It isn’t often that I’ve gone into a movie theater totally “blind” as it regards the plot of a movie I’m about to watch.
I typically know something about the movies I go see. Maybe I watch a trailer; maybe I read a synopsis. I generally know something.
That wasn’t the case with new action thriller “Nobody” starring Bob Odenkirk. I purposely avoided any sort of publicity for the film (it’s nice to be surprised sometimes).
The ballsy, bloody, funny, and thoroughly addictive thriller sees Odenkirk as Hutch Mansell, an everyday man who seems to be living a “life of quiet desperation” (to reference the famous Henry David Thoreau quote).
Hutch is married to Becca (Connie Nielsen) and the two have teenage son Blake (Gage Munroe) and pre-teen daughter Sammy (Paisley Cadorath).
Early on in the film, we experience Hutch’s staid daily suburban existence in a series of quick-cut shots, flipping by in fast sequence. Nothing at all exciting to occupy each day — wash, rinse, repeat.
One particular night, the Mansell residence is broken into by a man and woman wearing cat burglar gear. Hutch, held at gunpoint, gives them the watch off his wrist (and a few bucks sitting in a metal dish near the front door).
His son Blake tackles the thieves as they depart through the hallway. Hutch is about to join his son and attack the pair with a golf club, but pulls back at the last second, allowing the burglars to leave (losing the respect of his son in the process).
This turns out to be the narrative’s key event, sparking a high-octane revenge story that is sort of a cross between the 1993 movie “Falling Down,” the “John Wick” franchise, and a dash of “Die Hard” sprinkled in for good measure.
The similarities to “Wick” are particularly evident, and it wasn’t surprising to learn that the scribe behind “Nobody” — Derek Kolstad — also penned the “John Wick” franchise.
(Kolstad’s screenwriting talents are also on display on the new Disney+ series “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.” Of note, he wrote the terrific fourth episode of the series titled “The Whole World is Watching,” which might be one of the best hours of scripted TV on Disney+ to date).
Believing the burglars took his daughter’s kitty cat bracelet, Hutch sets out on a one-man mission to find the criminals who invaded his house. (In the original “John Wick” movie the catalyst was a dog, here it is a child’s trinket).
This sets up a chain reaction where we discover that our protagonist is more than an ordinary suburban husband dealing with an existential crisis. He has a mysterious past that is revealed in dribs and drabs throughout the movie.
Maybe it’s just because I haven’t been out of the house much the past 12 months, but I had a really good time watching “Nobody.”
The action sequences are brutal and violent (not surprising in this territory), and there are some entertaining performances (even if they can veer a bit over-the-top).
Of note, I enjoyed Christopher Lloyd as Hutch’s father David — a nice supporting part for the actor. Lloyd manages to bring a palpable edge to the character — something unexpected from the actor best known for playing Doc Brown in the “Back to the Future” trilogy.
In addition, the casting of Bob Odenkirk in the lead role is unexpected for an action movie of this variety. He definitely doesn’t fit the pattern of the typical action hero, and going against type keeps the movie feeling fresh.
One minor weakness in the story is the development of main villain Yulian Kuznetsov (Alexey Serebryakov). Antagonists in these sorts of films sometimes lack dimension, and that is the case with this character.
“Nobody” will never be mistaken for high art, but there is a certain charm to this action thriller. As I mentioned earlier, there are similarities to the “John Wick” movies, but the overall effect of this movie feels more grounded and believable.
“Nobody” runs a quick 90 minutes. As far as I am concerned, too many movies these days feel long and bloated. It is satisfying to watch a movie that is happy being what it is.
If you are itching to get out of the house and venture back into a movie theater, “Nobody” is a really good time. It will remind you why you enjoy watching movies on the big screen.
