Normal

Ulysses (Bob Odenkirk) tries to stay in the background at his new post in Normal (Distributed by Magnolia Pictures)

Bob Odenkirk’s career transition from comic actor into a weary, reluctant, yet effective, action hero is as oddly charming as it is unexpected. It started in 2021’s Nobody, about an unassuming family man with a violent past who gets dragged back into that world, like an everyman John Wick. It was good/successful enough to spawn a terrible 2025 sequel. Now comes Normal (for which he also receives a “story by” credit), an action comedy about a sheriff with PTSD looking for peace and quiet in a small town, who instead finds death and chaos. It is fun, with an underlying silliness. Like a slightly more serious version of Hot Fuzz. Odenkirk is, of course, perfect for it, bringing his dead-pan humor and amusing realism to a deadly situation. It is bloody and explosive, after a strangely slow setup.

Director Ben Wheatley is a creative filmmaker, skilled when it comes to gory violence. Lately, he has gotten into being a hired hand on studio genre movies. Normal (84 minutes, without the end credits) certainly fits that description. However, Wheatley has some fun with it, adding in nice touches to go along with the over-the-top story and letting his star do the heavy lifting of getting the audience at least mildly invested. It is short and crafty enough to not overstay its welcome, making for a pretty good time for action aficionados.

Ulysses has been sent to Normal, Minnesota as an interim sherif, after the previous sheriff froze to death. As they wait for the election, he just tries to stay out of the way. Then, two people attempt to rob the local bank and all hell breaks loose, putting Ulysses at odds with the entire town.

The best thing about this is its sense of humor. Even the kills get some laughs. There are two separate moments where a major character gets blown up suddenly and they are probably the two funniest incidents in the movie. The screenplay by Derek Kolstad (who wrote both Nobodys, as well as a few entries in the John Wick franchise) hits the beats of a straightforward action story, but leans into its more ridiculous aspects with glee. I can imagine Kolstad grinning as he wrote sections of this. A traditional genre lead would have destroyed the pleasant tonal balance. Odenkirk excels in it, keeping his energy moderate so as not to overshadow the craziness around him. It isn’t the most original screenplay, yet it understands what it is and works at that level.

The action, the comedy, the dialogue, everything in Normal coexists very solidly. This isn’t a huge spectacle that will redefine its genre. It is a well-made piece of entertainment that should please fans of Odenkirk’s recent output. Its plot is fine, the performances are enjoyable and the shootouts/fight scenes are decently choreographed. Everyone involved knew exactly what kind of movie they were making. It comes off as a group of professionals putting on a show and that definitely translates to the screen. Though audiences won’t be blown away by it, anybody who wanders in based on the promise of wild bloody mayhem will likely be satisfied.

3½ out of 5

Cast:

Bob Odenkirk as Ulysses Richardson

Jess McLeod as Alex

Reena Jolly as Lori

Brendan Fletcher as Keith

Ryan Allen as Deputy Blaine Anderson

Billy MacLellan as Deputy Mike Nelson

Henry Winkler as Mayor Kibner

Lena Headey as Moira

Directed by Ben Wheatley

Written by Derek Kolstad