Normal establishes Bob Odenkirk as an action hero outside of his Nobody franchise. That wasn’t a one hit wonder (with a sequel). He can bring his training to other characters while still maintaining an everyman quality.
In Normal Odenkirk plays the substitute sheriff of Normal, Minnesota. A bank robbery is the most excitement Normal sees, but the locals’ response is much bigger than the robbery itself.
The snowy Midwest town is not a Fargo blanket of white, but snow flurries light up most of the night. It keeps the action light enough to see all the choreography.
The lights go out, briefly casting the town in pitch blackness but then explosions illuminate the night brighter than the shiny gold in the bank vault. The hardware store flickers with extreme flashes of dark and light. Odenkirk’s flashback is also set in a pure void. The Osaka, Japan scenes glow with bright signage.
The surround sound is a full-bodied mix too. The moose brays in the background. Chunks of exploded bodies fly through the room. Even the sprinklers in the hardware store fill the room.
A 13-minute behind the scenes feature fills viewers in on the conception and filming of the film. You can make out the crowd cheering “Fonz” during a Henry Winkler scene. Several additional short interview soundbites address individual characters.