Bob Odenkirk stars in a gritty tale about a man who is pushed beyond his limit. Nobody is streaming this weekend.
Nobody’s advertised narrative is only partially accurate. In the trailers we’re led to believe that Odenkirk is a man pushed too far, past his breaking point, and now capable of incredible acts of violence. Without getting into spoiler territory, this is not completely representative of his character. To say his only driving factor and frame of reference for violence is due to his inaction and family’s perception of him is the worst kept secret of the film that is answered far too early. This is worth noting because the vehicle that is used to justify his acts and capabilities is why the premise of this movie gets a bit derailed.
Summary: The film itself is enjoyable, but as the plot and Odenkirk’s character’s motivations become clear, the story becomes a much more familiar one; ex-badass with a backstory.
But it’s a fun story nonetheless.
Nobody is streaming this weekend
The film begins by introducing us to Odenkirk’s Hutch Mansell, a “nobody” who can’t seem to get his life together. From his boring industrial job to failing to get the trash out on time, his wife has even lost interest in their relationship as they sleep with a large pillow between them and intimacy seems to be lost.
The catalyst for the movie, a home invasion in which his son appears to show more courage than he does, is only a few minutes in, just when the setting is established. The pace is great, and his actions and inactions lead to consequences and a badie we’re promised will be epic.
So far so good. He’s driven to right the wrongs, although his actions during the home invasion, in my opinion, are justified, and after a series of snippets with him in deep thought, we finally find our nobody on a bus praying that a group of thugs will get out of line. Mansell is lost for words. Not down, not even disappointed. He’s confused about whether his next move should be force or restraint.
After appearing to nearly cower out of a fight to the dismay of a poor young woman as a rowdy group of guys assume they won’t be held accountable by Mansell for roughing her up, Hutch ultimately unleashes his inner beast after forcing the bus driver out of the bus and locking the thugs in with him; to this transformation, he says only “I’m going to fuck you up.” Not the most catchy line, but it may be the most realistic thing a guy like him would say if there weren’t any cameras to catch the cool action that follows.
The action is great, the movie’s pace works, but by about the one hour mark it begins to feel like old hat. While the film’s action sequences are excellent, the performances are spot on for a film of this caliber, as I made my way through the movie I began to become overwhelmed with a need to wrap it up. The film’s trick happens to soon, it is clear too early on that all of this is possible given his drive, and his capabilities, while explained, but is still quite unbelievable.
With that said, it is still a decent flick, and while viewers over 40 may lose interest even quicker than I did, it is absolutely worth streaming this weekend even if only to see Saul Goodman finally stand up for himself.
As absurd as John Wick but less believable and more enjoyable than most action flicks due to Odenkirk’s surprisingly fun tough guy. 3.5/5
Related: Space Jam: A New Legacy Review
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