I Watch Films: Nobody (2021)

 

Nobody (2021)

Hutch Mansell (Bob Odenkirk) works in the office of his father-in-law’s (Michael Ironside) light industrial shop. He seems to have a dull, repetitive life, slightly distant from his wife (Connie Nielsen), son and daughter. He sometimes goes to see his father (Christopher Lloyd) who watches TV in the retirement home. He always misses putting the bins out on time. Two thieves break into the house and steal things; Hutch is behind them with a golf club but doesn’t attack them. Everyone thinks he’s a failure; his son complains to his face, his brother-in-law gives him a gun. On the phone he tells his brother he knew the thieves gun wasn’t loaded. We know he was much more prepared for violence than he pretends.

His daughter discovers her cat bracelet is missing. Hutch remembers a tattoo on one of the thieves, and uses that, along with father’s badge and gun (he’s retired FBI), to track them down. When he gets there they don’t have the bracelet, and need the money for their child’s medication so he leaves. Taking the bus home some drunken thugs harass a young woman, and he intervenes in a brutal close quarters fight which he wins. Hutch crushes the windpipe of the leader, then saves him with the thing where you put a tube in below the constriction.

Unfortunately he goes into a coma. Perhaps more unfortunately he’s the brother of a Russian crime boss. He’s currently holding the money of the Russian mob for safekeeping, and needs to not only take revenge but maintain his status. Hutch dropped his metro card so they track him down.

The rest of the film has the Russian gangsters trying to take revenge, while Hutch’s US government secret agent past is slowly revealed. As things escalate Hutch turns to his former handler for information, learning about the Russian mob. Hutch is a plausible Nobody, both entirely non-descript (for a Hollywood leading man) and intense in violence when needed. Several of the setpiece stunts are excellent, and the slow build up in spectacle means that the final sequence, while ludicrous, is still grounded.

Watch This: Action thriller lifted by the slow increase in tension and scale (and stunts)
Don’t Watch This: Violent man stumbles into violent men; violence ensues