Sci-Fi Pick: Mr. Nobody (2009)
With as hot as Jared Leto was after his performance in Dallas Buyers Club, I know many went searching through his catalog to see everything that came before Rayon. While I wasn’t immune to the power of that performance, I had seen almost all of Leto’s prior ones, but it turns out I may have missed the very best. Luckily I gave Mr. Nobody a viewing, and gained even more respect for the supremely talented actor. The flick is from Belgian director Jaco Van Dormael and it premiered in 2009 at Venice. It’s billed as a drama, fantasy, sci-fi and romance, and it’s very much all of those things – but most of all, it’s a moving masterpiece.
Set in a future where Earth is inhabited by immortals, Nemo Nobody is the last living mortal, though it doesn’t look like he’ll be living for long. A journalist infiltrates Nemo’s room and the ancient man concedes a tale of his life. That yarn spans many years and includes multiple contrasting timelines. After all, if you never choose anything, then every possibility remains possible. To even begin to try to explain the plot here would be a mistake, as it’s so multi-layered and complex, but just know that every complexity is well worth the attention it requires.
That’s where the story gets its fantastical elements, but it’s Leto’s performance that provides the real power. The actor plays many versions of middle aged Nemo and he also plays old, storytelling Nemo. Everything about what he does is excellent. There are plenty of capable talents in the film, but every other performance feels grey when compared with Leto’s stunningly vibrant characters.
Disclaimer: The cut on Netflix is almost three hours long, but I have a hunch you’ll be ready to watch it again as soon as you finish.
That’s it for today, but be sure to tune in next week though for another edition of We Got Netflix Covered! Also, be sure to leave a comment and let us know if you enjoyed any of these picks.
