Vail Daily Movie Guru Reviews Normal and You Me and Tuscany

“Action movies are one of the hardest genres to pick up thematic undertones.”

That’s the opening salvo from The Movie Guru in the Vail Daily, and it’s a fair question for anyone trying to justify why they spent $15 on a ticket to see Bob Odenkirk beat people up in a small town. The review of the new film Normal suggests that maybe, just maybe, the violence says something about how the economy has pushed small towns to the brink. Or maybe the writer, Derek Kolstad, just needed a new playground for gore and comedy.

If you’re the type who likes your action dark, the answer doesn’t matter much. Normal isn’t perfect. The fight choreography lacks the nuanced precision of John Wick, but it makes up for it with creative accidents and a setting that feels authentically, painfully American. Odenkirk holds his own as the lead, pulling a believable toughness out from underneath that average-guy demeanor. But don’t let the “wacky” tag fool you. The darkness hits hard. It’s not quite as grim as the later Wick films, but the gore factor is higher, veering into horror movie territory. You have to watch out for it. It’s not a light watch.

Then there’s You, Me & Tuscany. If you desperately needed more 90s romantic comedies, this is your fix. It’s a frothy mass of tropes. Ridiculously complicated setups. Charming cabbies. Sassy best friends. You know the main couple gets together from the moment they lock eyes, and that’s the point. You aren’t there for mystery. You’re there to watch Halle Bailey and Regé Jean Page stare deeply into each other’s eyes. Bailey’s character, Anna, ends up in Italy, staying in the villa of a man she talked to once. When his family finds her, she pretends to be his fiancée. It’s absurd. It’s complicated. It’s exactly what you signed up for.

Let’s look at the local angle for a second. These aren’t just abstract reviews. They’re decisions that affect your Friday night. If you’re driving into Vail or Avon, you’re choosing between a gritty, bloody action flick and a charming, predictable rom-com. The Movie Guru gives Normal three stars. It’s not the most perfect action movie in the world, but it delivers. The film is described as a “classic 90s romcom,” which is code for: you know the ending, but the actors are pretty enough to make it worth your while.

The review notes that Page and Bailey are “charming and/or winsome enough to smooth over” the plot holes. That’s a generous way of saying the script is thin. But for a rom-com, thin is often better. It’s light. It’s easy. It’s a break from the grind.

So, what’s the practical takeaway for folks around here? You’re paying for entertainment. If you want to see how economic despair looks when filtered through Bob Odenkirk’s eyes, go with Normal. If you want to escape to a world where a simple misunderstanding leads to a villa stay and a love story, go with the other title. Neither will change your property taxes. Neither will fix the roads on Highway 6. But they will fill two hours of your evening.

The Movie Guru doesn’t mince words. Normal is “wacky but dark.” You, Me & Tuscany is “classic.” That’s it. No hidden agendas. No complex analysis of how these films impact the local film economy. Just two choices. One bloody, one sweet. Pick your poison.