From off the grid hippie wild child to runway model, Cea Person has lived a life. Many lives in fact. "North of Normal" tells tale number one: Cea's early years in the wilderness with her teenage mom, and commune honcho grandpa (aptly named Papa Dick). It's a fascinating tale, which focuses more on the family dynamic than the circumstance of their off-beat existence, all from Cea's point of view. Also, it's a pretty damn good-looking film. Director Carly Stone, in only her second feature, is one to watch for.
River Price-Maenpaa as the spright eight year old Cea, and Amanda Fix as the mature but barely teen version are quite good, bridging the gap between precocious forest beast to blossoming woman, discovering her true self with the help and hinderance of a disappearing mother, an oddball grandfather, and a revolving door of sketchy boyfriends. "North of Normal" delivers a nice, bouncy balance of idealistic innocence and reality slaps of a nomadic yet intimate lifestyle, without preaching in any one direction, whilst capturing a full senses vibe of the seventies (carefree soundtrack, muted colour schemes, authority rebellion, VW buses).
Sure the push and pull of a flighty mother and a longing daughter caught in unstructured circumstances is engrossing, but every back to nature adventure begs a good backstory. The reason and execution for anti-establishment living is too juicy to not explore, or one would think. Nevertheless, there's enough here for a solid recommendation, and perhaps a prequel down the road will complete the circle.
