Normal People
If I’m gonna be honest I had rather high expectations going into watching this series, a 4.3 average on Letterboxd along with countless boasting reviews put it high up on my watchlist pretty quickly. With a large chance of being mediocre compared to what I was expecting, Normal People was anything but. A easy 6 hour binge that’s more than worthy of a one sitting watch, I didn’t want it to end.
Almost immediately after finishing I ordered the book written by Sally Rooney in which show was based off of. I’ve only got a few chapters left and man what an adaptation. Rooney’s non linear story telling style is surprisingly easy to comprehend in the books, and even easier in the shows script going scene by scene. I’m a big fan of authors getting the opportunity to co-write their work adapted for screen. In these instances a better respect for the source materiel is maintained and you can definitely see it here.
When casting two unknowns in heavy lead roles there’s a huge sense of added... well unknown. With that being said, Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones have some of the best chemistry I’ve seen, ever. And I’m not exaggerating. Reading the book you really get a feel for who Connell and Marianne are as people, how they think, what they want. In the series, Mescal and Edgar-Jones give them such a sense of realism. Really the way the whole show is shot and structured enforces that. It’s one of the main reasons I was hooked after the first episode, you felt like yea, this could be happening to two people somewhere in the world in this very moment without feeling like it was a crafted story. While at the same time being perfectly crafted. I know that’s sounds super contradictory but you’ll understand what I mean after watching.
Being a college student myself I found myself being able to relate to so many aspects of the story, especially Connell’s character and arc. I think that’s a huge factor in how we decide what our favorite pieces of media and art are. So when something like this has not only that but also production and direction that’s masterfully done, it’s then when I really can connect and appreciate something to another degree. The soundtrack for the show was right up my alley which didn’t hurt its chances, along with my affinity and interest in the UK’s culture probably stemming from my childhood obsession with Harry Potter. With that being said I confidently believe that this is a show most people can find something to relate to in, and if not at least realize how enjoyable and heartbreaking of a watch it is.
10/10 - if I could go higher I would.