Nobody | Average Guy Movie Review

Hutch Mansell (Bob Odenkirk) is nobody. Just an average guy; he goes to work, comes home to his wife and two kids, and that's about it. That is, until a home invasion causes him to snap. You see, Hutch used to be a government agent, one who specialised in eliminating problems. But in the process of trying to reclaim what was taken from his family, he inadvertently angers the local Russian mob. Now they want blood, and Hutch is more than happy to make them work for it.

Imagine if John Wick's wife hadn't died, that they'd had a couple of kids, and John got a job as an accountant. Then fast forward about 15-16 years and you've got yourself Nobody. Yes, with Derek Kolstad on writing duties it doesn't simply look like a John Wick movie, it practically is one; a home invasion forces an assassin out of retirement, which gets him in trouble with some Russians. Now that you mention it, that does sound oddly familiar. But there are some differences in Nobody's execution. For one thing, no world building. There's no secret criminal underground hierarchy, just a highly trained assassin taking on some rather average Russian gangsters. But more importantly, it's funnier than John Wick. That's not to say that the beloved action franchise can't be funny, because it can, but it's not overtly so. Whereas Nobody has a definite comedic streak to it. In fact, some of Hutch's antics are nothing short of hilarious, and he has a lot of fun in the process.

Now, Bob Odenkirk isn't exactly the first person you think of when it comes to action heroes, in fact, he looks very much like an average, unassuming guy. He certainly doesn't look like someone who can take on five guys and win. Which is why he's the perfect choice to play Hutch. In trying to leave his old life behind, Hutch has by his own admission; "overcorrected". Essentially he has purged his life of any and all excitement and passion, to the point where he's simply plodding through life. His job doesn't fulfil him, and he feels increasingly disconnected from his family. So when he does eventually explode into action, it's like a dam bursting, and the old Hutch is let out to play. It's fantastic to watch - mostly because the five guys can't believe what's happening. Odenkirk nails both sides of Hutch, his performance makes you feel sorry for him at first, then you're just excited to watch him as he decimates Russian gangsters. In some ways he actually makes Hutch quite relatable, minus the deadly assassin training, that is.

But for all the work they put into making Hutch such a fun character, it's a shame they didn't give him an equally interesting opponent. Aleksey Serebryakov does a great job portraying an evil Russian mob boss, but aside from some dodgy karaoke he's not given anything really interesting to do. The same can be said of Connie Nielsen as Hutch's wife, Becca. Although she doesn't get to do any karaoke, dodgy or otherwise. There is one character to watch out for, however, which is Hutch's Dad, played by Christopher Lloyd. Much like Odenkirk, this role is something a little different for Lloyd, but as it turns out, he is the perfect choice for it because seeing him armed to the teeth and dispatching bad guys with that cheeky smile on his face is an absolute joy.

Unsurprisingly, given its connections to the John Wick universe, all of the action is expertly choreographed - not to mention fun to watch! It also means that everything looks incredibly realistic; every explosion, gunfight, car chase, even the epic finale that would make Kevin McCallister think twice. The work Odenkirk has done to prepare for the role really pays off. He may not look like an action hero - at first - but he sure does look good doing it. So much so, that the elation Hutch feels from finally letting loose is almost palpable. Refreshingly, they have taken into account that Hutch is a slightly older gentleman, one who has been out of the game for quite a while. There are times when he looks rusty, or things don't always go as planned, resulting in some pretty hilarious moments. But at its heart, this is still an intense, adrenaline-fuelled action thriller, one that also happens to be a lot of fun. It may look and sound like a John Wick movie, but Nobody is still able to surprise you.

Nobody is a fun and brutal action extravaganza. One that should earn Bob Odenkirk a place in the Action Hero Hall of Fame - if there is such a thing.

9/10

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