RELATIVELY NORMAL is playing at SBIFF (Santa Barbara International Film Festival), and I had the opportunity to see an early look. Here’s my spoiler-free take:
RELATIVELY NORMAL is an emotional reminder of what connects and breaks families apart, and even if you felt like you had the safe space of your closet, it wasn’t enough to stop the COVID pandemic from magnifying it. The film has a few things going for it, and the main thing is Chloe Coleman in the lead role of Hannah. Her narrative about surviving her family during COVID is instantly relatable, and she squarely carries the weight of this film on her shoulders. From breaking the fourth wall and talking to the camera to enduring the trauma she endures to being the glue that keeps the family somewhat stuck together, she’s asked to do it all, and she fully succeeds.
Director Amy Wendel also does a fantastic job of capturing the pandemic. She uses still photographs and loud pop songs to personify the frustrations we all felt while sheltering from others. She also gets the most out of her performers by letting scenes just breathe. Rather than an overbearing score, she uses intimate camerawork and quiet moments to let the characters’ chemistry shine. I especially liked the moments when Bubbe and Zeda stopped by the Glass household.
Lastly, I want to apologize to the cast and crew who were at the screening of RELATIVELY NORMAL on Monday, 2/9. I was the guy who, in the middle of the movie, had a coughing fit after a popcorn kernel got stuck in his throat. I had to leave a COVID movie halfway through for five minutes because I was coughing. So, if I interrupted the screening – I’m so sorry!
Final Thought: RELATIVELY NORMAL beautifully captures a time that was anything but normal. It’s a funny, heartfelt film that reminds us how important human interaction is and how difficult it was get that in 2020.
RELATIVELY NORMAL premiered at SBIFF on Fri 2/6 – 12:00 PM
