Normal (2003)

This film depicts the story of a man who struggles to have sex reassignment surgery in his fifties. Despite his wife and family's opposition, he is determined to have his sex change. He confesses that since he was young, he felt like he was born in the wrong body and he thinks he is a woman. The story is simple, but in a way not very realistic. It seems too sudden for Roy to become so eager to live the rest of his life as a woman, despite the 25-years of marriage and 50+ years of hiding. Personally, I think the story will be more realistic if scenes of his past history of eagerness and struggles to be a woman are shown.Yet, acting is fantastic, especially for Irma, which compensates for the weakness of the story. She cannot accept the fact in the beginning when she just finds out that her husband wants to have SRS. She accepts gradually and even supports him, to me, it is a very considerate act. Audiences properly burst into tears for the immeasurable love the couple has for each other. The ending is vaguely presented, and the consequence after the surgery is absent. I think this is done on purpose so the story leaves a question to the audience which is " What result do you think the couple deserve?" It is not the best ending, but may be the most decent one.In general, the film is a good one. Bottomless love is strongly emphasized and the acting makes the film works, despite of the not very realistic story.

This is an incredible powerful movie regarding unconditional love,acceptance and responsibility for ourself and our loved ones. Roy and Irma are a middle class couple with one rebellious adult son and a quick minded teenager daughter. They are a pillar of their small community and active in the local church. During the celebration of their 25th marriage anniversary Roy passes out. The couple go for counseling advice to their pastor. Roy admits that for several years has been struggling against the desire to became a woman because he feels entrapped in a man's body. Irma is flabbergasted and ask Roy to leave the house. Roy goes ahead with his plan to become a female with courage enduring the taunts of his colleagues at work,the bitter irony of his son and the ostracism of his congregation. However Irma eventually ask him to go back living with her and help him in his journey to become Ruth giving him advice and support and acceptance. When the pastor tell her that she is free to divorce Roy she simply says"" Leave him?He is my hearth!!The final moving scene is the night before the sex change operation when Irma hugs Roy and ask him to see his male body nude for the very last time.

I recently re-watched this film after having first seen it several years ago, and I love it even more. Although it's not representative of how a real-life transsexual situation in a marriage might go, the film delves honestly into the issues and delivers an entertaining movie, too. Tom Wilkinson, plays Roy, a very middle aged bear of a man who finally works up the nerve to put himself right and admit that he's actually a woman born in the wrong body. The first time he says that, you laugh, as you are supposed to. Are you kidding me? Roy looks as much like a woman as a desk does. But he's determined, perhaps helped by modern times and science that has proved cases of "gender dysphoria." Problem is that Roy lives in a small town populated by people who don't subscribe to any such thing. In reality, Roy's story would have probably ended in the barn during his father's birthday party. Or he would have had to leave town altogether and go to Chicago. But this is a movie and Jane Alexander, the director, keeps the setting true and mines it for all the conflict and entertainment value possible. Jessica Lange gives a beautiful performance as Roy's wife, who grieves over losing her husband but ultimately reconciles Roy with Ruth by realizing they are the same person, physical container aside.

Incredibly realistic, including all of the tentative hesitancies and uncertainties of those with gender dysphoria (transsexuals). I spent a good number of years counseling people who were suffering from this issue, and this movie is the most realistic of all that I've seen regarding the issue.The older male-borns who suffer from gender dysphoria have the most difficult time, because their bodies have endured decades of testosterone shaping and effects. This movie only mildly touches upon that issue. But it's obvious from the plot that this "man born in a woman's body" isn't ready to become a swimsuit-model or a sex-idol. He or she has gender issues which have aged beyond the ability of his/her body to satisfactorily recover from. But the character of the wife, played by Jessica Lange, is done extraordinarily well. The wives of male-born transsexuals struggle not only with the loss of a lifelong sexual partner but their own identity and sexual worth among society, at a time they probably did not expect to have it forced upon them.Very well-done and realistic.