Normal People

         Normal People is a one-season TV series recreated from the novel by Sally Rooney. It was directed by Lenny Abrahamson and Hettie MacDonald, and released in 2020. The show stars Daisy Edgar-Jones as Marianne and Paul Mescal as Connell, who have both gained much popularity since the show. The series follows the on-and-off relationship between the two protagonists, Marianne and Connell starting from their high school relationship in a small Irish town to their relationship at Trinity College in Dublin, where they are both top of the class in their studies. 

The show's cinematography style is raw and stripped down, with a handheld camera and intimate close-ups that establish the emotional intimacy between Marianne and Connell. The soundtrack is also noteworthy, with music that complements the story's emotional beats and adds to the show's overall mood. the filmmakers also used their stripped-down film style to connect the audience with the story, while also producing a high-quality film that combined makes the audience feel like they are right there with the characters.

Normal People is a realistic portrayal of the difficulty of modern relationships, following the complexities of love, class, and finding one's identity. It showcases how our experiences shape our perspectives and behaviors and how our insecurities and fears can impact our relationships. The show's strength is its characters, they are multidimensional and relatable to young people in modern hookup culture, which is why it is so easy for the viewers to become invested in this story.