Nobody is an interesting movie. In retrospect, it’s essentially John Wick 2.0. The film stars Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul’s Bob Odenkirk as Hutch Mansell, a father, and husband who appears to be a disappointment to his son and a stranger to his wife. This list highlights the five best moments of the 2021 feature. Let’s get started with the first scene.
The Constant Montage of Hutch’s Everyday Life
Nobody goes out of its way to tell that Hutch is…a nobody. Just an ordinary man who has a mundane job with a somewhat loving family. Oh, and Hutch keeps forgetting to take out the garbage on time. This simple montage helps you understand who Mr. Mansell is and his work life, the troubling marriage with his wife, and the overall emptiness he feels about his current situation. His relationship with his son and wife is clearly strained and since he doesn’t particularly feel any love from his family (except his daughter), his world is a humdrum mess that feels like an endless cycle of misery up until that Monday evening when the burglar’s break-in. Scenes like this are important because we need to understand the status quo of our protagonist before his world changes because of the inciting incident. Given the fact that Nobody could’ve come out fast by introducing us to an action scene, Ilya Naishuller slowly brings us into the world of Hutch before the chaos and mayhem starts. The focus on characterization was a smart play, essentially since we’re following a murderous man who may, or may not be a psychopath.
The Bus Fight
The fight scenes in Nobody are incredible. Sure, you can pick apart the fact that the film is essentially John Wick 2.0, but that doesn’t make Nobody any less fun. The bus scene is brutal, gritty, and straight-up nasty, but in a good way. I wish that Naishuller made the drunk Russians a bit more deplorable here as Hutch’s violent assault doesn’t particularly match the crime, but it’s not a situation where he’s beating these punks unmercifully. Instead, the prolonged scene gets more intense as it goes on and in turn, it gets better the longer it carries on. Somehow, Naishuller manages to not make it very stylish, but it’s still stylish anyways. Meaning, the realistic and violent nature are what makes this truely pop, but the most impressive aspect is Bob Odenkirk who moves as if he’s been playing this action role for decades. The bus sequence manages to be darkly funny and thrilling at the same time. Granted, you never truly believe that Hutch is going to lose, but it’s still a fun rollercoaster ride from beginning to end.
Yulian Kuznetsov At the Hospital
So, Yulian Kuznetsov is…crazy. The film has no qualms about highlighting this trait, but his reaction to finding his son a broken mess in the hospital is great. It showcases a different side of the villain and makes him a well-rounded individual. Sure, he goes back to being insanely crazy on Teddy, which had a nice mix of comedy and seriousness to the scene, but it was crucial to showcase this side of him, so we understand the stakes and just how important his little brother is. Admittedly, Yulian perfectly throwing a chair at Teddy’s face was laugh-out-loud funny, as was his mad outburst on Teddy’s legs. This scene effectively set the rest of the story in motion and was pivotal for both Yulian and Hutch.
Hutch Punishing the Mob
Another scene, another montage. This time, Hutch dishing out a bit of bloody justice as Yulian was singing The Impossible Dream by Andy Williams. It’s a beautiful juxtaposition in-between moments. Yulian is having the time of his life as Hutch is actively destroying his business, dispatching of his worthless goons left and right, and setting fire to his entire stash. This is understated, but Nobody does a great job with the musical score throughout the feature. Andy William’s The Impossible Dream shouldn’t fit for such a brutal and violent scene of Hutch gunning down and slaughtering the mob one-by-one, but because it coincides with the musical number, it fits the moment perfectly, while also advancing the plot as well. The only downside is that Hutch plows through everyone with ease. It’s clear that he’s considered a huge threat in the film, but there should be one moment where it seemed like he could die. That could arguably be the bus scene, but since it came so early in the film, any sense of unpredictability or danger is erased.
Hutch’s Last Stand
The entire third act is an action-packed spectacle, and it’s certainly a treat to watch. Again, Hutch goes into invincible action hero mode, so it becomes increasingly hard to buy into the stakes of the film since he’s presented as such an action God, but the entire chase sequence, and the trap filled extravaganza at the factory with Hutch’s father and Harry was still a blast to see. It was especially a joy to see Christopher Lloyd involved in such madness. The final sequence may have lacked the dramatic weight needed to carry out the film, but it’s definitely an unforgettable moment.John WickJohn Wick
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