Normal Movie Review

​Used in the review of this movie will not be the word normal. Why? Because this is anything but that. Bob Odenkirk knows his audience because he and the writer of Nobody 1 & 2 wrote this screenplay, and you’ll enjoy what they came up with.

The plot of “Normal” is Bob Odenkirk playing Ulysses Richardson, an acting sheriff in a small Midwestern town who needs a sheriff after the death of their last one, Gunderson, and finds himself in one hell of a mess. And it’s freezing out! Due to a series of events, he attempts to stop a bank robbery, and in doing so, he is swallowed up into a scheme that involves almost the entire town. What it leads to is unbelievable. I’m not sure how to tell you what plays out, to be honest. I do find it easy to tell you that you need to see this in theaters. Enjoying it with others was a pleasure. Someone in my theater shouted, “He’s still alive??” and, outside of some of the carnage, which was psychotic, I remember that moment most.

Director Ben Wheatley was perfect for this film. He directed “Free Fire,” a movie akin to the action-packed films we get from Odenkirk, who makes an impression here because he does play a character similar to others you’ve seen him play, such as Hutch in “Nobody” and Jimmy McGill in “Better Call Saul.” That’s not a bad thing; this movie calls for it, but I hope we’ll see him stretch his acting chops soon. Anyway, this is very dark. It’s hard to look at the screen a few times.

Saying that, there is a lot of bloodshed and gross deaths that this action film suddenly feels like you’re in a “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” type horror film, or worse. Regardless, you’re shocked when a chuckle comes from your throat. He figures out that everyone in the seemingly sweet, low-key town turns on him during the bank robbery. He must figure out why if he’s going to make it out alive. He has only a few people left with him, and the bank robbers, Lori and Keith, are on his side. They’re not in on whatever’s going on in Normal. They get into the bank vault, and what he sees could very well have something to do with it. What he finds are gold bars, mountains of cash and enough weapons and military equipment to supply a small army. There’s a reason it’s all there… and that reason isn’t normal. (Hey! I fit the word in!!) Ulysses would rather leave than meet the people who will be coming back for this stash. But that’s not him. Learning that bank guards were connected to the notorious Japanese organized crime syndicate, the Yakuza, he decides he’s going to fight before the Yakuza arrive.

There’s a moose seen occasionally by certain people that I wish they had hit upon a bit more, but overall, it’s a good watch in the theater. The highly exaggerated, hand-held camera work was spot on, making a routine, typical fight scene feel strangely unusual in comparison. Your eyes will have a hard time keeping up. 

There’s an unusually large amount of violence in the film. There is staggering action and humor that you’ll have a lot of fun with. Hearing the audience members and finding yourself laughing at certain scenes will worry you, but don’t worry. It’s normal to simply enjoy a good film.