In 2021, Bob Odenkirk, the Emmy-nominated actor best known for his role in Breaking Bad (2008-2013) and Better Call Saul (2015-2022), turned his attention to the action genre, working with the producers of the John Wick franchise on the highly successful action film Nobody (2021). The film was well-received and even spawned a sequel, with many praising Odenkirk’s everyman performance. Having premiered this year at TIFF 2025, Odenkirk returns to the genre once again with Normal, directed by Ben Wheatley. Wheatley previously won the Midnight Madness People’s Choice Award in 2016 for his shoot-em-up Free Fire (2016), starring Brie Larson and Cillian Murphy. 

Normal follows an interim sheriff (Odenkirk) who gets inadvertently tied up in shady business dealings with the Yakuza and is pitted against the town he is serving. The film also stars Henry Winkler and Lena Headey in supporting roles. The film was also written by Derek Kolstad, of the aforementioned John Wick franchise, with Odenkirk receiving a story credit for the film. 

What makes Normal so different from the other Odenkirk action films (The Oden-verse, if you will) is the setting. The first two Nobody films have urban settings, but Normal changes the pace with the setting of a small town in rural Minnesota bearing the same name as the film’s title. This was an in-your-face yet clever way to title the film, as yes, it appears normal, yet something different is lurking beneath the surface. Furthermore, the town is in the dead of winter, echoing Fargo (1996) in cinematography and style. It also adds a cozy layer of false comfort that is pulled out from under the audience when the bullets start flying and people start dying. 

Despite the compelling set-up and premise, Normal simply took too long to get the ball rolling. I found myself checking the time as Odenkirk’s Sheriff Ulysses kept finding odd things about the town, but nothing came to fruition until about 45 minutes into the film. Perhaps Wheatley wanted to lull the audience into a false sense of security and highlight the paranoia Ulysses felt from his previous work as a sheriff, but I found myself more bored than anything. When the action does kick into high gear and Ulysses is hunted by the townspeople of Normal, MN, it feels less earned by the film and more like it meandered too far away and remembered what story it was telling. 

Despite the uneven pacing in the first act of the film, the rest of the film remains entertaining and exciting as Ulysses fights through the town and eventually uncovers the dark secret hiding within Normal. Odenkirk is stellar as always, bringing an everyman quality to his performance that is hard to come by in an action genre dominated by glamorous movie stars. He brings a ruggedness to the role of Ulysses that makes the character lived-in and realistic, which again is hard to come by in action these days. 

Odenkirk also incorporates a dry comedic tone in his performance that is also visible in the Nobody films, which further highlights the tiredness Ulysses feels in regards to the situation he signed up for and what he is experiencing. 

His screen presence in the film is enough to keep the audience invested, as his charisma and relatability is unmatched in the saturated action genre. The supporting performances are decent as well, highlighting the absurdity of the situation the town of Normal is faced with. When the town comes face-to-face with the Yakuza, the film detours into a full-on action extravaganza. It is nothing audiences fond of Nobody won’t already be used to, and includes a stellar final fight with Odenkirk in a kitchen. This film is definitely a highlight of Odenkirk’s ragtag action abilities, combined with Wheatley’s frantic directing style. 

Normal is not nearly as compelling as Nobody or the John Wick films, but instead serves as another example of the growing presence Bob Odenkirk is developing in the action genre. The film’s uneven pacing will likely turn off some viewers, but those who stick around will indeed be rewarded. Odenkirk is not going anywhere, and if the crowd at Midnight Madness proved anything, it’s that people will be seated for whatever Saul Goodman decides to do next. 


Review Courtesy of Nadia Arain

Feature Image Courtesy of TIFF