Nobody

Starring: Bob Odenkirk, Aleksey Serebryakov, Connie Nielsen, Christopher Lloyd, Michael Ironside, Colin Salmon, RZA, Billy MacLellan, Aray Mengesha, Gage Munroe
Directed by: Ilya Naishuller
Rating: R
Genre: Action, Drama
2021

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A family man (Bob Odenkirk) must confront his past after two robbers break into his house and threaten his family.

Review:

Tim: I was so impressed with Ilya Naishuller's Nobody. This is a film that felt small but made a very large impact. And, it sets Bob Odenkirk as an action hero. Bob Odenkirk... is an action hero. I don't meant that to sound like a slight against Odenkirk. I've been an incredible fan of his from television series like Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. He's been an incredible character actor. His turn in the limelight was well served, though. From the two years he put in to get physically prepared for the role, to the talent he brings to making us care about this character, he's terrific in this film. The movie is strongly executed, enjoyable, and entertaining. It's an absolute success.

This film is written by Derek Kolstad, who wrote the wildly entertaining John Wick films. That's important to note, because this one feels very similar in tone to that series. The action is a bit over-the-top, but it's all done with the right tone to maximize the entertainment value. The film follows a similar path to many- how many times have we seen a single male character take on hordes of bad guys and come out on top? But it's executed in such a way that it feels fresh and exciting. The movie is helped by some intrigue- there's real questions about who the protagonist is and what his story is. I found that mystery helped propel the early parts of the film. The "set up" never felt boring because we were so interested in having our questions answered. The movie does a good job of creating compelling characters, so we care about them before the full extent of the action is unleashed. This is a big reason for the film's success- it grounds the action in believable characters who connect with the audience, then delivers big time action sequences to maintain a high sense of engagement. The film also wisely clocks in at only 1 hour, 32 minutes. That is rarer and rarer to find these days. Naishuller's film never overstays its welcome- it tells a tightly compacted story and then it wraps. That helps, as it feels like the film doesn't waste time or bloat the story more than it needed to.

I've mentioned Odenkirk already, but he deserves more acclaim. He's already such a talented, incredible actor. He leverages this vulnerability with this inner strength- he combines that here to give a performance that draws you in. It's reserved for much of the film, but a reservation that feels like it's cloaking something hidden, underneath. That drives your interest and you want to know more about the character. In addition to that, Odenkirk gives a surprisingly physical performance. He's believable as a suburban dad and as a deadly assassin. To combine both of those into one performance is incredible. I'd love to see Odenkirk in this role again. It's like he recognized that most actors don't get this opportunity. People don't see him as "the action guy" and he wasn't going to waste this opportunity. It's easily the best part of the film and his performance is worth seeing.

Aleksey Serebryakov gives a chilling villainous turn here. I enjoyed his performance and how he made me ecstatic to watch him fall. I'll admit that his character felt a little over-the-top. The movie routinely shows us what a "bad guy" he is. It's one-dimensional, but his role wasn't to make us understand him, it's just to give our protagonist someone to try and take down. Connie Nielsen mostly felt wasted- I'm not sure she did anything of real substance. I always enjoy seeing Christopher Lloyd and he gave a strong performance. He's another unlikely action guy. I did feel like his character's story was a bit forced. It felt like wish fulfillment or fan service, verses something believable. RZA was solid, although he felt like he was shoehorned in as well. It was great seeing Michael Ironside in a small role, too. It's been a long time since I've seen him. I honestly don't remember the last time. He's changed a lot, but he still knows how to deliver a worthwhile performance.

The film does seem to highly prioritize entertainment. This isn't a bad thing, as the movie is incredibly entertaining. It's fun, exciting, and engaging. This might ultimately be what slips the film just below "greatness" (although I do believe it get shockingly close). There's decisions that are made throughout the film to increase the enjoyment at the expense of things like credulity. Some of these tradeoffs are worth it, some of them aren't. Still, I won't nitpick too much. I went into Nobody having heard good things and hoping to like it, but it was far better than I expected. I've enthusiastically recommended this movie to others and I'm really hoping for a sequel. This was one of the pleasant surprises of 2021.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



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John Wick