North of Normal

From the opening scene of North Normal, I felt drawn in and gently swept into this captivating movie with its' beautiful scenery and its' complex and endearing characters. I fell in love with Cea Person's books and I was excited and a little nervous to see how her story would be portrayed in film. This movie surpassed my expectations. I was blown away by the wonderful quality of acting and the artful cinematography. I laughed, cried and I came away with much to think about. The relationships and the sensitive subject matter were thoughtfully and creatively handled. It felt real, raw and yet, somehow, beautiful at the same time. My husband has not read Cea's books and he is more of an action/adventure movie guy. Amazingly, he was swept up in the viewing experience as much as I was! There was plenty of adventure to keep him involved and he found the dynamics between the main characters to be captivating and authentic. Bravo!

Just saw the movie this evening and can't stop thinking about it. Same feeling when I read the book. The actors were perfect, and truly reflected what I envisioned each character to be like. Right from the beginning I was drawn in to the evolving relationship between Cea and her Mother. That bond was strong, but sadly not enough. I admired Cea's resilience, determination (and sense of humour) throughout and it was skillfully portrayed. The cinematography was also amazing and captured the essence of the story. Great music too! Looking forward to watching the movie again. And hope there will be a sequel.

Interesting lifestyle piece exploring the mother/young daughter dynamics in a chaotic alternative lifestyle.

Lack of a stable home and upbringing as Cea's mother moves frequently with the various men in her life.

The 'acting' was superb but especially regarding the two young Cea's. So compelling and then watching the older Cea getting her confidence and courage as she comes of age and begins to move on. Where are my tissues? Highly recommended.

I suspect there is much more that could be explored around this story but in my opinion it accomplishes likely what it set out to explore. A young girl and how well she copes in a nomadic lifestyle, much of it in the great outdoors but constantly on the move.

Wonderful adaptation! As a huge fan of Cea's books I have been eagerly awaiting the movie release. I was very impressed with North of Normal on screen. Incredible cinematography, brilliant casting and acting, great screenplay. It was magical to see Cea's story of strength, resilience and survival come to life. As in her books I was deeply moved by the relationship between Cea and her mother in the film. This very complicated connection was portrayed beautifully by all the actors. Cea's unwavering love and loyalty shone through. Great portrayal of Cea's relationship with her grandfather too. Highly recommend.

'North of Normal' is such an appropriate title for this film. The perception of what we feel is 'normal' can be a reflective thought after watching this movie. It was a treat to have a peek into this unique upbringing. I appreciate the honesty and vulnerability of the characters It makes me want to know more of this captivating story.

There are so many mother daughter stories out there - this one, despite the tenacity of the relationships, showed love and compassion and at a deep level.

How each character showed their love was interesting to observe and easy to relate to.

I recommend seeing North of Normal.