Mr. Nobody (2009)
7 months ago one of my favourite video makers on Youtube made a clip to this film, and I watched it and filed it away as “another amazing video by Loki”. But later I found the film again and this time I got it for myself. It’s funny how most of my favourite films come to me by chance, or make sure to find me twice.
I actually don’t know how to describe this film without giving everything away… In 2092, Nemo Nobody (Jared Leto) is on his deathbed, with the whole world watching as the “final true mortal” takes his last breath. The night before he is expected to die, Mr. Nobody gets a visitor, a journalist who had snuck into the hospital to get the real story of the unknown man. As he begins his tale, we follow Nemo through childhood and down three separate roads in his life. But which is the real one, and why can’t he fully remember who he is?
This is a film that stopped me in my tracks when I saw it. I’m actually writing this review 2 hours after I watched the film the first time, because I couldn’t bring myself to do ANYTHING after seeing it, but think and think and think. First and foremost, Jared Leto is stunning in this. Although it shouldn’t come as a surprise to me because the man is incredible in pretty much anything he’s in, including his most famous (and probably most gruesome) Requiem for a Dream, which I have seen, was blown away by, and will never see again. But in this…
You have to understand that every life that Nemo lives out is real. It’s not a figment of his imagination that he makes up and then it all makes sense at the end, it doesn’t. Every life he lives is real and he lived it and it was his. And to be thrown between the lives, between ages and times, it’s terrifying and it’s brutal and it’s powerful and unforgettable. Jared Leto is actually the only person I can see ever pulling something like this off, the only other person that would come anywhere CLOSE would be Jensen Ackles, but of course he’s always tyepcast in B-grade horror and will never be seen for the talent that he is.
After Leto, I have to talk about the story. The story that I can’t actually tell you about because that would give most of the film away. Just know that throughout the 2 hours that this film takes (believe me it feels like 2 minutes… I wish it never ended…) Nemo lives out more or less six different scenarios of his life. The film is about choice. The toss of a coin, the second it takes to turn around at the sound of your name, a comment taken the wrong way… it’s all a choice that throws him into endless possibilities of lives and loves and hours and times. I guess the only thing I could even remotely link this to would be The Fountain (what is it with the Aronofsky references today??) so if you’ve seen that and liked it you will most likely like this film as well.
If you’ve even heard of The Fountain you get a medal, actually.
I guess majoring in post production should have some use in my life; I rarely mention editing anymore in my reviews. Although in my defense, many of the films I like are well made but not particularly memorable when it comes to post production. This one, on the other hand, is. The story is not linear. Believe me when I say that for the first 25 minutes of this film AT LEAST you won’t understand what’s going on. And you’re not meant to. Everything starts to make sense at the pace and time that it needs to, never earlier never later. This film is also not effect-heavy. I know that as soon as someone sees the trailer they’ll contest this with the idea that it’s based in the future and everything’s futuristic… it’s not actually. A lot of things aren’t post production that you see. Never underestimate the power of the art department.
Finally, this is a love story. A few, actually. But neither one overshadows the other in any way. One major story is beautiful and perfect, and not necessarily happy but exactly as it’s meant to be. And the other is tragic. It’s painful and broken and heartbreaking, but so realistic and true and, in the end, wonderful for the agony it causes. I can’t remember the last time a film made me feel this way about it’s main character. I’m thinking The Fall, actually, but a few others have come close. It’s most certainly one of the most powerful films I have ever seen, and it’s one that I will never forget.
Moment of truth, eh. To be honest, I knew from about 40 minutes in that this would make my top ten, but I didn’t realize it would hit so high. This film gets an 8.5/10 from me and I will definitely watch it again. More than once, if I can get the time. It’s a film that I would love to say will appeal to everyone, but it won’t. It’s paced and slow and takes time to get anywhere. If you’re after explosions and action, you’ll get a little of that here but quite a fair way into the film. It’s a philosophical film that makes you think and refuses to let you forget it. It’s not a film that you show your girlfriends at a sleepover or to your boys at a pizza night in. It’s a film you enjoy by yourself or with someone who you know will appreciate it.
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