Leaving Normal **** (1992, Christine Lahti, Meg Tilly, Patrika Darbo) – Classic Movie Review 7026

Director Edward Zwick’s excellent 1992 comedy drama stars Meg Tilly as mousy little Marianne Johnson, who walks out on her second marriage after her husband hits her. Following a chance meeting, she hitches a lift to Alaska with sassy, cynical waitress Darly Peters (Christine Lahti), who has just been fired.

The duo decide to abandon making choices, since their lives are littered with the wreckage of bad decisions, and instead to trust to fate, hope and the kindness of strangers.

This proves enough for the characters but maybe not quite for the movie, which sometimes overplays its hand in some over-broad support performances as well as some sentimental plotting and dialogue in Edward Solomon’s perhaps not quite careful enough screenplay.

But, this is a women’s buddy-buddy road movie and, as the title implies, the pair leave from normal when they leave Normal, Wyoming, and Tilly and Lahti are obviously heading for the sunset together in a pretend family relationship.

This relationship is the movie’s main strength, and it makes a refreshing change in an American mainstream film. The two excellent actresses hungrily chew up their meaty big star parts, rewarding producer Sydney Pollack’s faith in them. Lahti’s tough but vulnerable funny lady is a particular delight. Ralf D Bode’s cinematography is superb.

Also in the cast are Lenny Von Dohlen, Maury Chaykin, Eve Gordon, Patrika Darbo, James Eckhouse, James Gammon, Brett Cullen and Rutanya Alda.

It is interesting to compare it with the previous year’s Thelma and Louise. They would make a great double bill.

Leaving Normal is directed by Edward Zwick, runs 110 minutes, is a Mirage production, is released by Universal, is written by Edward [Ed] Solomon, is shot by Ralf D Bode, is produced by Sydney Pollack, Lindsay Doran and Edward Solomon, is scored by W G Snuffy Walden, and is designed by Sandy Cochrane.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7026

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com