The first two reviews tell you all you need to know about the plot, but this is a story that will warm your heart and you will want to watch it several times. I just watched for the third time tonight. Candace does her usual good job as Lisa, a surgeon headed to Long Island, to make a fortune with her boyfriend Steve, also a doctor, by making house calls for the rich at $2500 a visit. In Normal she finds a lot of very nice people, who are just happy being who they are and caring enough about one another, to help each other survive whatever problem they seem to be having. A far cry from her former existence in Southern California or the existence she would experience in Long Island where she is headed. You see her falling for this place and the people, little by little. The ending scene is really memorable, and I have watched, just it, many times. The performances are outstanding, especially Lisa, Doc, the little girl and her mother, and Lucas the local love interest.
Plot summary
The only thing standing between Dr. Lisa Leland (Candace Cameron Bure) and her dream wedding in the Hamptons is a 2600-mile drive from Los Angeles to Long Island. But a run-in with the law in the country town of Normal, Louisiana leaves Lisa with a choice: jail or community service. Sentenced to three days as the town's doctor, Lisa soon finds her world turned upside-down by a man and discovers a lot more to Normal.
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Movie Reviews
A wonderful movie, with a plot similar to Doc Hollywood
"I'm stuck in Mayberry"
In what could have been an average celebratory film of the American small town turned political when they named what was the villain, that organization in league with the dark forces of the universe, the American Civil Liberties Union.
Dr. Candace Cameron Bure for reasons I'm still not clear on decides to drive cross country to the Hamptons to marry another pricey society doctor Andrew Bongiorno. But warrants for her unpaid tickets catch up to her in Normal, Louisiana and she's given a choice by the Grand Poobah of the place Lou Beatty, 3 days community service or some jail time. Actually Bure gets the jail time anyway as they fix up lodging for her in one of the cells. The way Otis Campbell was lodged after a night's toot. It really does look like Mayberry.
Beatty is judge, doctor, coroner and a few other things and he's also black. Now that's most unMaybery like in many ways. He's thinking that Bure is a heaven sent someone to take over his practice as he is terminal as well. And pretty soon Bure is in step with the slow pace of life.
But this film went from being average fodder for the Hallmark Channel when the guy who Bure is falling for Trevor St.John is representing the town in a suit filed by the ACLU. Someone from Massachusetts passing through their fair city objects to the neon cross on public land. As if anyone from the homogenized town of Normal would ever object.
I would hate to be a Jew, a Moslem, a Sikh, a Latino migrant worker or worst of all gay in that place. And an organization that champions these outsiders, must be from the dark side. I'll bet there weren't 3 votes for Hillary from this place.
Finding Normal's message is that this is the only way to live just be like the Stepford like population of Normal. God help you if you are not.
Population 321
Normal is a one-horse town southern run by Doc Shelby (Lou Beatty Jr.). When Dr. Lisa Lelanad (Candace Cameron Bure) is caught speeding through the town she is sentenced to three of nauseum and community service. Add the script of "Doc Hollywood" in an overly predictable plot and you got this feature. Okay for kids. Has come to Jesus moments.