Normal
Film
Fresh off the success of the Nobody franchise, earning its franchise tag with the sequel being released last year, Bob Odenkirk is back in action-star form, even if it means doing the same thing again.
Maybe this new movie is called Normal because this is the new normal?
Odenkirk once again plays a reticent character with a mysterious background, harboring some sort of violent mishap, this time as Ulysses Richardson a temporary sheriff in the sleepy town of Normal, Minnesota.
Wait, is that why its called Normal?
Regardless, Normal is built upon the same premise that powered the likes of Nobody and Nobody 2, action flicks that come from the John Wick coaching tree where an unlikely hero (anti-hero?) is begrudgingly thrust back into action to defeat evil. Keanu Reeves revolutionized this "genre" as John Wick primarily, if not entirely, due to Chad Stahelski's intrepid direction and action choreography. Paired with Dan Laustsen's stylish cinematography in chapters 2, 3, and 4 (Jonathan Sela was the cinematographer for the first film and it had a much more muted appearance) the films really served as a new launch point for all involved, including Derek Kolstad who wrote the films. Kolstad carried this newfound panache for reluctant action heroes into his Odenkirk led Nobody films, and now into Normal.
The biggest problem with that evolution, if you will, is that the writing is the weakest link of the Wick films, and that rings true in his latest film as well. Its dry humor doesn't carry as well as it assumes, and the dialogue between characters is beyond undercooked. Starting out as slow as it does doesn't provide much help here either, resulting in an almost confusing backstory of Odenkirk's sheriff and translucent supporting characters that provide nothing of substance. Lena Headey and Henry Winkler are huge castmates to have in the film, they take up quite a bit of the movie's poster for crying out loud, but are completely irrelevant for most if not all of the film as Moira the bartender and Mayor Kibner respectively. Speaking of relevance, Kolstad's screenplay relies on Odenkirk's narration to explain much of what's happening, framed as leaving a voicemail for his wife–an obfuscated layer of intrigue that holds little to no actual intrigue–but beyond that omnipresent voiceover, the script is a mess. Every line is a blatant exercise in Chekhov's gun — a shoehorned shot of C4 in the police evidence room, a conspicuous dead-bolted locker at the hardware store — telegraphed so heavily it borders on parody. All of which muddles the flow of the film, adding to an already sluggish start.
Odenkirk does his best with what he's given. Using his endless flow of charisma to will his uninteresting Ulysses character forward. But there's only so much he can do. Compounded with the drab visuals of the midwestern town, covered in a blanket of blueish darkness as if the snow wasn't indicative enough of the temperature, Normal fails to really grab attention. The most exciting moments of the film are when the action picks up, which is director Ben Wheatley's strength as seen in the feisty-fun Free Fire. But there's a reliance on Fargo levels of midwestern idiosyncrasies, in an attempt to mirror the violent humor (can never stop thinking about that woodchipper scene), which never pans out. Each death can be a bloody good time, but the execution of these Rube-Goldberg eccentricities don't quite mesh with everything. It's as if there's too much going on, and nothing going on at the same time.
That being said, there were a few times that I had a great gasp and chuckle, which added at least a little bit of fun. But ultimately, I'd say I was let down. I'd also say it's hard to see a movie like this promote itself as an heir to the John Wick and Nobody franchises, but fail to have the visual spectacle that made those films what they are. The idea of the mystery or secret surrounding the town of Normal is interesting but the execution and build up failed to capitalize on setting itself up for any sort of explosiveness, and I hope that's not the new normal for these John Wick descendants.
Froth
Given Armando Salas' cinematography work sadly displaying a cold, dark, and muted Midwestern town, I believe an equally dark beverage is appropriate. Aslan Brewing Company's collaboration brew with Métier Brewing Company, The Long Dark, is a Czech Dark Lager (Tmavé) that is exceptionally dark in appearance, and wonderfully light in taste. It has a wonderful roastiness that accents a touch of chocolate, but it doesn't veer into decadent territory by any means. In fact, its a well-balanced delivery of sweet, roast, and a nice pinch of cherry to give it some additional depth. There's also that bready lager quality that gives it a full mouthfeel, while maintaining the qualities of a light and refreshing sipper. Overall, I'd say it doesn't need to be cold and gloomy out to enjoy this banger of a beer, I can see myself enjoying it on a nice and sunny day, but maybe I'm just looking for a reason to enjoy this beer once more.
