The new sheriff of the snowy, peaceful town of Normal isn’t normal in Normal, in the highly entertaining action flick directed by Ben Wheatley starring Bob Odenkirk and written by Derek Kostad. Normal is playing as part of the Overlook Film Festival and hits theatres next week. Normal.
Normal is a film of halves, both solid films though rather different. For the first while of the 90-minute feature, it’s mostly a light conspiracy and (too-)nice-small town flick as Bob Odenkirk’s new interim sheriff for the town of Normal, Minnesota, gets his bearings. So interim that his name plates are just label-makered over the old, and he has to borrow a badge from a co-worker. Everyone is very Minnesota Nice as he meets the town, including mayor Henry Winkler and business owner Lena Headey, and gets the lay of the land. Under the niceties are hints of conspiracy: the old sheriff died oddly, the one-light town has 16.8 million dollars for a town hall, and a Japan-set opening seems to connect the town to the Yakuza. But overall, everyone is welcoming, and the town seems to cater to the perfect image. But hints and pokes at the darker underbelly. Yes, you may be thinking of another film with a similar set-up; one of my absolute favorite films. Normal absolutely lines up with it, but turns out to be a more direct, outright violent action movie than a satire, as that film was. Far more violent, with a different focus and thought process, but it does live in the shadow of Hot Fuzz, which may hurt in comparison.
This is a Ben Wheatley film, written by Derek Kolstad, writer of the John Wick and Nobody films, starring Nobody’s Bob Odenrik, who shares story credit, in the midst of his Liam Neeson special skills action phase. So we know this is going to turn and explode. Ben Wheatley doesn’t do normal (heh). Whether it be his folk-horror films Field in England and Kill List, his Doctor Who episodes, or the Cronenbergian High Rise, he digs into odd approaches with a certain spirit. Even big-budget summer flicks like Meg 2 have twisted ethos (I admit his Rebecca is a misfire, strangely tampered down to a director-for-hire malaise). Normal, in the back half, falls more into the over-the-top action of Free Fire.
It does take a bit for the hammer to come down; don’t expect the action spectacular out of the gate. I don’t mind; the world built is a nice crutch to lean on. Not only setting up the town as they aren’t just nobodies, but also creating a sense of community. That community, whether peaceful or breaking into violence, or the interested shift leading to the climax (no spoilers, or even hints here), is all built on the sense of the town existing as an entity, working together to do what might be best. When the metaphorical dam breaks and all hell breaks loose, it does so with a solid backing of people and place, lending more oomph to the action. And that action has oomph. Admittedly, what occurs is a bit of a stretch even for the reasons given, but one is expected to shrug and go with it. Don’t think too hard, just enjoy the booms.
Ben Wheatley is one hell of a director. Over his history, he’s shown how well he can stage a scene and pay it off. Building off action writer Kolstad’s expertise as well, Wheatley creates clever, energetic, and peppy action beats using just about everything the town set up for weapon use later on. While it’s mostly firearm-based in action, sharps, and so many unexpected items are used to draw so much blood and create big moments. It’s often surprising and shocking, with many moments taking me by surprise with a great grin and a whoop of excitement. He’s adept at keeping character and story within all the shooting, stabbing, and impressive action bits. And the back half is one action-scene after another, building up to a frenzy. Hrm, the second film in a month to feature both bazookas and exploding people!
I’ve been greatly enjoying Bob Odenkirk’s career bump in movies like this and Nobody. As a fan since Mr. Show with Bob and David, and his various career shifts have been interesting to watch. With Nobody and Normal, he’s setting in a new action star, showing an unexpected skill to action beats mixed with his affable nice-guy nature (I’ve not watched Better Call Saul, but did watch Breaking Bad). He’s great, finding the balance of everything going on, setting himself, and dealing with the action running at him. He’s not a copy of the Nobody character. His Ulysses is a normal guy over his head, not a secret assassin. I wish we had more Lena Headey. Sad she’s only in two scenes. She makes the most of them, being very adept at exposition, and has a few moments. Awesome to see Henry Winkler in a film like this. The standout is Jess McLoead as Alex, the dead sheriff’s kid. They have a spark that lights up the film. Screen presence galore within the gore.
Normal, as directed by Ben Wheatley, is a heck of an action flick. It uses its concept and world-building well, led by Bob Odenkirk in an interesting leg of his career. The action is big, the moments are a ton of fun, with great sequences and a sense of self. It does take its time to ramp up to where we know it’s going, but it’s very worth it when it does, as Wheatley proves himself again as a fantastic director, putting it all together with a known skill. Normal plays at Overlook Film Festival April 9 – 12 and in wide release April 17th.