In Normal, Bob Odenkirk continues his new career as an unlikely action hero, with a wry smile and a casual attitude. He plays Ulysses Richardson, an officer who has taken a job as interim sheriff in the small town of Normal, Minnesota. He is moving around the country, holding down the desks until the towns find a new sheriff. He expects to ride out six weeks in the brutal Minnesota winter keeping warm in the office, drinking coffee, and doing administrative tasks. Of course, with a title like Normal, you understand from jump that this town is anything but. It turns out they are harboring a collective secret that involves a Yakuza gang in Osaka, Japan, which is about as far from Normal as you can get both geographically and culturally.
Ulysses takes the job because he’s, ironically, trying to find calm downtime to process upsetting events. His wife kicked him to the curb, and in his last permanent job he did not believe a woman’s claims of sexual assault, which led to tragedy. He is reminded of these failings when he meets Alex (Jess McLeod), the ostracized trans child of the deceased former sheriff.
Other delightful elements include Henry Winkler as the shockingly abrasive, openly corrupt mayor, and a yarn shop with a police scanner and a ridiculous amount of weaponry. Lena Headey is Moira, the seemingly sympathetic bar owner who is also heavily armed. When Ulysses surprisingly finds himself under siege during a bank robbery he tries to stop, all hell breaks loose. There is mayhem far beyond what should be possible in a small town.
“…Ulysses surprisingly finds himself under siege during a bank robbery he tries to stop, all hell breaks loose.“
Ulysses negotiates the most unexpected denouement in an action movie, with a satisfying resolution. Odenkirk navigates this complex situation with his, ahem, normal, sedate manner and sarcastic tone. I can’t imagine anyone not liking his undeniable charm. His appearing in action films is a strange turn for a 63-year-old “everyman” type, but it works. Before the second act ultra-violence begins, current social issued are lampooned. The townie yokels have addressed rural American economic doldrums in a way that has made them fantastically wealthy, and provided them with as much military hardware as any Central American rebel army. There is truly an absurd amount of firepower.
The action in Normal is John Wick style. With the advent of safe, CGI enhanced “plug” weapons, it’s possible to indulge in close-up violence that amps up the shock and gore dramatically. Normal takes full advantage of this to wreak bloody havoc on the town and its citizens. The unholy trinity of Normal is its director Ben Wheatley (Free Fire), Bob Odenkirk as co-writer, working with Derek Kolstad, screenwriter of the Nobody and John Wick franchises. Together, they’ve crafted a fresh approach to making an action film with heart.
This film feels like Fargo crashed into John Wick, but it’s not as funny as the former, nor as action accomplished as the latter. There’s a little Hot Fuzz in there, too. With so many cultural issues mentioned, the message for any one of them is diluted. Characters are also given short shrift, as there’s too much going on to devote time to them. The point, anyway, is the shootin’ and blowin’ stuff up, which are top notch.
Normal is action-centric brain candy, with some pokes at timely social/political topics. It’s not that heavy, however, this film won’t change your life. It will allow you to relax into catharsis and put a smile on your face.
Learn more at the official Normal website.
"…action-centric brain candy, with some pokes at timely social/political topics."
