Hutch Mansell (Bob Odenkirk) lives a miserable existence. He’s a father to a son, Blake (Gage Munroe), who thinks he’s a joke, a wimp, husband to Becca (Connie Neilsen), who treats him like a juvenile, and an employee at a local plant where he often feels useless. In the grand scheme of life Hutch is a Nobody. When one day his house is broken into, while his family sleeps, Hutch is sent into a fit of rage, prepared to use all of his pent up anger to bring justice to those who need it most. As Hutch begins to unravel the seemingly never-ending web of terror, all that the world wishes he would be begs to be set free.
Cinematography is ultimately a game of numbers and angles–and capturing those angles correctly can make a film great, can bring numerous aspects of the film to life, and ultimately find it success. In order to capture the incredibly vibrant action sequences, the team behind Nobody must accurately capture those scenes in order to entice viewers and give the film a chance to do well. Pawel Pogorzelski, director of photography, and his team, capture the film, as a whole, with greatness. These moments are inviting, intimate, and viewers are capable of seeing every intricacy of what the film has to offer as a result.
Nobody is a bloody mess, but nothing is out of place. It’s not blood for the sake of blood, it’s relevant to the narrative, creating a sense of relevancy and believability in this action-packed thriller. Things get up close and personal throughout the course of Nobody, and there are certainly times when those with a weak stomach may struggle to focus–but the reality is that these instances are necessary to the film. Understanding who and what Hutch is isn’t often done through the film’s dialogue, and seeing him in action is the vehicle by which his story is told. In these perfectly choreographed, and beautifully executed fight scenes, ones in which Hutch often finds himself pitted against multiple foes, viewers are invited into Hutch’s story; they learn about what he’s capable of, and the world begins to fall in love with this nobody.
I’m unfamiliar with Odenkirk’s work. I’m one of the few people that hasn’t seen Breaking Bad, and ultimately the other numerous projects that he’s been a part of have escaped me (with the exception of his minimal role in The Office). It’s nice seeing him here, in Nobody, with minimal knowledge of what he brings to the table–because he appears to me like a blank slate. He conveys emotion beautifully, but the thing that I’m most impressed with is his ability to, even in the darkest corners of Nobody, express subtle and effective levels of comedy that balance a hard-hitting, high-octane film. Knowing as little about Odenkirk as I did prior to watching this film, I was unsure of his capabilities, making me completely unsure of where writers may take this character–but his talents allow the film to be pulled in numerous different directions, wear a series of masks, and create an enticing and invigorating atmosphere for viewers.
I’m on an Oscar kick right now. I’m tending to the numerous films that have been nominated for the many awards that were handed out at the Academy Awards on March 27th, and with that I’m finding myself questioning why other films aren’t receiving the recognition that they deserve. Nobody is far different than anything else present at this year’s Oscars, and I believe that having this present among the many highly regarded films of 2021 at this ceremony would have only been fair. If for nothing else, Odenkirk should have been considered for Actor in a Leading Role. He’s brilliant as he’s tasked with bringing this multidimensional character to life–and the inability of the Academy to see this is truly a shame.
Action films are often hit or miss. They either reach too far, spread themselves thin, and fail to appeal to viewers in a realistic sense or they find their footing early, create relevant content that makes sense to those watching, and ultimately find success as a result. Nobody certainly fits into the latter, appealing to the senses of viewers, expressing realities that are often overlooked in films of this nature, and developing a protagonist that feels real and relatable. Odenkirk is, without a doubt, the star of the show (so to speak), and he guides viewers and drives the film home. However, the camera crew, choreographers, writer, director, and everyone else involved step up and create something brilliant. Nobody is action-packed and sure to entertain fans of the genre–but what Odenkirk creates is enough to appeal to everyone.
Directed by Ilya Naishuller.
Written by Derek Kolstad.
Starring Bob Odenkirk, Alexey Serebryakov, Connie Nielsen, Christopher Lloyd, Michael Ironside, Colin Salmon, RZA, Billy MacLellan, Araya Mengesha, Gage Munroe, Paisley Cadorath, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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