Bob Odenkirk in ‘Normal’, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
Bob Odenkirk has been proving for a while that he’s more than just a comedian and comic actor; the depth he brought to Saul Goodman across the ‘Breaking Bad’ TV universe was key, but he also showed real action chops in the two ‘Nobody’ movies.
With ‘Normal’, he’s much more back in the latter two films’ wheelhouse, playing someone who has to confront a violent situation. But while ‘Nobody’ and its sequel certainly have some dark laughs, this latest outing raises the comic stakes and ups the deadly inventiveness.
Script and Direction
Ben Wheatley, director of ‘Normal’, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
Based on an idea by Odenkirk and Derek Kolstad (better known for the ‘John Wick’ franchise, but also responsible for cranking out scripts for the ‘Nobody’ movies and the ‘Die Hart’ outings), ‘Normal’ certainly leans on comedy to leaven the action madness.
While most of the characters are archetypes (and some are disposable cannon fodder), there’s enough care and attention given to the setup to make you invest in the story once the bullets (and more) start flying.
Ben Wheatley, meanwhile, might be best known in the States for ‘Meg 2: The Trench’ and ‘Free Fire,’ but his UK work is deeply rooted in dark humor, and he’s certainly a good choice for this one, bringing a devilish sense of invention to the chaos.
Cast and Performances
Henry Winkler in ‘Normal’, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
Odenkirk obviously gets the lion’s share of character work, bringing to life the troubled Ulysses Richardson, interim sheriff who quickly realizes that the quirky small town he’s been hired to protect has some very deep, dark secrets.
But around him, there are plenty of standout characters, including Henry Winkler’s cheerful, sweary Mayor Kibner, Reena Jolly and Brendan Fletcher as a seemingly criminal couple whose ambitions light the fuse on the powder keg that is the town. Also worth watching? Ryan Allen as Deputy Blaine Anderson, who has one eye on the top job in the town’s law enforcement.
Final Thoughts
Bob Odenkirk in ‘Normal’. Photo: Magnolia Pictures.
Utterly ridiculous but also a lot of fun, ‘Normal’ presents as a crossbreed of ‘Hot Fuzz’ (new lawman confronts a small locale’s dark secrets) and the ‘Final Destination’ franchise (in the sheer invention of some of its deaths).
Don’t go in expecting high art, but it’s a wild ride with plenty to enjoy.
‘Normal’ receives 72 out of 100.
(L to R) Bob Odenkirk and Jess McLeod in ‘Normal’, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
What is the plot of ‘Normal’?
Ulysses (Bob Odenkirk) comes to the sleepy town of Normal, Minnesota to serve as the temporary sheriff after the passing of the original sheriff. A bank robbery in Normal leads Ulysses to find that a criminal underground reaches throughout the entire town.
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(L to R) Bob Odenkirk and Lena Headey star in ‘Normal’.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Bob Odenkirk, Lena Headey and Henry Winkler about their work on ‘Normal’, developing the screenplay, the characters, working with each other, the action sequences and collaborating with director Ben Wheatley.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Odenkirk, Headey, Winkler, and Jess McLeod.
Bob Odenkirk in ‘Normal’, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
Moviefone: To begin with, Bob, can you talk about your first reaction to writer Derek Kolstad’s pitch for this movie and what were some of the elements you helped add in the development process?
Bob Odenkirk: Well, Derek had written an outline for this story, and I liked it because it was unlike a lot of action films. It had story to it. It had character to it. It was almost like three movies in one. The first film is a mystery suspense with comedy, but it’s kind of like a Lake Wobegone town, if you know that reference from Garrison Keillor’s ‘Prairie Home Companion’. It’s a small town in Minnesota. There are funny characters in there, squabbling and being stupid. Then it turns into this action film and then it has horror elements in it in the later part of the film. So, again, unlike a lot of action stories, it had texture and it had character, and some depth to the characters. That’s just different. I mean, that’s not actually something you see in a lot of action films, outlines, or scripts.
Henry Winkler stars in ‘Normal’.
MF: Henry, what was your first reaction to the screenplay and what excited you about playing a character like this?
Henry Winkler: Okay. Bob is a friend; he and Naomi is beautiful wife. We have had pasta together. He called me up, he said, “Henry, I’m doing a movie. Would you be part of it?” I didn’t have to read the script. I just said yes. I went up to Winnipeg. I played the wonderful mayor of the town. He is the interim sheriff. Little does he know there is chaos below the surface. He said, “We’re going to have a confrontation. I’m going to put you in the most comfortable position to have that confrontation. I’m going to put you in a blizzard.” That’s how it goes.
Bob Odenkirk in ‘Normal’, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
MF: Lena, can you talk about your character’s role in this town and how she feels about the new Sheriff?
Lena Headey: I think Bob just wanted someone who would wear a pair of overalls. I love Moira. She’s kind of a little weird. She’s a little eaten by life and when Bob’s character rolls up, there’s a recognition between the two of them and suspicion. Yet, a kind of emotional deficit where they don’t discuss anything they truly like to discuss. So, they kind of skirt around like two snakes a little bit, figuring out who the other is.
(L to R) Brendan Fletcher, Bob Odenkirk and Reena Jolly in ‘Normal’, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
MF: Bob, what is Ulysses’ reaction to meeting Moira and discovering what is really going on in this small town?
BO: She is the smartest character in town. I mean, arguably Henry Winkler’s character is very smart too, but not really. He’s just got it an antenna for things, but Moira sees Ulysses and fully grasps the danger of Ulysses, but just the way he sees the world and the details that he sees. So, they really connect and kind of right away. They’re both people who are, in the case of the character Moira, she’s a bartender, and she talks about, you know, “I spend a lot of time listening to people, and I can pick apart what they’re saying, and I can understand the subtext, essentially.” Ulysses, as you see in the movie ‘Normal’ is also somewhat removed from the world around him and is always observing on a very high level. I think that’d be a good team if they weren’t opposing forces.
(L to R) Lena Headey and Bob Odenkirk in ‘Normal’, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
MF: Lena, what was it like working with Bob on your scenes?
LH: I was only there for a few days, and I was a little nervous because you’re going onto somebody else’s job and story and character and you’re stepping on for a few days. So, it’s always that thing of like, I hope I bring it. But Bob and Ben were both super collaborative and warm and open.
MF: Bob, what was your experience like working with Lena?
BO: I mean, one of us got a master class in acting and I think it was me. She always brings it, you can be sure of that and nobody else could have played this character, Moira, like Lena did. I mean, the depth and the texture and the smile in her performance, and the smile for the audience. They know the purpose of her character right away, which is to cut open the story and lay it bare for you.
Henry Winkler in ‘Normal’, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
MF: Henry, you mentioned you and Bob are friends and you have some intense scenes together. What was it like for you shooting those scenes with Bob?
HW: As an actor your job is to separate the friendship and the reality of where you are, what’s going on in the world, and bring it right in to telling the story, to take the audience with you so that they have a really good time. So, that was not difficult and then when you are in a scene with him, he is so present that you literally just have a conversation with this guy, the interim sheriff, who is figuring out the real problem under the town’s energy.
Ben Wheatley, director of ‘Normal’, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
MF: Finally, Henry, as a director yourself, what did you learn from working with director Ben Wheatley and watching the way he makes movies?
HW: First, Ben is very easygoing and he’s just this big hulk of a guy. He comes up to you and he goes, “Do you think you should bring that down a little? Do you think your energy might be a little high?” Any actor who thinks they can do it without a third eye, is a liar. You need somebody who’s got the vision, and Bob and Ben knew exactly the story they wanted to tell. My job is not just to play the mayor, but my job is to fulfill their vision.
(L to R) Bob Odenkirk and Jess McLeod in ‘Normal’, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
What is the plot of ‘Normal’?
Ulysses (Bob Odenkirk) comes to the sleepy town of Normal, Minnesota to serve as the temporary sheriff after the passing of the original sheriff. A bank robbery in Normal leads Ulysses to find that a criminal underground reaches throughout the entire town.
Beyond Fest is launching a Beyond Chicago spin-off.
Movies including ‘Obsession’ and the new ‘Faces of Death’ will screen.
It’ll run between April 2-5 at the Music Box Theatre.
While we more commonly associate Beyond Fest with its annual fall screening in Los Angeles, the team is looking to take the show on the road.
A new regional spin-off, Beyond Chicago, is planned to happen in the Music Box Theatre venue next month, promising the likes of new Bob Odenkirk-starrer ‘Normal’ and a special 35mm screening of the Shaw Brothers classic, ‘The Kid with the Golden Arm.’
Bob Odenkirk in ‘Normal’. Photo: Magnolia Pictures.
Tied to ‘Normal,’ Odenkirk will be introducing a print of 1974’s original ‘The Taking of Pelham One Two Three’, while the action madness continues via stunt icon k bringing his instantly infamous epic-fight-fest, ‘The Furious’ to Chicago.
In addition to brand new movies, there will also be screenings of restorations, including a 4K version of ‘Speed Racer’ introduced by co-director Lilly Wachowski in person, while a late night screening of 1973’s ‘Flesh for Frankenstein’ in 3D is planned as a tribute to the late Udo Kier.
How can I get tickets for Beyond Chicago?
Emile Hirsch in 2008’s ‘Speed Racer.’
The event runs between April 2-5 at the Music Box.
Tickets are on sale to members on March 5 and general public on March 6. Free tickets for Screen 2 will be available to Music Box members on Wednesday 1 April and general public on Thursday 2 April.
Moviefone has compiled a list of the most anticipated movies opening in theaters and/or streaming in March and April 2026, which not only includes major studio releases but also smaller independent films that you won’t want to miss.
Scientists have discovered how to “hop” human consciousness into lifelike robotic animals, allowing people to communicate with animals as animals. Animal lover Mabel (Piper Curda) seizes an opportunity to use the technology, uncovering mysteries within the animal world that are beyond anything she could have imagined.
A lonely Frankenstein (Christian Bale) travels to 1930s Chicago to ask groundbreaking scientist Dr. Euphronious (Annette Bening) to create a companion for him. The two revive a murdered young woman and The Bride (Jessie Buckley) is born. But what ensues is beyond what either of them imagined.
After his estranged son gets embroiled in a Nazi plot, self-exiled gangster Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) must return to Birmingham to save his family — and his nation. ‘Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man’ opens in select theaters on March 6th, and on Netflix March 20th.
On one last grueling mission during Army Ranger training, a combat engineer (Alan Ritchson) must lead his unit in a fight against a giant otherworldly killing machine.
Stephen Graham stars in ‘Heel’. Photo: Magnolia Pictures.
From Academy Award nominated director Jan Komasa, ‘Heel’ is a twisted thriller that follows 19-year-old hooligan Tommy (Anson Boon), who revels in a life of drugs, parties, and violence. One night, on a bender with his reckless friends, he becomes separated from the group and is abducted by an unknown figure (Golden Globe winner Stephen Graham). Though he is no stranger to inflicting violence, he is enraged and horrified when he wakes to find himself chained in the basement of the isolated suburban family home of Chris (Graham), his wife Kathryn (Academy Award nominee Andrea Riseborough), and their young son Jonathan (Kit Rakusen). The family sets out to reform Tommy’s unruly behavior, forcing him to comply with their relentless mind games or seek escape at any cost.
Milla Jovovich stars in ‘Protector’. Photo: Magenta Light Studios.
Former war hero Nikki’s (Milla Jovovich) peaceful life is shattered when her daughter is kidnapped. Thrust into the criminal underworld while hunted by cops and military, she must fight to rescue her child.
(L to R) Bradley Whitford and Amy Landecker star in ‘For Worse’. Photo: Brainstorm Media.
Lauren (Amy Landecker), a newly divorced, sober mom, feels like she has a new lease on life after joining her first acting class and starting a fling with her hot, young scene partner. However, when they attend their Gen Z classmate’s wedding together, things begin to fall apart, and Lauren finds herself behaving like a drunk 25-year-old bridesmaid. Luckily after a disastrous night she stumbles into a new day and a new beginning.
When Diem’s (Zoe Kosovic) custodial grandparents adamantly refuse Kenna’s (Maika Monroe) attempts to see her, she discovers unexpected compassion, and then something truer and deeper, with former NFL player and local bar owner Ledger (Tyriq Withers). As their secret romance develops, so do the dangers for both of them, leading Kenna toward heartbreak and, ultimately, the hope for a second chance.
A still from the action, sci-fi and adventure film, ‘Storm Rider: Legend of Hammerhead’, a Blue Harbor Entertainment release. Photo courtesy of Blue Harbor Entertainment.
300 years after the Big Flood, the legend of an outlawed Storm Rider inspires two rebellious islanders to find out the truth about the origin of their world.
(Center) Josh Duhamel as “Alan” in the Comedy, Family film, ‘Preschool’. Photo courtesy of Republic Pictures (a Paramount Pictures label).
Two determined fathers engage in a comical battle to enroll their kids in an elite preschool, escalating into an absurd competition with unexpected results.
Ryan Gosling in ‘Project Hail Mary’. Photo: Amazon MGM Studios.
Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling), a school-teacher-turned-astronaut, wakes up from a coma, alone, on a space station with no memory of who he is or his mission. His memory returns in bursts and he pieces together that he was sent to the Tau Ceti solar system, 12 light-years from Earth, to reverse the impact of a space event that had already hurled our planet into the early stages of an Ice Age. As details of the mission unravel, Grace must call on all of his scientific training and sheer ingenuity, but he might not have to do it alone…
Moments after surviving an all-out attack from the Le Domas family, Grace (Samara Weaving) discovers she’s reached the next level of the nightmarish game — and this time with her estranged sister Faith (Kathryn Newton) at her side. Grace has one chance to survive, keep her sister alive, and claim the High Seat of the Council that controls the world. Four rival families are hunting her for the throne, and whoever wins rules it all.
Nick Offerman and Nina Oyama star in ‘The Pout-Pout Fish’. Photo: Viva Pictures.
Living on a rundown shipwreck, Mr. Fish (Nick Offerman) one day discovers a hyperactive young sea dragon Pip (Nina Oyama), who had mistaken his home for a junkyard – pilfering his belongings. The heated argument that ensues leaves both their houses in ruin. But there is hope! Embarking on a seemingly impossible quest in search of the mythical “Shimmer” to grant them a wish, there’s only one problem: someone else is on the hunt…
Rose Byrne in ‘Tow.’ Photo: Courtesy of Roadside Attractions.
After her car is towed and she is left with a shocking $21,634 tow bill, an unhoused woman (Rose Byrne) wages a relentless fight to reclaim her car—and her life—exposing a broken system and redefining what it means to persevere against all odds.
(L to R) Director Sofia Coppola and Marc Jacobs on the set of the documentary ‘Marc by Sofia’. Photo: A24.
An intimate, unconventional portrait of Marc Jacobs, crafted by Sofia Coppola to capture the genius and singular universe of the iconic American designer.
(L to R) Grace (Avantika), Princess (Lana Condor), Bones (Maddie Ziegler), Chloe (Millicent Simmonds), and Zoe (Iris Apatow) in ‘Pretty Lethal’. Photo: Amazon.
A troupe of ballerinas find themselves fighting for survival as they attempt to escape from a remote inn after their bus breaks down on the way to a dance competition.
Alpha (Mélissa Boros), a troubled 13-year-old lives with her single mom. Their world collapses the day she returns from school with a tattoo on her arm.
From the Academy Award-winning filmmakers behind ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once‘ and Navalny; a father-to-be tries to figure out what is happening with all this AIinsanity. ‘The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist’ is a hand-made, eye-opening documentary about the most powerful technology humanity has ever created… and what’s at stake if we get it wrong.
A woman (Zazie Beetz) answers a help wanted ad to be a housekeeper in a mysterious high-rise in New York City, not realizing she is entering a community that has seen a number of disappearances over the years and may be under the grip of a Satanic cult.
Johnny Pemberton as “Doug Nelson” in the Action, Comedy, Horror film, ‘Mermaid’. Photo courtesy of Utopia.
A Percocet-addicted ‘Florida Man’ finds a wounded mermaid at his lowest point. Fascination becomes a drug infused, one sided relationship — sending him further into decline. When word spreads about his secret, he’ll stop at nothing to protect her.
(L to R) Keanu Reeves and Jonah Hill in ‘Outcome’, premiering April 10, 2026 on Apple TV.
Reef Hawk (Keanu Reeves), Hollywood’s poster child since age six, is not okay. When he learns about an extortion plot tied to a mysterious video, Reef preemptively sets out on a redemption tour to make amends, confront his demons, and avoid getting canceled.
(L to R) Russell Crowe and Daniel MacPherson in ‘Beast’. Photo: Lionsgate.
A commercial fisherman struggling to provide for his family and avenge his brother’s death fights in a mixed martial-arts match against a dangerous opponent. Starring Russell Crowe and Daniel MacPherson.
A scene from 2026’s ‘Faces of Death’. Photo: Shudder.
A moderator on an internet video-sharing platform stumbles across a potential snuff film ring hidden in the depths of the site’s content. Are these gruesome videos merely a morbid work of shock-value fiction, or something all too horribly real?
(L to R) Anna (Halle Bailey) and Michael (Regé-Jean Page) in ‘You, Me & Tuscany’, directed by Kat Coiro. Photo: Giulia Parmigiani/Universal Pictures.
Free-spirited Italian chef (Halle Bailey) and reserved British lawyer (Regé-Jean Page) embark on a whirlwind romance during a destination wedding in coastal Italy.
Oil tycoon Merriell Sunday Sr. and renowned adventurer Hollis Bannister have disappeared without a trace. Their last known location is northern Alaska. Ellie Bannister and Merriell Sunday Jr., set out to search for their missing fathers and the truth behind what made them vanish. As the rescue team heads deeper into the heart of this frozen landscape, danger mounts. Something has taken notice of their trespassing expedition…and that prehistoric something is now stalking them…hunting them.
Focus Features will release ‘Lorne’ in theaters on April 17th.
From Morgan Neville, Academy Award-winning filmmaker of ‘20 Feet From Stardom‘ and ‘Won’t You Be My Neighbor?‘, comes ‘Lorne’, an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes glimpse at the man who built the inimitable empire of comedy, shaping television and culture for generations. The documentary features exclusive footage, archival treasures, and candid interviews with the show’s most iconic cast members and writers including Tina Fey, Maya Rudolph, John Mulaney, Andy Samberg, Conan O’Brien, Chris Rock and many more.
Bob Odenkirk in ‘Normal’. Photo: Magnolia Pictures.
In the aftermath of a bank robbery, interim sheriff Ulysses (Bob Odenkirk) uncovers a criminal conspiracy at the heart of his small-town Minnesota community.
The young daughter of a journalist disappears into the desert without a trace—eight years later, the broken family is shocked when she is returned to them, as what should be a joyful reunion turns into a living nightmare.
(L to R) Michaela Coel and Anne Hathaway in ‘Mother Mary’. Photo: A24.
Long-buried wounds rise to the surface when iconic pop star Mother Mary (Anne Hathaway) reunites with her estranged best friend and former costume designer Sam Anselm on the eve of her comeback performance.
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in ‘Michael’. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson.
The story of Michael Jackson’s (Jaafar Jackson) life beyond the music, tracing his journey from the discovery of his extraordinary talent as the lead of the Jackson Five, to the visionary artist whose creative ambition fueled a relentless pursuit to become the biggest entertainer in the world.
A woman (Charlize Theron) testing her limits in the Australian wilderness is suddenly ensnared in a deadly game with a ruthless predator. ‘APEX’ debuts on Netflix April 24th.
