Bob Odenkirk became an unlikely action star due to his role in Nobody, and he is teaming up again with screenwriter Derek Kolstad for new action epic, Normal.
Not a lot is known about the plot of Normal, but it will concern a sheriff in a small, sleepy town who suddenly finds himself in the middle of a criminal conspiracy, with Ben Wheatley in the director's chair.
The vague premise has added to the mystery surrounding the project, and Odenkirk says that is on purpose, as he likens the movie to the Bourne films as well as M. Night Shyamalan's twists and turns.
"When they presented the idea to me, it just had this quality to it I don’t think I’ve seen in an action movie in forever," Bob told The Hollywood Reporter.
"I’m going to call it suspense mystery. You could argue that the Bourne films, especially the early ones, have that element, where he’s trying to explore and solve a mystery, the mystery of his own past. There’s that sort of dimension in this story, something that Derek expanded on, which I think was the reason Ben Wheatley came on board.
Nobody (2021)
Hutch Mansell is a man who leaves no impression wherever he goes. When two thieves break into his house, it is the ultimate moment for Hutch to vent his long-standing anger. On his way to brutal retaliation, dark secrets from his past are revealed.
Directed by: Ilya Naishuller
Stars:
Bob Odenkirk, Christopher Lloyd and Connie Nielsen
"Because the synopsis is so brief, and obviously we don’t want to give anything away. But the first thing I said (to Derek) was, this has an M. Night Shyamalan-kind of level of suspense and mystery. There’s a sustained sequence of figuring out what really is going on, including some major red herrings."
How Normal is different to a regular action movie
Kolstad worked on John Wick and Nobody before Normal so we will still see plenty of action, but has explained why this project is a little but different from your regular actioner.
"What I would say is Normal has everything you might be familiar with from Nobody or the John Wick films because that’s what I am — I fucking love those kinds of movies," the writer discussed.
"But if I were to describe Normal, I’d say it was a love letter to Hitchcock and the British crime thrillers I grew up with as a kid, it has the more grounded elements of films from the 1970s. Bob plays Ulysses, an interim sheriff, which I always describe as the substitute teacher of the sheriff’s department. When the real sheriff suddenly dies, he’s brought in to take over for a few weeks. Now a lot of small towns like this in the rust belt are mostly empty, storefronts on Main Street are boarded up. But this one is doing quite well.
"There’s something a little bit off. We see hints and nudges and suggestions throughout that nothing is as it seems. Then, when there’s a bank robbery, all the town’s nasty little secrets spill out and Bob finds himself looking down the barrel."
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