On the fourth evening of the festival, the SXSW programmers gave us a rare treat–they screened a movie on 35mm film. These days, it is pretty rare to see a modern movie in theaters presented in the old-school format. For most cinephiles, watching movies this way happens only maybe once or twice a year. The movie was the latest by Ben Wheatley, starring Bob Odenkirk in full action mode. Titled Normal, the film proved to be a great, wild time, which is appropriate given this year’s unofficial theme (comedy and carnage).
Odenkirk stars as a lawman named Ulysses. Ulysses arrives in a tiny town in Minnesota named Normal. As the previous sheriff recently passed away, Ulysses is serving as a temporary sheriff until the town elects a new one. What initially seems like a cushy, boring, and uneventful job turns out to be Ulysses’s nightmare. Only a few days after he arrives, a bank robbery goes horribly wrong and horrifically violent. The robbery reveals a shocking truth about Normal, one that no outsider, even Ulysses, could have anticipated. What follows is an explosive, bloody war in which Ulysses struggles to make it out of town alive.
Written by Derek Kolstad (the John Wick franchise) and directed by Ben Wheatley (Kill List, Free Fire), Normal is a hyper-violent neo-western that surprises, shocks, and entertains. Wheatley and his fight choreographers, stunt crew, and effects techs deliver breathtaking, intense action sequences. While the story will feel familiar to fans of American and Italian Westerns, it remains an exciting ride. Action fans, especially those of Odenkirk (who cut his teeth on Nobody at 59!), will love this pulpy thriller.
The film features an excellent supporting cast, including Henry Winkler, Lena Headey, Reena Jolly, Ryan Allen, and Billy MacLellan. The audience at the film’s premiere screening obviously had a fantastic time, and now Normal is playing in theaters, allowing it to reach a wider audience. I had a great time, though the movie does have its ridiculous moments; I tend to be more forgiving of these issues in action cinema. I highly recommend checking out Normal at your local cinema, but try to go in knowing as little as possible. The surprises hit way better this way.