April 6, 2021 (NYC)– “Nobody” is Everyman’s John Wick. Sometimes a movie is just better than the sum of its parts. Sometimes a movie comes around that compels you to see it but you can’t imagine it will work for a number of reasons. Sometimes that movie blows you away by its perfect execution. Nobody is this kind of movie. I loved it. “Nobody” is Everyman’s John Wick.
Bob Odenkirk is phenomenal, and perfect, in the role of the seemingly mild mannered accountant with a secret past. The film works, in part, because he is believable in the role. The filmmakers understand that Bob Odenkirk is not Keanu Reeves. He is not a heartthrob, but maybe that makes it even more believable.
The action and extreme violence is tempered by an appropriate sense of comedic timing. As a 50 year old family man myself, Hutch Mansell, is my John Wick. God help the fool who dares to steal my kid’s “kittie-cat bracelet“.
The soundtrack is fantastic. The acting is superb. The cinematography is perfect.
Rza and Christopher Lloyd are memorable in their supporting roles.
In the matter of martial arts and fight choreography this film is very good. Props to Odenkirk for putting in 2.5 years of physical training to limit stunt doubles and make the gritty, bare-knuckle fight sequences memorable and exhilarating. The fight team from John Wick was heavily involved in the training and the fight choreography for this film and it shows. Part of the strength of the film is the dramatic leap of faith the audience must take in walking into an action film with Bob Odenkirk as the lead. He does not have the gravitas of a Keanu Reeves, Liam Neeson, or Jason Statham. Therefore, in order to execute the fight scenes the standard approach would be to use great stunt doubles and a form of “shaky-cam”, or, the bolder move, train Odenkirk to do his own fight sequences. The filmmakers took a great risk in choosing the latter, and it pays off. Wide angle shots, gritty realistic violence, with no shaky cam and Odekirk taking as much abuse as he dishes out really delivers for the viewer. This is the type of elevation of fight choreography that Taekwondo Life Magazine has been discussing with Jesse V. Johnson, and Scott Adkins, over the last several years. Nobody is the embodiment of the elevated approach to fight choreography.
This movie reminded me of another great one, Falling Down (1993), with Michael Douglas. This is destined to be a classic. This will surely be my first, but not my last, viewing. It also will probably not be the last we see of Hutch. I hope.–
Nobody is in theaters now and VOD on April 16, 2021.
Rated R
2021, Mystery and thriller/Action, Run Time: 1h 32m
-Review By Marc Zirogiannis
Cast & Crew
CAST |
Bob Odenkirk, Connie Nielsen, RZA, Aleksey Serebryakov and Christopher Lloyd |
DIRECTOR |
Ilya Naishuller |
WRITER |
Derek Kolstad |
PRODUCERS |
Kelly McCormick, David Leitch, Braden Aftergood, Bob Odenkirk, Marc Provissiero |
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS |
Derek Kolstad, Marc S. Fischer, Annie Marter, Tobey Maguire |
Synopsis: Sometimes the man you don’t notice is the most dangerous of all. Emmy winner Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul, The Post, Nebraska) stars as Hutch Mansell, an underestimated and overlooked dad and husband, taking life’s indignities on the chin and never pushing back. A nobody. When two thieves break into his suburban home one night, Hutch declines to defend himself or his family, hoping to prevent serious violence. His teenage son, Blake (Gage Munroe, The Shack), is disappointed in him and his wife, Becca (Connie Nielsen, Wonder Woman), seems to pull only further away.The aftermath of the incident strikes a match to Hutch’s long-simmering rage, triggering dormant instincts and propelling him on a brutal path that will surface dark secrets and lethal skills. In a barrage of fists, gunfire and squealing tires, Hutch must save his family from a dangerous adversary (famed Russian actor Aleksey Serebryakov, Amazon’s McMafia)—and ensure that he will never be underestimated as a nobody again.
Nobody is directed by acclaimed filmmaker Ilya Naishuller (Hardcore Henry), from a script by Derek Kolstad, the narrative architect of the John Wick franchise, and co-stars legendary Emmy winner Christopher Lloyd as Hutch’s father and multi-hyphenate musician-actor RZA as Hutch’s brother, whose own hidden talents aid Hutch in his quest for vengeance.The film is produced by Kelly McCormick, p.g.a, and David Leitch, p.g.a., the filmmakers of Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, Deadpool 2 and Atomic Blonde, for their company 87North, by Braden Aftergood, p.g.a. (Hell or High Water, Wind River), for his Eighty Two Films, and by Bob Odenkirk and Marc Provissiero (Hulu’s PEN15) for Odenkirk Provissiero Entertainment. The film is executive produced by Derek Kolstad, Marc S. Fischer, Annie Marter and Tobey Maguire
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