There’s not a lot going on under the hood of director Ben Wheatley’s “Normal,” but it absolutely rips down the highway with its foot on the gas and both middle fingers out the window.
Bob Odenkirk plays Ulysses, a temporary sheriff who rolls into the sleepy Midwestern town of Normal hoping for peace, quiet, and maybe some distance from his personal baggage. Instead, he gets is a full-blown bloodbath from shady locals and a Japanese organized crime mob that’s hell-bent on violent revenge. Think gunfights, explosions, bank robberies, betrayals, bloody brawls, and even a moose (who all but steals the show).
The film is beautifully paced, a lean, mean 90-minute machine with 45 straight minutes of action in its back half. The violence is outrageous but inventive with every kill more over-the-top and creative than the last. It’s the kind of movie that makes you cheer, groan, and laugh all at once, and it’s best watched in a packed theater with a rowdy crowd.
This is a movie that knows exactly what it is: a full throttle, crowd pleasing, midnight movie blast, and Wheatley leans into the chaos with a gleeful lack of restraint. The plot is barely serviceable at best, and feels like a simple outline that was sketched out on a diner napkin. But let’s not kid ourselves: you’re not here for Shakespeare. You’re here to watch the ever-affable Odenkirk shoot his way out of an ambush while making deadpan jokes and bleeding from three different places. If it’s pure mayhem you’re after, the film delivers.
Odenkirk finds himself once again in his sweet spot as a disheveled everyman who turns out to be a surprising tough guy. He balances charm, weariness, and lethal efficiency better than most modern action stars. And for fans of his earlier work, the film is peppered with sly little nods and references that reward sharp-eyed viewers (so pay attention).
The supporting cast is just as fun. Lena Headey is clearly having a blast as a shotgun-toting antagonist, Jess McLeod adds a touch of heartfelt drama, and Henry Winkler turns in a scene-stealing supporting performance that’s equal parts hilarious and deranged. There’s even a Yakuza subplot that arrives halfway through the film with zero warning and makes perfect sense in the moment, which tells you everything you need to know about the movie’s tone.
“Normal” isn’t trying to be profound, it’s just trying to be a damn good time — and it succeeds. The film is not particularly well made from a technical standpoint, but the fight scenes have punchlines, the plot is just coherent enough to hold the chaos together, and the whole thing plays like a live-action cartoon with a body count. This one’s an absolute blast.
By: Louisa Moore
Screen Zealots 