Normal

Directed by Ben Wheatley, Normal follows the interim sheriff (Bob Odenkirk’s Ulysses) of a small town as he’s forced to take up arms against his own constituents. Filmmaker Wheatley, armed with Derek Kolstad’s screenplay, does an effective job of initially luring the viewer into the far-from-action-packed proceedings, as the picture boasts a first half devoted primarily to Ulysses’ low-key encounters with various townspeople – with the effectiveness of this stretch heightened by Odenkirk’s completely affable and engaging turn as the laid-back central character. The movie’s eventual (and inevitable) transformation into a larger-than-life thriller is handled relatively well by Wheatley, although, by that same token, the director’s less-than-cinematic approach, coupled with a frustratingly dimly-lit atmosphere and sporadic reliance on needlessly shaky camerawork, does prevent the picture from packing the exciting, visceral punch one might’ve expected. Still, Normal generally does come off as a fun little thriller that makes the most of its over-the-top premise.

**1/2 out of ****