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Early Reviews Applaud Bob Odenkirk in Brutal, Darkly Funny 'Normal' Ahead of April 17 Release

Critics say Ben Wheatley’s genre blend spotlights Derek Kolstad’s punchy style with Odenkirk’s world-weary grit.

Overview

  • Early notices from SXSW and regional festival screenings praise the film’s dark comic tone and Odenkirk’s lead turn.
  • The film opens in U.S. theaters Friday, April 17, following its festival run and growing word of mouth.
  • Set in Normal, Minnesota, the story tracks an interim sheriff whose response to a bank heist exposes a secret tie to the yakuza without giving away late twists.
  • Reviewers describe a mash-up of Western and gangster vibes with gleefully over-the-top shootouts and bleak humor that plays more madcap than grim.
  • Written by Derek Kolstad and directed by Ben Wheatley, with Odenkirk holding a story credit, the movie nods to the Nobody/John Wick lineage while threading in topical small-town concerns without preaching.