“Nobody” (2021) starts with Hutch Mansell (Bob Odenkirk) as an every man who is in the throes of suburban routine until he feels inadequate after being pegged as a man who can’t defend his family. To get his groove back, he is jonesing for a fight then one drops in his lap while taking the bus home. That encounter sparks a war with the Russian mob. Is he in over his head or are they? Honestly “Nobody” is better than the first “John Wick” (2014).
If you go into “Nobody” without seeing any trailers or the now famous and viral bus fight, it is easy to think that Odenkirk is vying for Michael Douglas’ “Falling Down” (1993) crown as a normal, meek looking guy who is angry and finally ready to shake things up in a way that will be dangerous to him and his family. Movies are famous for using the theme of modern life as soul killing and inadequate, and people needing to be primal and violate the social norms and laws. So the film is about waiting to see whether Hutch will fulfill the moviegoers’ fantasy and prove himself to be the manliest of them all.
His neighbor, Jim (Paul Essiembre), brother-in-law, Charlie (Billy MacLellan), and cops scoff at him. After the break in, the daily routine sequences lengthen to show how Hutch’s life is changing. Hutch wants to buy his father-in-law’s business, Williams Manufacturing Ltd., because he “just wants something that’s mine.” Um, if he bought that business, it is not really his. He has a wall of Jericho consisting of fluffy pillows in the marital bed—“It Happened One Night” (1934) reference. Also, his wife’s career seems to overshadow his. All the men in his life act like tough guys, and his sullen teen son can barely stand to look at him.
“Nobody” is not exploring the theme of a man who snaps and embraces his inner caveman, not exactly. It is a fun action movie about a man who domesticated himself but finds himself wanting a quick fix to release his frustrations over the life that he chose. It is really about a man who was really good at a skill that is incompatible with a normal life, i.e. open antagonism is frowned upon, but quiet violence is acceptable. It is about living the dream, but the dream is depressing. The bus sequence is brilliant because to fight, he must get used to taking a hit again before he can start dishing out the pain. The tone is different from the bus fight in “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” (2021). The muscle memory is there, but anyone knows that if you get out of the game, you lose a step. Some of the hits are self-inflicted. It is also an important to note that the opening act of mercy during the home invasion reflects that he refrains from fighting because he initially decided not to raise his son as he implicitly was raised. The lesson is about balance and proportionate force.
“Nobody” is also about real ones versus poseurs. The first clue that Hutch may be about that life is the sequence where Hutch is posing as law enforcement while interrogating tattoo shop owners. One patron calls him on his crap but soon skedaddles away when he glimpses a tattoo on Hutch’s wrist which hints that he can cash the checks that his mouth writes. Another example is his onscreen nemesis, Yulian Kuznetsov (Aleksey Serebryakov), the flashy Russian mobster who would prefer to be an entertainer than guard the Obshak, the unofficial bank for his organization’s profits.
Apparently Odenkirk came up with the idea for the story, and it was a brilliant one. Coupled with his perfect performance, which is not his typical role, though it is still a funny movie, he is a powerhouse on and off screen. Writer Derek Kolstad understood the assignment, which is not surprising since he penned every movie in the “John Wick” franchise, yes, including “Ballerina” (2025). Not enough screenwriters understand pacing, especially in action movies, and “Nobody” does. Each fight scene, including the quiet ones, moves the story forward. “Novocaine” (2025) had the problem of making the protagonist have the best fights too early. The bus fight is the first and most iconic, but what follows is still a gonzo ride. Kolstad and director Ilya Naishuller, who plays a character that gets killed at a nursing home, find ways to keep the physical clashes fresh with a variety of narrative stakes in each one. Each one has a delightful surprise. “Nobody” was only Naishuller’s second film, and it is so good. Unfortunately, he is not coming back for “Nobody 2” (2025), but his fourth film, “Heads of State” (2025), which I still need to see, is doing really well. Editors Evan Schiff and William Yeh did as much hard work as Odenkirk, especially in the introduction, which goes by so quickly that it is almost impossible to consciously note each passing image even with a remote control, it is simultaneously so easy to register.
One surprise is Christopher Lloyd playing Hutch’s father, David, who is only shown watching Westerns on a tube television in his room, which would be the most unrealistic part of “Nobody” if not for the fact that as the story unfolds, gold bars and cash get flung around without a care. The second is his brother, Harry (RZA, who was terrific in “Not an Artist”). Initially I mistakenly thought that Hutch was deluded and imagining a voice, but eagle eyes will note that in David’s room, there is a photo of Harry and Hutch as children. RZA knows how to embody humor and action without visibly switching gears, so it is not a surprise that he has immediate chemistry as one of the family with the family resemblance being lethal force.
“Nobody” was also pleasant because though it does deliver a beat when there is a risk that Hutch’s family could be in harm’s way, it does not lean on that trope. Also, it skips the annoying, angst-ridden confrontation regarding the lies that the marital relationship is built on, which is a valid issue, but also tiresome, especially after the liar engages in impressive, incredible feats on your behalf. Shout out to Connie Nielsen for signing up because she knew it would be a franchise and secured the bag. Nielsen depicted Becca, the wife, with sensitivity because those roles are usually nags and framed as annoying. She does not get a lot to do, but she makes a meal out of a morsel, and her immediate willingness to reciprocate when Hutch opens up is a sign that their marriage was built on a solid foundation.
“Nobody” is a strong movie that could have stood alone, but with a rich enough backstory and infrastructure to become an entertaining franchise. Let’s hope the sequel is as strong, but the creative team behind the camera is different. Kolstad returns but shares a writing credit this time around. There is a new director. The cast remains the same.
