Bob Odenkirk stars as a temporary sheriff where a Bank Robbery goes terribly wrong in a small town that isn’t all that it appears to be in the action comedy Normal.
Part of the delight that producers/writers Derek Kolstad and Bob Odenkirk have created in the Molotov Cocktail of a noir action thriller Normal is the long in the fuse narrative with a wealth of surprises throughout. These are not twists per se as the film is upfront about where it intends to go. It’s the fun and unexpected plot details in its journey to get to its end that is the surprise. Normal revels in the fact that journey is 50 miles of bad road and puts Odenkirk’s Sheriff Ulysses through the ringer.
Kolstad and Odenkirk have found kindred spirits in one another. Starting with their first collaboration Nobody then moving on to its sequel Nobody 2 the duo excel at pushing each other’s strengths to create finely crafted action comedies. Ones that bruise and batter its leads putting them through the wringer both physically and emotionally. Normal is no different but more of a character-based affair with Odenkirk surrounded by a cast of small-town eccentrics for a film that feels more like an ensemble.
Director Ben Wheatley brings the same sort of sharp edge for both action and comedy he brought to Free Fire and Sightseers. That panache to allow the characters exist within the confines of the world without feeling either rushed to get to the action nor a navel gazing leisurely affair either. That balance isn’t just to the storytelling but the tone that keeps the stakes at the highest possible level but never taking itself too seriously with bursts of comedic dark violence that Wheatley excels at.
The most delightful turn of the mid 2020’s has been Bob Odenkirk’s career. Going from comedian to dramatic heavyweight actor to action lead all creditably with the kind of weight that few can muster. Normal’s strength is leaning into Odenkirk’s strengths as a performer both comedically and dramatically as the downtrodden Ulysses. Part of the joy is watching the arc of the temporary sheriff and how Odenkirk isn’t afraid to make him a schlub that earns our respect and his licks as the film goes on.
Not to be outdone the supporting cast all do strong work that matches Odenkirk beat for beat. Lena Headly, Reena Jolly, Ryan Allan, Billy MacLellan, and Peter Shinkoda all do excellent work. Though it’s Henry Winkler that steals the show as much for his hilarious performance as it is for a moment that he’s a part of that is sure to be one of the action-comedy beats of the year.
Normal’s secret weapon is in fact it’s brutal and hilarious action set pieces. Rather than go high level action epic Wheatley and company have adroitly approached everything from a grounded street level with punctuations throughout. The way that beats ebb and flow from comedic to brutal adds to the spectacle of it all. Kolstad and Odenkirk’s story is always character first and smartly finds a way in the third act to be more than just a giant shootout as many of these types of films are but… having its cake and eating it too.
Normal continues one hopes is the beginning of the Odenkirk action era. It is as witty and entertaining an action comedy of recent memory. One of the sleeper hits of the season that shouldn’t be missed.
Bob Odenkirk stars as a temporary sheriff where a Bank Robbery goes terribly wrong in a small town that isn’t all that it appears to be in the action comedy Normal.
Part of the delight that producers/writers Derek Kolstad and Bob Odenkirk have created in the Molotov Cocktail of a noir action thriller Normal is the long in the fuse narrative with a wealth of surprises throughout. These are not twists per se as the film is upfront about where it intends to go. It’s the fun and unexpected plot details in its journey to get to its end that is the surprise. Normal revels in the fact that journey is 50 miles of bad road and puts Odenkirk’s Sheriff Ulysses through the ringer.
Kolstad and Odenkirk have found kindred spirits in one another. Starting with their first collaboration Nobody then moving on to its sequel Nobody 2 the duo excel at pushing each other’s strengths to create finely crafted action comedies. Ones that bruise and batter its leads putting them through the wringer both physically and emotionally. Normal is no different but more of a character-based affair with Odenkirk surrounded by a cast of small-town eccentrics for a film that feels more like an ensemble.
Director Ben Wheatley brings the same sort of sharp edge for both action and comedy he brought to Free Fire and Sightseers. That panache to allow the characters exist within the confines of the world without feeling either rushed to get to the action nor a navel gazing leisurely affair either. That balance isn’t just to the storytelling but the tone that keeps the stakes at the highest possible level but never taking itself too seriously with bursts of comedic dark violence that Wheatley excels at.
The most delightful turn of the mid 2020’s has been Bob Odenkirk’s career. Going from comedian to dramatic heavyweight actor to action lead all creditably with the kind of weight that few can muster. Normal’s strength is leaning into Odenkirk’s strengths as a performer both comedically and dramatically as the downtrodden Ulysses. Part of the joy is watching the arc of the temporary sheriff and how Odenkirk isn’t afraid to make him a schlub that earns our respect and his licks as the film goes on.
Not to be outdone the supporting cast all do strong work that matches Odenkirk beat for beat. Lena Headly, Reena Jolly, Ryan Allan, Billy MacLellan, and Peter Shinkoda all do excellent work. Though it’s Henry Winkler that steals the show as much for his hilarious performance as it is for a moment that he’s a part of that is sure to be one of the action-comedy beats of the year.
Normal’s secret weapon is in fact it’s brutal and hilarious action set pieces. Rather than go high level action epic Wheatley and company have adroitly approached everything from a grounded street level with punctuations throughout. The way that beats ebb and flow from comedic to brutal adds to the spectacle of it all. Kolstad and Odenkirk’s story is always character first and smartly finds a way in the third act to be more than just a giant shootout as many of these types of films are but… having its cake and eating it too.
Normal continues one hopes is the beginning of the Odenkirk action era. It is as witty and entertaining an action comedy of recent memory. One of the sleeper hits of the season that shouldn’t be missed.
Normal is in theaters April 17th
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