Nobody (2021) Movie Review

In the film “Nobody,” Bob Odenkirk takes on the role of Hutch Mansell, a man with a seemingly ordinary life. The movie opens with a montage that highlights the monotony of Hutch’s daily routine, which consists of scanning his transit card and missing the trash man by mere seconds. Hutch’s life is dominated by routines that have taken a toll on his marriage to Becca, played by Connie Nielsen, but have created a happy home for his children, Blake and Abby. Hutch works at a manufacturing company owned by his father-in-law Eddie, played by Michael Ironside, and his alpha brother-in-law Charlie, played by Billy MacLellan.

However, “Nobody” is not just another “Death Wish”-esque story of an average guy turned vigilante. There are hints early on in the movie that Hutch isn’t just an ordinary suburbanite. Even his man cave seems laid out to hint at a different background than that of his neighbors, including a radio through which he speaks to his brother Harry, played by RZA, who is in hiding. It is unclear why Harry is in hiding, and what’s up with the box of fake IDs and money that Hutch's father David, played by Christopher Lloyd, has been storing away. When the bracelet retrieval job goes wrong, Hutch is on a bus heading home when he encounters a group of obnoxious drunks harassing a woman who’s on her own. He takes it upon himself to protect her and essentially starts a violent war with a Russian crime lord named Yulian, played by Aleksey Serebryakov.

The bus scene that initiates the real action of “Nobody” is a masterpiece of action choreography that will have audiences applauding at screenings for years to come. It’s a clever piece of filmmaking that starts with Hutch throwing himself into a few awkward exchanges with his new enemies and continues to elevate, almost as if this encounter is awakening his skill set one punch at a time. Choreographed by the team behind “John Wick,” it’s the type of action scene that people will be mentioning with a smile for a long time, and a reminder of the adrenalin that a film can get from a creatively crafted action scene.

Ilya Naishuller, the director of the film, is smart enough to use the momentum from the bus scene to push through the rest of the story. “Nobody” is an incredibly quick film, an experience that feels nowhere near as long as its 92-minute runtime. One could argue that the movie could have used a bit more prologue that would make Becca and their children into characters instead of functions for the plot, but there’s a tightness to “Nobody” that’s often lacking in modern films, one that’s reminiscent of the economy of the “John Wick” flicks, which is one of that trilogy’s greatest strengths.

Bob Odenkirk's performance in “Nobody” is excellent. He deftly sells both halves of Hutch, making both his current family life and his violent past believable. It’s a smart performance that should come as no surprise to fans of his work on “Breaking Bad” and “Saul,” but it’s also a wonderfully physical one in that he makes the stunt work and fight choreography genuine. The supporting cast is strong, particularly RZA and Lloyd, both of whom know exactly what to bring to this project. However, it’s Odenkirk's film through and through, and he nails it. It’s worth noting that this would be a much lesser movie with the current king of the Paycheck Performance, Bruce Willis, for example.

In conclusion, "Nobody" is a clever action flick that reimagines Bob Odenkirk as an action hero, and it succeeds thanks to Odenkirk's strong performance and the film's tight pacing and well-crafted action scenes. While it could have benefited from a bit more character development for supporting players, it manages to tell a compelling story that keeps viewers engaged throughout its 92-minute runtime. Ilya Naishuller's direction, while occasionally overplayed, is effective in delivering the thrills and spills that action fans crave, and the film's use of humor and unexpected twists keeps it from feeling too formulaic. Overall, "Nobody" is a highly enjoyable action movie that demonstrates Odenkirk's versatility as an actor and provides plenty of excitement for fans of the genre.