Bob Odenkirk is the action hero we never knew we needed in the adrenaline-driven Nobody, a thrill-filled John Wick for suburbia.
Directed by Ilya Naishuller (Hardcore Henry), Odenkirk is Hutch Mansell, a suburban dad whose mundane existence involves jogging around his unassuming neighbourhood, a family who doesn’t have much time for him and a thankless desk job at his father-in-law’s manufacturing company. He is, for all intents and purposes, an average nobody. One night while his family sleeps, his home is broken into by a pair of thieves. Catching the intruders red-handed, Hutch opts for non-violence; he willingly hands over what little cash he has along with a watch filled with sentimental value. When the news of the theft and his disappointing lack of action breaks, it’s clear that Hutch’s mild-mannered ways will soon become a thing of the past.
Pushed to the brink and raring for a fight, Hutch finds himself in the middle of a bloody battle on a bus when he comes to the aid of an innocent bystander. What he doesn’t know is the criminals on the receiving end of his blows are part of the extensive Russian mafia. But appearances can be deceiving and therein lies the backbone of Nobody: Hutch isn’t exactly who he appears to be either.
Nobody will inevitably draw comparisons to John Wick thanks to a script by Derek Kolstad, the scribe responsible for the hit Keanu Reeves action trilogy. He’s also written a further two instalments for the franchise, which are currently sitting in pre-production. The comparisons won’t end there either. With Nobody‘s unlikely hero hiding a secret and the film’s stellar fight choreography brought to life through dynamic camera work and editing, you may be able to see why. But this is a different beast from John Wick, owing more to its roots in lean pulp fiction and genre films.
A rollicking good time, Nobody delivers both bloody knock-down fights and a stand-up story hinged on a wild performance by Odenkirk, who absolutely shines here—both in the film’s low-key scenes of suburban life and in the high-octane fight sequences. This is a character who never takes a backseat to the action sequences and whose story arc is wholly believable.
In a film that’s full of highs, one of the most delightful aspects of Nobody is the casting of Christopher Lloyd as Hutch’s retired FBI dad, David. Any appearance of the 82-year-old Lloyd is a welcome one—especially in an action film—and the chemistry between him and Odenkirk positively crackles on screen.
Wildly entertaining, Nobody is the year’s first must-see action film. It will be released in select theatres and digital starting on March 26.
