No Time To Be Normal

Trying to get a grip on what's “normal” these days? Don't ask Jacob.

He's the flawed hero of Yuri Tsapayev's new film, Contractor's Routine, which might be the least routine or normal movie you'll ever see.

If you've noticed that what people consider normal is probably already out of style, you've got to catch this flick.

So go ahead, take a break from trying to be "normal." Enjoy this new-fangled morality play, about a San Francisco craftsman whose fantasy life (for starters) resolutely skirts morality. This guy wants to go beyond just being normal to knowing what makes the creative person tick, then acting on it.

You be the judge of how successful Jacob is.

•So it's normal for a guy to fantasize about having sex with a beautiful woman. But a paranoid woman who's worried about her husband?

•And it's okay for someone to want to sing in a choir. But Jacob has a serious handicap.

•Lots of people are collectors, too, and fascinated by unusual collections. But he's over the top.

•We can all use a sensible Jiminy Cricket to keep us from excessive or anti-social behavior. But how many of them follow us around making snide remarks in costume?

•We all appreciate a cool and refreshing glass of water first thing. But is this where you get yours?

This day-in-the-life story is a pretty straightforward suspense narrative. It peeks into the world of an attractive young contractor as he deals with aggressive drivers, veneered mahogany and shaved fingertips.

But the only character ready to consider all the angles and repercussions of an artist's life (played by Hollywood superstar Tom Sizemore) never gets out of a straight-jacket.

Surrender. Stop wondering about how normal you have to be to be a star. Let Jacob tell you.

By Carey Giudici