and I don't want to give away about what) between the two characters where I suddenly couldn't tell they were retarded. It was a real argument that anyone could have, and I was convinced that these two souls were completely normal...

Profoundly normal