NORMAL
(director: Ben Wheatley; screenwriters: Derek Kolstad; story by Derek Kolstad & Bob Odenkirk; cinematographer: Armando Salas; editor: Jonathan Amos; music: Harry Gregson-Williams, Ryder McNair; cast: Bob Odenkirk (Ulysses), Henry Winkler (Mayor), Lena Headey (Moira), Ryan Allen (Blane Anderson), Billy MacLellan (Deputy Nelson), Brendan Fletcher (Keith), Reena Jolly (Lori), Peter Shinkoda (Joe), Jess McLeod (Alex), David Lawrence Brown (Dr. Velie), Lauren Cochrane (Sally), Dan De Jaege (Ernie), Brian Kawakami (Arata), John C. MacDonald (Kenny), Shota Tsuji (Yakuza goon), Aaron Merke (Terry Bank Manager), Carson Nattrass (Maynard); Runtime: 90; MPAA Rating: R; producers: Marc Provissiero, Bob Odenkirk, Derek Kolstad; OPE Picture; 2025-in English & Japanese)
“Extremely violent and funny Fargo-like action/comedy.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
Brit filmmaker Ben Wheatley (“Kill List”/”Free Fire”) directs this extremely violent and funny Fargo-like action/comedy. It’s based on a story by Derek Kolstad and Bob Odenkirk, and is smartly scripted by Derek Kolstad.
The film opens in Osaka, Japan at a meeting of the yakuza, where three members of the gang are asked to slice off a finger in order to show loyalty. The first two do so, but the third doesn’t and is executed.
The film then relocates to the small town of Normal, Minnesota. Ulysses (Bob Odenkirk) is the new sheriff, taking over after the previous sheriff died under suspicious circumstances (froze to death while ice fishing). Ulysses is an easy-going guy, not wanting to make waves. He’s recovering from a bad marriage and a past trauma, and desires only to leave the town as he found it. He’s running for office in the next election in this town of around 1800, that prides itself on its meatloaf, that its moose run wild, and that everyone is well-armed. When the seemingly soft sheriff tries to stop a bank robbery by two outsiders, Keith (Brendan Fletcher) and Lori (Reena Jolly), it only leads to a violent gunfight between the locals and the bank robbers. The sheriff somehow sides with the bank robbers.
It turns out Normal is a corrupt town, with a crooked mayor (Henry Winkler), as the town launders the yakuza money from Osaka. The sheriff has no idea about the scheme. But his two untrustworthy deputies, Mike Nelson (Billy MacLellan) and Blaine Anderson (Ryan Allen), do. Blaine is campaigning to take over as sheriff when Ulysses’ eight weeks are up.
When both deputies go rogue, Ulysses recruits a new deputy. She’s the last sheriff’s misunderstood adult daughter, Alex (Jess McLeod), who idolizes him.
It leads to a well-staged battle at the climax with the yakuza and the whole town turning on the sheriff and deputy. The over-the-top kills (like eyes pulled out of sockets) are amazing, as is a kick-ass action pic comical performance by Odenkirk.
It played at the Toronto Film Festival.
REVIEWED ON 9/14/2025 GRADE: B+
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