Cinephile № 876 “Nobody”

Recommendation: 4/5 SHOWTIME

Plot: “A bystander who intervenes to help a woman being harassed by a group of men becomes the target of a vengeful drug lord.” -IMDB

Review: The first trailer for “Nobody” left me stunned, but not in a good way. I was baffled by any attempt to make Bod Odenkirk (Hutch Mansell) into an action hero. Yet, it is this bewilderment that serves this film so well. In fact, when the credits rolled and I exited the theater, I could not imagine anyone else as the character.

Hutch Mansell is a normal guy. He isn’t flashy, awe-inspiring, or noticeable. He is a great dad, married to his routines, emotionally estranged from his wife, and buried in spreadsheets at work. When a break-in happens at the family home, Hutch reacts in a manner we expect. He isn’t heroic or brave. His son fulfills that duty. He is emotionless as thieves escape his home.

Yet, Hutch is a man of two worlds. He is a former auditor for those three-letter agencies of the US government. Once upon a time, he was the man sent in for off-the-books cleanup which often ended violently. Wanting a normal life with a wife and kids, he attempted to walk away from that life for good. Oddly enough, it isn’t the break-in that snaps him back into action. It is the fact the thieves stole his daughter’s kitty-cat bracelet. “And you just don’t do that!”

When Hutch snaps, it is with raw, uncut, and pure violence. The action sequence takes place on a commuter bus. Thanks to the confined space and camera work, this sequence of events is breathtaking. It is also here where the film turns. One of the people on the bus that Hutch destroys is related to a Russian drug lord charged with protecting oligarchs’ money. When he finds out his nephew may never walk again, vengeance becomes his sole focus.

From here, the movie enters its final chapters, all of which are ridiculous, deeply entertaining, and fun. As Hutch prepares for and forces war with his nemesis, we are treated to a fantastic battle in Hutch’s home, a high-speed chase, and workplace mayhem. When the dust settles and the blood on the wall finally dries, Hutch is a completely different person.

On its surface, this film shouldn’t be this exciting. Suburban action films shouldn’t be a thing, but this story is compelling, properly stitched together, and features blindingly fun action sequences. Taken together, it is a story I would watch again. And, if any new iterations should make their way to the big screen, I would be there for it.

Be good to each other,

Nathan