The latest collaboration between Bob Odenkirk, JOHN WICK creator Derek Kolstad and NOBODY producer Marc Provissiero, director Ben Wheatley’s (FREE FIRE, HIGH RISE) kinetic neo-Western stars Odenkirk as an unassuming substitute sheriff with a troubled past who, after moving to a small, sleepy town, responds to a bank robbery and unknowingly uncovers something far more explosive.
For Sheriff Ulysses (Odenkirk), his provisional posting to the quaint Midwestern American town of Normal was meant to be a welcome respite from both his marital woes and recent moral injuries in the line of duty. But when a botched bank robbery interrupts the municipality’s tranquil pace, a dark secret is inadvertently exposed, and Ulysses soon discovers that the town is anything but its namesake.
What We Thought:
Normal is more American Hot Fuzz than it is Nobody, but that’s ok. It takes a bit to get going and it’s not as balls to the walls as we’ve come to expect from Bob Odenkirk nowadays, but it has enough action to keep you satisfied.
I call it American Hot Fuzz because that’s what I said to the publicist after the screening. That was the first film I thought of because it’s quite similar. A small town gets a new sheriff (Odenkirk) and he soon realizes this small town isn’t quite what it seems. The film works because the town has all the small town folk and quirkiness you expect mixed with the surprise twist and action from Odenkirk and more.
When that action kicks in it’s a lot of fun. Like in Nobody Odenkirk handles it well and just like in Nobody we get an older actor who gets to have some fun playing a character we don’t expect from him, Henry Winkler. Christopher Lloyd is great in Nobody/Nobody 2, this time Winkler gets to surprise his fans with an unexpected turn.
Normal continues Bob Odenkirk’s run at Liam Neeson type action star and I fully support his transformation. It’s not quite as good as Nobody/Nobody 2, but it’s a quick watch and does what it needs to do. Right now is pretty dead at the theater so if you’re looking for some “shut your mind off” entertainment it’ll fill the void. It also makes me want to rewatch director Ben Wheatley’s criminally underrated Free Fire.
The Nerds Templar 