Normal Reviews Are Here, And Critics Have Thoughts About Bob Odenkirk’s Latest ‘Blood-Soaked Shoot ‘Em Up’
Bob Odenkirk’s well-established career as a comic actor has seen quite the pivot over the past five years or so, since he starred as former assassin Hutch Mansell in the action flicks Nobody and Nobody 2. For his next movie, Normal, Odenkirk is continuing with the genre, playing the interim sheriff of the titular small town in Minnesota, who stumbles on a larger conspiracy while responding to a bank robbery. Normal reviews are here ahead of its April 17 release on the 2026 movie calendar, so what are critics saying?
Henry Winkler stars alongside Bob Odenkirk as the mayor, with Lena Headey, Jess McLeod, Brendan Fletcher and others co-starring. Siddhant Adlakha of IGN says Normal doesn’t quite stick the landing, but Odenkirk’s Ulysses is an interesting enough character with his murky past and attempts at uncomplicated heroism, which makes this flick a “worthwhile romp.” Adlakha gives it a “Good” 7 out of 10, writing:
While Normal eventually leans too heavily on its cultural metaphors, the incendiary story at play makes for a pretty fun and violent romp. Bob Odenkirk’s presence helps create a sense of gravitas even when the film is straightforward, adding soulful dimensions to a fairly simple character in whose hands guns and explosives are as much tools of violence as they are instruments of a righteousness long lost to moral compromise.
Travis Hopson of Punch Drunk Critics rates it 3.5 out of 5 stars, saying the movie isn’t as slick as John Wick and it a lot sillier, “bristling with a Hot Fuzz-esque” energy that perfectly suits Bob Odenkirk. Hopson says in his Normal review that the Better Call Saul actor has completely won him over as an action star. The critic continues:
Article continues below
No surprise that Ben Wheatley’s version of a Fargo-esque midwest comedy is a blood-soaked shoot ’em up affair ala his blistering shooter Free Fire. With Normal, he teams up with Bob Odenkirk and his Nobody writer Derek Kolstad for a roaring action flick full of yakuza assassins, a wayward moose, a dead sheriff, and the best meatloaf in the state of Minnesota. The film is a roller coaster, and further cements Odenkirk as the best everyman hero in the business right now.
Kristy Puchko of Mashable appreciates how Normal includes real-world issues like gun violence, the ostracization of trans people and economic devastation, not to get preachy but to ground a movie that’s otherwise full of bonkers moments. Bob Odenkirk is perfect for the role, as the critic writes:
There may be no American actor alive who better captures world-weary than Odenkirk. As Ulysses, he manages a warm but authoritative veneer when chatting with the locals… But in voiceover, his self-doubt reverberates as he wonders what purpose he has left in this world. He’s got a badge and a gun, but he no longer knows what justice means. And Odenkirk knows how to make that moral uncertainty ache, even through a sequence where a beloved local gets turned into human gazpacho. His physicality in fight scenes reflects both reluctance and determination, a paradox that speaks to the very heart of this film: that we are all more than what we seem on the surface.
Fred Topel of UPI says Normal may not hold up to scrutiny, but watching Bob Odenkirk take on an entire town makes for an enjoyable 90 minutes as we wait for bigger upcoming action movies to come this year. Topel says:
Bob Odenkirk’s action phase has been fun to watch evolve. He’s not yet getting the A-list vehicles of Keanu Reeves or Gerard Butler, but Normal, in theaters Friday, fills a void until the summer movie season begins.
Katie Rife of IndieWire gives it a B-, writing that it’s unclear if Normal is intentionally parodying action-hero clichés with its earnest dialogue. The movie is a mixed bag in that way, especially as the novelty of seeing Bob Odenkirk do action has worn off. What’s more, the title Normal is way too similar to Nobody and evokes the same sense of averageness. Still, the action is “consistently pummeling,” Rife says, writing:
Normal is breathlessly paced, at least once the shooting starts. Alliances shift, quips fly like the ever-present bullets, and if there is a pause, it’s done for comedic effect. This is entertaining, but also has a numbing effect: When the climactic fight arrives, it doesn’t feel any different from the dozen violent set pieces that came before it, and it too passes so quickly that we don’t quite realize that it’s over until the credits begin to roll. Like a firecracker with a long fuse, Normal builds up, burns fast, makes a big noise, and then it’s gone.
It sounds like there’s a lot of comedy and action to be found in Bob Odenkirk’s latest foray into the genre. Critics have given it mostly positive reviews, leading to a 77% Rotten Tomatoes score, so if you want to see his followup to the Nobody films (some of Odenkirk’s best work), you can check out Normal in theaters starting Friday, April 17.
