Nobody

I wanted to take a second to highlight a movie that has snuck its way onto my top 5: Nobody. A John Wick parody, Nobody is a movie that follows a retired auditor, someone whose job is to “tie up loose ends” for the government. One day he decides he wants to leave the business to have a normal life. He gets a normal 9-to-5 job, gets married, has kids, and has his whole “normal guy” thing figured out.

Or so you’d think

Deep down, Mr. Nobody is restless. He does his best to stay fit and relaxed, but deep down there’s a beast that’s clawing at his prison bars, itching to get out. Complacency devours his soul as monotony buries him alive. But this all changes one day when a young couple breaks into his home to rob him. They don’t get much, but it causes Mr. Nobody to snap. This sets off a chain of events that leads to an entertaining, action-packed adventure as he does what he does best: kill people. 

On paper, this movie doesn’t sound like much. I could have easily described this as a standard John Wick parody with a few tweaks and changes to the pre-established formula. Maybe that’s all it is, but the way it all unfolds is something that never gets old for me. I like the initial setting of the “normal” life. I grew up in a world of chaos and adventure, much like Mr. Nobody. And I always dreamed of having that ordinary life. However, much like our protagonist, I lean towards over-correcting. I can relate to feeling like some long-dormant piece of me needs to be fed. I don’t, however, miss the adventure. There is always a sense of familiarity to the setting you grow up in. No matter how far you run from it, it always feels like a puzzle piece you fit right into. 

I don’t think everyone should recreate the patterns they grew up in, but it’s important to go back to those places to remember why you do what you do. For me, I live my quiet normal life because I grew up in the tiring chaos. The travel, foreign languages, eccentric foods, constant change, it was all overwhelming for me. I have since learned the value of doing new things and, dare I utter the profane: BREAKING ROUTINE. Say it ain’t so! I don’t do it often, but an occasional new thing is healthy (but only occasionally.) 

But I do often contemplate: what is that long-dormant piece of me that so desperately wants out? For the longest time, I thought it was peace and quiet. I thought it was a normal life, but part of me wants to shake things up. Part of me wants to do something crazy; go wild and make some drastic changes. 

I’ll be honest, I finished the above paragraph, and took half a day’s pause. It wasn’t just because I needed to get work done, but something about this question stumped me. What is that long-dormant piece of me that so desperately wants out? In what ways have I been over-correcting? What risks have I put off taking? First thing that came to mind was money. I don’t consider myself greedy, but I have always seen money as a way to add oomph to your decisions. If a friend breaks his leg, you can give him a hug, like his little instagram post, if you’re feeling extra generous, you could touch it up with a comment, saying “thoughts and prayers.” But what if, instead, you paid for his entire surgery? What if, afterwards, you brought him into your home while he recovered and tended to his every need. Which do you think would be more impactful?

I’m not saying that an encouraging word goes nowhere (after all, I am a writer.) What I am trying to show is how money can add value to the impact you are trying to make. Money is a valuable resource in this day and age, and it definitely has the power to get a lot of things started. So do things like connections and talents, but I guess the difference is that I’ve never been good with those things. I see people around me that are experts at this thing, or know a lot of people in that area. Sometimes I feel like just…me. I may not be the tech wizard or Mr. popular, but oh boy, am I a great kamikaze pilot! Teach me a job and I’ll just keep on truckin’! Working hard has always made the most sense to me: you put in the hours, you get the paycheck. Easy, simple, consistent. I don’t pride myself in my social skills, networking abilities, or expertise. I can keep going as long as I need to. That’s my superpower. 

But with every superpower, you need to take some risks. I haven’t been doing that. I have been dancing between misusing it and hoarding it. Sometimes you have to venture out and take action. Sure, they have to be calculated risks, but there have to be risks nonetheless. You have to keep moving forward in order to get anywhere in life. You can’t get anywhere if you are always running from the gunfire. Sure, jumping into the fire can lead to some wounds. You might come out with a few nasty scars. But the scars will heal. And, as they do, your results will not. The things you achieved, the heights you climbed, those will stick with you forever. The course of your life will be changed forever and you will be grateful that you bled now so you could sweat later. It’s worth it in the long run. It always is.  

Back to the movie, though, I like the characters. Spoiler warning, Mr. Nobody winds up going head-to-head with the Russian mafia, and they’re all brilliantly convincing. The first scene with the main antagonist is excellent. I won’t spoil it, but the way they paint him as a reckless, power-abusing maniac is hilarious! On top of which, I have to point out that this is one of the few movies that has believable russian accents. They even tried to do a russian-ethiopian, and they pulled it off quite well. 

Overall, this is a movie I come back to a lot. Sure, when I need a childhood classic, I turn to the likes of Shanghai noon, Chicken Little, or a season of Dragon Ball Z, but as far as all-time favorites go, this one is slowly climbing its way up the list. If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend checking it out. It’s good from the beginning to the end. The only people I foresee not enjoying this are those who don’t have a tolerance for profanity. There are more than a few not-so-nice words peppered into the dialogue. Other than that, I highly recommend it!

Until next time,

Cheers!