Bob Odenkirk is clearly committed to this action movie trend. Following up on last year’s Nobody 2, a sequel to his 2021 hit Nobody, he’s back with Normal, another film featuring a middle-aged man unleashing violent skills. The simple title isn’t accidental. Unlike action stars like Liam Neeson or Kevin Costner, Odenkirk plays ordinary guys – people you wouldn’t expect to be capable of such things. That’s the core of the humor in these movies, and it’s a familiar idea. However, Odenkirk’s own energetic performance and somewhat bewildered expression keep things interesting.
The film Normal centers around Ulysses, a temporary sheriff filling in for a few weeks after the previous sheriff’s mysterious death. The town of Normal, Minnesota – a quiet, somewhat deserted place with the motto “We like it here” – seems like a good fit for Ulysses, a man who’s separated from his wife and doesn’t appear to be in a rush to return home. However, the film immediately hints at trouble with a violent opening scene in Osaka, Japan, where a yakuza member is beheaded and another is sent to Normal to make amends for his failure. As Ulysses goes about his duties and we meet the town’s eccentric residents, we’re left to wonder how they’ll become involved in the inevitable and likely brutal events to come.
Derek Kolstad, the writer behind the Nobody and John Wick films, penned Normal, which was directed by Ben Wheatley. Wheatley, a British director known for his unique style and more recently for films like Meg 2: The Trench, excels at creating a strong sense of place, and Normal definitely benefits from that. The action is sometimes engaging, but the movie falls into familiar genre tropes. It feels like a checklist of violent moments – a character tripping and accidentally shooting themselves, eye stabbings, head crushing – and it’s hard to say what, if anything, feels fresh. You might be surprised by the kills, or you might have seen them all before. Perhaps the point is that it’s all ultimately meaningless. While Normal wasn’t boring, it wasn’t particularly exciting either. It might offer a temporary distraction, but it’s equally likely you’ll quickly forget it happened.
Bob Odenkirk’s performance is a major strength, even though the script by Kolstad and direction by Wheatley could have explored the character more fully. Odenkirk consistently portrays a sense of confusion, which adds a strange weight to even the most violent scenes – he looks like someone recounting a nightmare. Early in the film, Ulysses says it’s easier to care less, hinting that he’ll eventually change. However, he never truly seems to develop any real concern. This actually works in the film’s favor, because it makes him relatable – he’s a good stand-in for the audience.
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2026-04-16 21:54