As far as I can remember, I do remember a time of contemplating of running away from home. I think I was around 7 years old at the time. I figured I would take my teddy bear with me, a sandwich, some clothes, and pack them all up in by cute little backpack.

I would go stay at the mall or something, but all I knew was that I had to run away. And in the end, I went to sleep instead, tired of packing. I don’t really know what sparked the decision, but I think it may have been a fight with my parents.

I think as little children, we all had a time, maybe several times, in our childhood where we decided to run away from home. It’s has become almost cliché and a rite of childhood to attempt to run away from home.

Recently I came upon a video that was part of a short film made by Robbie Williams titled “Goodbye to the Normals”, for his album debut Rudebox. What’s so entertaining about it, is the follow through of the plan of the little boy, and the comedic nature of his parents to just let him go.

Here’s a brief summary of the film,

Magnus is only a young boy but he has decided to run away to America of all places. His mother has given up so it is left to his father to try and talk him out of it but it does rather seem that young Magnus has already made his mind up.

Screened separately and together on television and widely available on the internet, this short film was one of several that were commissioned by Robbie Williams to help promote his new album Rudebox. None of the shorts were videos but they were all standalone short films “inspired” by a song off the album but always intended to exist in their own right. Although it is a rather literal take on the Williams song, the short film works best if you just buy into it. The scenario of this tiny child leaving his home behind him is so absurd that it is hard not to get into it and find it funny.

The cast help make it. Furst is good while Cowan doesn’t have much to do, but it is the child playing Magnus that makes it as he does manage to come across so grown up while also never being anything other than a child. As director Field-Smith didn’t do anything that really marked him out for me but his handling of the central scene in the front room was good (and clever close shots on Furst compared to the higher and wider shots of Magnus).

Overall then a simple idea that is used to produce an enjoyable and amusing sketch-like short film. Worth a look as, for three minutes, it did tickle me somewhat.

Goodbye To The Normals Website