For almost 30 years, we have known that Bob Odenkirk has been an actor who refuses to stay in one lane. To some, he is still the sharp-tongued Saul Goodman, who is the comic-turned-lawyer, and stole scenes in ‘Breaking Bad‘ and later made it to the headlines of one of television’s finest dramas in ‘Better Call Saul.’ To others, he is still the surprise action hero of ‘Nobody‘ (2021), a film that turned his middle-aged everyman persona into an unlikely but believable bruiser. Now, at TIFF 2025, Odenkirk proves he is far from finished reinventing himself with ‘Normal.’ It is a blistering, blood-drenched, and unexpectedly funny Western thriller directed by none other than genre maverick Ben Wheatley.
On first impression, the film Normal presents itself as a familiar genre piece, which is filled with shootouts, the usual portrayal of bloodshed, and the never ending small-town corruption. Wheatley and screenwriter Derek Kolstad, who is best known for John Wick and Nobody, refuse to let this film follow a straight line. The story begins not in the American Midwest like Breaking bad did, but instead the creators took the narrative to Japan, and started with a brutal act of Yakuza punishment that gradually unfolds throughout the narrative. By the time Odenkirk’s character Ulysses arrives in the seemingly quiet Midwestern town of Normal to serve as an interim sheriff, we already understand that this is no traditional Western.
Ben Wheatley Blends Western Thriller With Satirical Edge
Ulysses is not looking for glory, after all, he is a man carrying personal scars, hoping to find peace after marital turmoil and moral compromises. Normal at first seems like the balm he needs, a postcard town blanketed in snow, filled with friendly neighbors and folksy warmth. That illusion quickly shatters when a failed bank robbery triggers a violent chain reaction. Ulysses soon discovers that the town hides a conspiracy, and it is so deep that it is less a mystery of “who can do it” and more a paranoid unraveling of “who are the people not involved in this.” We see how the Neighbors turn into his enemies, deputies betray him, and the sheriff who hoped for peace becomes the target of an entire community eager to erase him.
While the gunfights and arterial spray will satisfy us, what gives Normal its sting is its satirical edge. Wheatley has long been interested in exposing rot within communities, as seen in Kill List and Sightseers. Here, he uses the structure of a Western thriller to critique small-town Americana and its obsession with self-policing and firearms. The film ridiculed the entire mythology of law and order by making sure that it doesn’t slide into self-righteous moralizing.
Despite having the grey areas, the films don’t fail to have a sense of humor which is deliberately understated. A misplaced joke before a shootout, where a sheriff is debating yarn colors during an interrogation, or a partner’s squeaky jacket ruining a tense moment all serve as reminders that violence rarely pauses for perfect timing. The comedy does not exist merely to lighten the mood. Instead, it grounds the film in awkward reality, making the bloodletting that follows feel both absurd and inevitable. In many ways, Normal recalls the satirical bite of Hot Fuzz, though Wheatley’s approach is more sinister than slapstick.
As inventive as the direction may be, Normal belongs to Odenkirk. His portrayal of Ulysses avoids the indestructible archetype common in modern action cinema. He stumbles, bleeds, and makes mistakes. Yet that vulnerability makes him magnetic. Odenkirk can land a joke with Fargo-like deadpan timing and then pivot into a moment of genuine pathos only minutes later. His Ulysses is not the sharpest or strongest man in the room, but he is the most human, which is precisely why audiences root for him.
This balancing act between humor, despair, and sudden bursts of brutality would crumble without Odenkirk’s presence. He never allows the film to sink into parody, but he also resists playing it as self-serious melodrama. Instead, he occupies a middle ground that feels raw and authentic. It is a performance that demonstrates why his late-career transformation into an action figurehead has been so captivating to watch.
TIFF 2025 Premiere Showcases Odenkirk’s Versatility
The supporting cast further enriches the texture of the film. Henry Winkler plays the town’s mayor with deceptive warmth, his genial presence hiding ulterior motives. Lena Headey delivers a steely counterweight to Odenkirk, bringing gravitas to every scene she appears in. Billy MacLellan’s deputy provides both levity and unease, with a running gag about his squeaky jacket becoming strangely emblematic of Wheatley’s approach to tension.
At ninety minutes, Normal wastes little time. Wheatley opts for brisk pacing, never allowing the audience to feel too comfortable. The film’s tonal shifts can be jarring in the early acts, but by the midway point, the uneasy balance between satire and savagery becomes the very point. Subplots occasionally feel undercooked, yet the energy of the piece and Odenkirk’s performance keep it engaging from start to finish.
Although it may not reach the chilling heights of Kill List or the chaos of Free Fire, Normal thrives by knowing exactly what it wants to be. It is sharp, violent, and wickedly entertaining, while carrying just enough thematic weight to stand apart from standard action fare.
Premiering on September 7 at TIFF, Normal positions Odenkirk not only as a credible action lead but as an actor capable of carrying a film that thrives on contradiction. The movie is violent yet funny, satirical yet sincere, grotesque yet magnetic. Above all, it proves that when Bob Odenkirk chooses a project, the result will never be ordinary.
