Normal (2026)

There are certain actors who earn a very specific kind of loyalty.

Not the “I’ll watch anything they touch because it’s always prestige” kind. More like the “I know this might not be amazing, but I’m showing up anyway” kind.

For me, that’s Bob Odenkirk. Ever since Better Call Saul, he’s been locked into that category. And weirdly, part of that loyalty comes from how unexpectedly great he is in action roles. It shouldn’t work as well as it does, and yet… it really, really does.

So when Normal popped up, I went in with realistic expectations. Somewhere between “this could be fun” and “this might be a mess.”

Turns out, it’s kind of both.

The setup is simple enough. Odenkirk’s character lands in a small town in Minnesota, which immediately gives you that quiet, nothing-to-see-here energy. Except, of course, there is something to see there. A lot, actually. The kind of “a lot” that slowly reveals itself until suddenly you’re in the middle of complete and total chaos.

The beginning does take its time. You’re watching it thinking, okay… where is this going? What kind of movie is this trying to be? And for a minute, it feels like it might stay in that slower, slightly offbeat lane.

It does not.

Once things kick off, they really kick off. And from that point forward, the movie commits fully to the bit. We’re talking mob involvement, some truly wild violence, and yes, at one point, a situation involving fingers that you will not forget.

Also, and I can’t believe this is a real sentence, there is an incredible moose.

Like… scene-stealing.

But what genuinely surprised me wasn’t the action. It was how funny this movie is. Odenkirk’s delivery, the absurdity of the situations, and the contrast between this quiet town setting and the insanity unfolding within it…it all clicks in a way that makes the humor land.

And that humor matters, because without it, this could have easily tipped into being just another over-the-top action movie. Instead, it feels a little more self-aware. A little more fun.

Odenkirk himself is exactly why you stay invested. He has this ability to be both completely ordinary and oddly compelling at the same time. You believe him as the guy who just showed up in town, but the second things escalate, you’re immediately on his side.

He makes you root for him without needing a whole speech or backstory to justify it.

Now, is this movie perfect? Not even close.

It starts slow. The tone can feel a little uneven at times. And depending on what you’re expecting, it might not fully deliver in a traditional sense. It’s also not exactly getting glowing reviews across the board, which is fair.

But I think that’s missing the point a little.

This isn’t trying to be prestige cinema. It’s trying to be entertaining. And once it finds its rhythm, it absolutely is. It’s chaotic, ridiculous, occasionally brutal, and surprisingly funny.

Also, I truly have no idea how many people die in this movie. The number is… high. Very high. If you’re keeping count, you will lose track.

What you won’t lose is momentum. Because once the action starts, it doesn’t really let up.

It’s one of those movies where you finish it and think, well… that was a ride. Not a perfectly polished one, but a memorable one.

For me, in this case at least, that’s enough.

It’s not just a solid entry in Bob Odenkirk’s growing list of action roles. It might actually be one of my favorites of his in this space. Which, given how specific that niche is, says a lot.

Also, I feel obligated to say this.

I’m not sure there are many movies where you get Minnesotans and Japanese mob elements sharing screen time.

But here we are.