I SAW NORMAL

Normal is a modern-day western, with Nobody/Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul's Bob Odenkirk as its headliner. It's directed by Ben (John Wick/Meg 2) Wheatley, penned by Derek (John Wick/Nobody) Kolstad, from a  concept conceived with Odenkirk. As publicized and hoped, it kicks ass in a way that would make the great, late Chuck Norris proud. 

The allegorical odyssey places Odenkirk's Sheriff Ulysses (past-plagued and estranged from his wife, Penny; get it?) in winterized Normal, Minnesota, to substitute for a counterpart who's died. Ulysses expects the assignment to be low-key, and at the outset, the townsfolks do, indeed, seem normal enough, even if a trifle off-kilter in the Twin Peaks/Northern Exposure/Key West/Fargo vein. 

The citizens include Jess McLeod's misunderstood Alex Gunderson (the deceased's progeny); Lena Headey's mendacious bartender, Moira; Billy MacLellan's Deputy Mike Nelson; Ryan Allen's Deputy Blaine Anderson; David Lawrence Brown's Dr. Vilie; Meagan MacArton's yarn-store owner, Mary Beth; and Henry Winkler's savvy Mayor Kibner. 

After a spell, Ulysses senses something amiss and questions Normal's contradictions (investigating as would Psycho's Milton Arbogast and/or The Wicker Man's Sergeant Howie), with heightened concern spurred by a bank heist, which involves Reena Jolly and Brendan Fletcher's inexperienced but redemptive robbers. Normal's "good" people, it appears, holds Yakuza ties, monitored by Peter Shinkoda's undercover Joe, and has been drawing more than a few subversive dollars through the arrangement.  

Once the truth is exposed, Normal (much like the Nobody set) gets violent (and more than in the slain-suiter end of Homer's epic poem). Its barbarity is delivered in the over-the-top, explosive, Peckinpah tradition (even if underscored by some dark camp). For the prudish, Normal would be one to evade, but for seasoned old-timers like me, who prefer their action fierce and hard-hitting, the movie is, as Winkler's Fonz would say, perfectamundo.

Odenkirk is, as usual, terrific and is a large part why the action sequences are so enjoyable. It's interesting that he's now an action hero, though one who brings an everyman quality to his neo-pulpy roles. Ulysses, therefore, works as a cathartic force, existing to fix the many grievous vices we hear about (and fear), but are unable to remedy. 

I gotta say, this one sure did hit the spot, and if you have a pair of balls, it'll hit yours, too. Ten thumbs up, way up!