SnoopyStyle
Marianne (Meg Tilly) had many last names and a roaming mother. She eagerly arrives at Normal, Wyoming as the wife to Curtis Johnson. She leaves after he hits her. She's tired of her nomadic life. Darly Peters (Christine Lahti) is a waitress, former stripper, and part Eskimo who is going to Alaska to claim a home that her ex-husband had supposedly built. She gives Marianne a ride to Marianne's conservative sister Emily Singer in Portland. Marianne decides to run off with Darly to Alaska. After their car gets trashed, they hitchhike with truckers Harrison Rainey and Leon (Maury Chaykin). They run off on the guys and find waitress 66.It's a sort of Thelma and Louise without explosions, Brad Pitt, or police chases. Meg Tilly does her damaged character and Lahti does her sassy brash character. They are a good duo. The story is a bit rambling. Once they get to Alaska, the story loses its kinetic drive.
astrautz
I first watched this movie on Lifetime and found the story moving and satisfying. Who hasn't made mistakes in their life and felt like just chucking all of the decisions and leaving it to chance.This movie is about two wanderers. One a cynic, and one naive and too trusting. It is about friends taking the chance at finding happiness.I wish that this movie was more well known. Another in a long list that I wish were on DVD. I will transfer my difficult to find copy myself.A more upbeat "Thelma and Louise". One of my favorite almost unknown movies. I wish that this had been the women's empowerment movie of the 90's instead of "Thelma and Louise". These characters are much more real.
jeeper_white
I only saw 'Leaving Normal' because it was on Sky TV one night and there was nothing else on, so, I decided to watch it. I wasn't expecting much of it, as most things on that last at night are usually things that are too boring to be on earlier. However, I was very surprised by it, I actually enjoyed it. It's a story about the friendship between Darly and Marianne, who met at a bus-stop after Marianne ran away from her abusive husband. Darly is going to Alaska and decided to take Marianne along with her, sort of like a daughter figure. Marianne always likes to look on the bright side of things which leads her into bad situations. Darly is assertive but good-natured, she means well. And because she was so witty it made the film much more enjoyable. The first half of the movie is a road-movie, Which consist of the troubles they face of trying to get to their destination, and when they get there, they want to leave, at least Darly does. It's a light-hearted drama and all ends well. Worth a watch.
dcsgirlie
You know when you find one of those movies - and it just connects with some part of you, that may or may not be the sucker part?Well this happened to me.A friend left this movie at my house and moved away... one day, me and my best friend sat down to watch it. And cried.It was a beautiful, if typical, chick movie, I loved the scenery shots, even if they were computer generated, I loved the little antics like "flan" no spoiler.. just a joke you will understand if you get off your butt and find this movie.. its great for girls.. boys may enjoy it but not nearly as much as a girl and her girlies :)