Mr. Nobody Movie Review (2009)

Choosing to name a main character Nemo is a daring feat in this day and age. I should have known that Mr. Nobody was going to be different right from the get-go.

The thing about any movie that stars Jared Leto is that you know it’s going to be a little eccentric. Once he graduated from pretty-boy Jordan in My So Called Life, he was clearly never going back. And this is no exception.

Mr. Nobody is the story of Nemo, the last mortal man on earth who has just celebrated his 118th birthday. He is a novelty to the rest of the world, as the current population has achieved quasi-immortality, and his aging and looming death are almost a side-show. He is a celebrity.

He cannot remember his life fully, but he does remember having to make a choice between which parent to be with after his parents divorce – his mother, who is leaving on a train, or his father, who has just seen her off at the train station. From here, he remembers different versions of his life, complete with three different women, various children, speaking in different accents, and multiple threads of how things play out.

I had a very hard time finding my footing with this film, so the first half hour was exceptionally confusing for me. It was only then that I realized, that is part of the point. He doesn’t remember clearly, so why should you understand or gain traction in anything either? But hang in there, it does all (kind of?) come together.

There is a lot of Jared Leto in the movie, so it helps that his eyes are so magnetic. It’s as if he wants you to see into his soul, but he’s not going to let you, so keep trying as you wish.

He is multiple versions of the same man making different decisions based on different actions. Sometimes he has a reaction and sometimes he makes a choice. Sometimes he does both.

All of the storylines are interesting, but I do wish they’d delved a bit more into the one with the wife that he seemed to marry as part of a list – a premade decision. You learn so much more about his relationships with his parents, a few children, and two other women, this one felt lacking. But again, maybe that was the point? It was lacking because the marriage was lacking? Who knows.

This film hovers on the edge of frustrating because you never know where you are going and most of the puzzle pieces don’t seem to fit together. That said, it got much better over the course of the film and it is an extremely unique piece. Let me know what you think.

Runtime: 139 minutes

Motion Picture Rating: R

Languages Spoken In The Film: English

Should You Watch It? Yes, it’s unique

Did I Cry? Nope, I didn’t connect much emotionally

My Rating: 3.25/5 Stars

Available: To rent on Prime Video or may be available for free on other streaming platforms