“Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer” is a familiar tale given new life and breadth by writer/director Joseph Cedar and actor Richard Gere.

On the surface, it’s a quintessential New York story, about corridors of power, those that rule them and those who hang onto their fringes, hoping for a chance to gain their footing and be part of the ‘big time.’

Look deeper, however, and you’ll find a thoughtful character drama examining a very basic human need, one that resonates far beyond geography and political or social influence. That examination infuses “Norman” with a surprising range of emotion, and provides for a memorable movie experience.

What’s it about?

When audiences first meet Norman Oppenheimer (Gere), he’s on the outside looking in at New York’s wealthy and influential. He presents himself as a businessman, a “consultant”, but in truth what he offers to anyone he can get to listen are connections – to other powerful people, to goals, to whatever.

Put another way, Norman’s indefatigable efforts at networking all boil down to one message: “Whatever you need, I can get it for you.”

There’s just one significant problem – Norman doesn’t really have anything to offer, and most people who matter in New York know it. He’s a wanna-be who drops names and talks about big opportunities that never materialize.

But things start to change when Norman meets Micha Eshel (Lior Ashkenazi), an idealistic Israeli politician. Norman and Eschel meet at a time when Eschel’s fortunes are at a low point, so a simple generous gesture by Norman leaves a profound impression.

Years later, when Eschel’s career path has taken him to the top, literally, he remembers Norman. When the two re-connect at a diplomatic function in front of New York’s power elite, Norman finally feels as though he’s arrived – at last, people want to meet him.

But when the city’s powerful, including a prominent rabbi (Steve Buscemi), a financial mogul (Harris Yulin), Norman’s own nephew (Michael Sheen), and even Eschel start calling upon him to use those new connections to make things happen, Norman soon finds himself in over his head.

Gere is outstanding

Richard Gere has built a career across five decades playing slick, smooth-talking guys who move easily among other movers and shakers. Politicians, businessmen, lawyers, hustlers – they’ve all been part of Gere’s resumé, and he’s always made it look easy.

That’s maybe why his work in “Norman” is so striking and transformative. The handsome, ever-composed Gere audiences have come to expect disappears entirely into Norman, who seems to annoy just about everyone he contacts due to his incessant need to prove himself valuable.

Gere projects a desperation into Norman that’s both funny and sad. As the film goes on, Gere makes it abundantly clear that there’s nothing unctuous or sinister in Norman’s efforts to ingratiate himself with important people. It’s just something he’s compelled to do, and that compulsion is, in and of itself, self-defeating.

Credit Cedar for crafting in his script such a fascinating and ultimately sympathetic character, but Gere is also due praise for how he brings that character to life through dialect, body language, and palpable emotion.

Worth seeing?

In addition to its compelling story and Gere’s performance, “Norman” also features a superb supporting cast and creative set and photography design, all of which make it easy to recommend for cinephiles looking for an alternative to the summer movie season’s loud bombast.

Is it a movie we’ll be hearing about later this year when awards talk starts ramping up? Possibly, though its release so early in 2017 may result in it getting lost in the shuffle.

Regardless, if you enjoy character-driven stories and actors taking on projects that force them outside their normal bread-and-butter, you’ll find lots to enjoy in “Norman.”

At the very least, as a viewer you won’t have to deal with Norman talking you into taking his business card – you just have to watch other people deal with it.

Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer

Starring Richard Gere, Lior Ashkenazi, Hank Azaria, Steve Buscemi, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Michael Sheen, Dan Stevens, and Josh Charles. Directed by Joseph Cedar
Running time: 118 minutes
Rated R for some language.