Not to be confused with Nobody or even Nobody II which just released a few weeks ago, Bob Odenkirk already has his next uber action movie on deck. In fact Normal premiered at midnight to a rowdy crowd at the Toronto Film Festival and if their reaction is any indication it’s another hit for this unlikely action star who is fast following in the footsteps of Charles Bronson, Steven Seagal, and Bruce Willis. Filling a big void in Hollywood who dreamed it would be Saul, but this acting is breaking bad guys with the best of them.
Odenkirk plays the new substitue sheriff in the very small Minnesota town of Normal, a Fargoesqe location where the previous sheriff has passed away under mysterious circumstances, possibly involving a moose (a big symbol throughout the film) and he is only there until an election can be held, Meanwhile he patrols the street and makes sure peace is at hand. But before we get to Normal, the film opens a pre-credits sequence in Japan at a meeting of the criminal organization the Yakuza where, as is their custom, three members are asked to slice off a finger in order to show their loyalty. The first two do so, but the third has his finger caught dipping into the cookie jar so to speak. It doesn’t end well for him in what is a bloody good start to director Ben Wheatley‘s latest foray into extreme violence. Nothing action wise proceeds to happen for the first 40 minutes – sans the finger pointing in Osaka – and that is typical for Wheatley (Kill List, Sightseers, Meg 2, Free Fire) who likes to take it real slow and easy and then when you least expect it: POW.
At any rate the fireworks begin and the whole place is being shot up- Yakuzas, locals, employees – you name it. Sheriff Ulysses looking at this as his first big crisis decides to walk in like Gary Cooper in High Noon and take them all on. He makes a memorable entrance into the bank crashing through the glass door, but with his own deputies Alex (Jess McLeod) and Blaine Anderson who is running for Sheriff (Ryan Allen) holding back, the only help he really gets is from Keith and Lori who shoot at anyone but him. In a case of strange bedfellows he notices that kindness under fire and they become allies as the siege continues.
Crooked Mayor Henry Winkler makes him an offer. If he agrees to kill them on the spot, nothing will happen to him. He hangs up on him and the Mayor and his brood don’t know what they are in for. Basically the carnage is all non-stop from this point on, a festival of killing in all kinds of nifty ways. The stunt guys are busy.
With a script by Nobody creator Derek Kolstad from his and Odenkirk’s story, this movie also looks to be channeling 50’s modern day classics like Bad Day At Black Rock and Violent Saturday. It is once again a fine showcase for the late blooming action star. The movie has some good actors to go with the scenery including Winkler, and Lena Headey as Moira from the town bar, a person who has more talents than you might imagine. Fletcher and Jolly win audience love here, and Allen’s naked ambitions to become sheriff is quite amusing. However Odenkirk rules this roost, just as he does in the Nobody movies, but with the firepower Wheatley keeps shooting Normal manages to exceed those action levels if you can believe it.
Shout out to Cinematographer Armando Salles whose visual palette includes lots of snow and storms, giving this film a very unique and cool vibe for a modern western.
Producers are Odenkirk, Kolstad, and another Nobody alum Marc Provissiero.
Title: Normal
Festival: Toronto Film Festival – Midnight Madness
Sales Agent: WME
Director: Ben Wheatley
Screenplay: Derek Kolstad
Cast: Bob Odenkirk, Henry Winkler, Lena Headey, Jess McLeod, Ryan Allen, Billy MacLellan, Brendan Fletcher, Reena Jolly
Running Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
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