Finding Normal: Exclusive Interview

By: DThompson | in: Movies |

Last Friday I spent ninety minutes watching the opening night of a locally filmed documentary called Finding Normal. The movie, by Brian Lindstrom, follows several drug and alcohol counselors as they work with groups of recovering addicts, many of them ex-cons. With its basis in the grim world of addiction and street level recovery, Finding Normal sounds like it could be a real slog. It’s not. A surfeit of down to earth humor runs throughout the film, which, along with the truly charismatic personalities of the counselors makes the movie a rather joyful experience. Immediately after the showing of the movie I attended there was a too-brief question and answer session with the director, Brian Lindstrom, and several of the counselors and ex-addicts.

Though Finding Normal is just finding its wings it’s hard for me to believe a film of this quality and power will not eventually see a larger release. I certainly hope so. On the Monday after opening night I got together with the director to discuss his motivations for making this exceptional film.

D: How did you get the idea for this film?

B: I made a film called “Kicking” in 2000 that follows three addicts going through detox. That film ends with a man named Curtis who has gone through the full program, he’s gotten the crack out of his system and the cravings are at least medically taken care of, the idea being that now he can make some good decisions. So he steps out of detox and there’s no one waiting for him, he’s walking out onto the street, and he looks around, he doesn’t know where to go and then he walks away, And the feeling you’re left with as a viewer is like “Oh no.” You really wish there was some kind of program or person waiting for him, you know? Well, I came to find out that the Recovery Mentor Program filled in that gap. Now if anyone coming out of detox really wants to change their life they have the opportunity to interview with the mentor program and if they’re accepted when they leave detox there’s someone there to pick them up, as you see in the film, drive them to clean and sober housing, get them a room and get them plugged in to this community where people are learning how to live clean. Because without that what happens is the newly recovering addict will have no choice but to return to their former housing which is almost always involving drugs and you can imagine what takes place then.

The bigger answer would be that I grew up around addicts and alcoholics in my family and I could tell that there was a better self within them that they were not always able to access. I felt like “Why can’t there be some way for them not to have this kind of demon haunting them?” This was back in the 60’s and 70’s before recovery was a commonly accepted thing. So, when I found that film was my calling I knew that I wanted to address that. I wanted to find out how can people change, how can we look at that on a day by day level and let the audience really see what’s going on and peel away all the judgments and assumptions and get down to the human level of how do you go from being a 27 year long crack cocaine addict to being clean and sober now for 19 months, newly married and fully employed. I’m describing Stephan, a crack addict in the film.

D: So, you knew what you wanted to do with this movie before you started.

B: I let [the footage I got] dictate what [the movie] would be. I tried not to have any assumptions. I would show up every day and follow what seemed to be the most compelling thing unfolding in front of me.

D: I noticed you didn’t insert yourself into the film. There was no narration, you never asked any questions. Do you think that’s why nobody had any problem with you being around, because you never said anything, you didn’t make any judgements?

B: I think I was accepted because of my previous work on the issue and people having known me, especially the mentors. It was like the mentees figured, well, if the mentors trust him he must be OK.

Let me give you a story, this’ll be the best way to describe it. One day I was filming and this guy walks in and he said, “Man, I gotta talk to someone, the cops are after me and I don’t wanna go back to jail and I’m gonna lose my kid and I’m so tired of using.” So I asked him “Hey, would you mind if I film your interaction?” and he said “Man, I’m not even trippin’ on that.” Meaning, I’ve got other things to worry about besides this little camera and this guy in the corner. If you want to film me go ahead.

I think that’s true of all the people in the film. They’re in a life and death moment, they’re in a place where they have a chance to build a new life and they know what the stakes are and I was, in a way, a minor consideration. They had other things to worry about. I have 58 hours of footage and you and I could sit down and look at it all and I’ll bet you could count the self-conscious or non-genuine moments on one hand. There’s something about people in crisis, in a humble and honest way they have access to something deep within them. It’s very powerful

D: The film has a lot of really genuine humor in it. Is that the way it was all the time, or is that a result of your editing?

B: Well I guess the answer to both would be yes because with that much material you have to shape it and you invariably say no to alot of things and yes to just a few. But that spirit, that kind of gallows humor, or, in the words of David [one of the mentors], that kind of relentlessly keeping it real, there’s just a funny element to it. I think all humor is really based on pain and so much of the humor in the film is this idea of people in the most honest way possible calling bullshit on themselves and each other. Like that moment where Cathy [a recovering addict] asks Penny [another recovering addict] “Hey, you want to go to this meeting tonight?” and Penny just has that moments hesitation and Penny says “I think I might have to…go somewhere.” And [Cathy] goes“You don’t have anything to do.” and of course [Penny] doesn’t. It’s that kind of razor sharp truth that penetrates anyone’s pretentiousness or lies or whatever.

D: David seemed to have an innate ability to speak. He had no problem with speaking in groups and carrying on at length. And when I saw him after the film he was again exhibiting this natural ability to be a captivating and interesting public speaker. He’s really got a lot going for him.

B: He’s the real deal. And whatever that “it” thing is that movie stars have, Dave has that. I didn’t know that until the filming started. I knew Dave just a little bit. I knew I liked him a lot and that I wanted to follow him but I had no kind of idea of the depth of his character and it just comes out in all of his actions and his words. Just a real joy for me to be able to spend time with. But not only him, Jill and Randy and everyone in the program, it was such a great experience, just unbelievable.

D: Why didn’t you talk about the history of Central City Concern, the program where the mentors work? You waited until the very end to say anything about that.

B: I felt strongly that I wanted the film to be about the people and not the program. What makes the program unique is the people so let’s just focus on the people and the program will reveal itself as we get into the people’s stories. Also I was very concerned about people not thinking that it’s an advocacy film per se, something I was hired to do by a specific organization. Because that’s not what went on. This was an independent project that I had to raise the money for and had complete editorial control on. I felt like it was really the people’s story.

D: Tell me what it felt like on Friday [opening night]?

B: It was very rewarding. It felt like the film had accomplished what I wanted it to because I was able to stand up on that stage with David and Randy and Jill and Paul and Dan and Terry and Chris and JT and have them receive that love from the audience, you know? It felt really great to see them get that ovation from the audience and have people ask engaged questions about what they’re up to now, how more suffering addicts can be helped. Beause I feel like what I wanted to do with the film is bring these people to our attention, just say “these are people that deserve our attention and support”.

View the trailer for Finding Normal

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Wnoy0rpbXM

If you’re lucky enough to live in or near Portland, Oregon, Finding Normal will begin playing at the Hollywood Theater on Friday, August 10th.

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Posted on August 6, 2007

Comments

11 Responses to “Finding Normal: Exclusive Interview”

Tibi Puiu on August 6th, 2007 11:56 am

Great i-view D. Drug addiction has been a issue since God knows when, it’s films like these that make people think and hopefully change.

DThompson on August 6th, 2007 12:09 pm

And this is a really excellent film.

okcutie on August 6th, 2007 12:58 pm

It touches parts and lets people know what they go through on drugs.

Christopher Hull on August 16th, 2007 3:47 pm

Could anybody tell me how to get ahold of the filmaker?
Thanks,
Christopher

DThompson on August 17th, 2007 1:08 am

You can reach Brian at http://brianlindstromfilms.com

Christy on September 2nd, 2007 12:16 pm

Looks good until you find out it’s all about that 12 step religion; then you refuse their religion and it’s back to the street.

Mandy on September 2nd, 2007 12:20 pm

They did that to me- kicked me out- and I’m still sober three years strong- I refuse to handicap myself with brainwashing and never ending groups of really sick 12 steppers (really bible thumpers in a blue book)

DThompson on September 5th, 2007 12:15 pm

Perhaps both of you could see your way clear to admitting that there’s more than one road to sobriety. I’m glad your way worked for you. Personally, I think I would probably have the same difficulties you both experienced, but I don’t think that makes this program bad, or this film not worthy of being seen.

DThompson on September 5th, 2007 12:44 pm

As for the twelve step nature of the meetings, if there was a Bible thumping nature to this program I sure missed it. Finding Normal is not a messianic march through twelve steps, that is not the experience you get watching this movie.
Does the program have twelve steps? I guess so, most programs are modeled after AA which has twelve steps and a religious slant. I can’t say I really find it odd that any program dedicated to stopping addictive behavior would ask people to use religion as a crutch. That, after all, is what religion is best at.
But, I should repeat, Finding Normal is not about twelve steps, or how great twelve step programs are, or even about how great this particular program is. It’s very much fly on the wall cinema verite as it follows people through extremely difficult circumstances. There’s no editorializing, you’re allowed to draw your own conclusions.

Finding Normal - film showing at City Hall « Mental Health Association of Portland on April 15th, 2008 10:54 pm

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Sandy on July 26th, 2008 12:01 am

Finding Normal is simply about helping addicts. And the Mentors show them how it worked for them and that was through a twelve step program.