Nobody Saw Bob Odenkirk Coming

I know I’m a little late to the party on this one.

I also realize that I’ve reviewed a TON of dad movies and guy stuff lately. I haven’t given nearly enough attention to movies that appeal to women, and my representation of LGBTQ content could certainly use some work.

I’m aware of this, and I’m working on it.

But then I watched NOBODY and NOBODY 2, and I’m sorry, folks. Apparently, I am exactly the target audience for this stuff, and I absolutely loved it!

Let’s talk about Bob Odenkirk.

Most people probably know him as Saul Goodman from BREAKING BAD and BETTER CALL SAUL, and rightfully so. His performance in those shows made him a television legend, transforming a sleazy comic-relief lawyer into one of the most fascinating characters in modern television.

But some of us knew Bob Odenkirk was a legend long before Saul Goodman ever appeared on television.

• To me, he was the other half of MR. SHOW WITH BOB & DAVID, alongside David Cross, an incredibly funny, brilliantly weird sketch comedy series that helped establish both men as comedy royalty. So watching this guy reinvent himself as a bona fide action star is a pretty spectacular thing.

And here’s the kicker: He’s REALLY good at it!

The original NOBODY is, without exaggeration, one of the best action movies I’ve ever seen. That’s a pretty big statement coming from somebody who has spent most of his life watching movies, but I stand by it.

I love a good story. I love being surprised. I love when a movie makes me think I know exactly where it’s going, only to pull the rug out from under me and reveal that I haven’t got a clue.

By the time NOBODY 2 rolls around, we already know Hutch Mansell. We know what happens when somebody gets on his bad side, and we know the mild-mannered suburban dad routine is hiding something considerably more dangerous.

So what do you do with a character like that?

Apparently, you send him on a family vacation, and naturally, things don’t go particularly well.

It’s a terrific premise for a sequel, and the movie delivers exactly the kind of action, laughs, and ridiculous mayhem I wanted to see. But here’s the thing about a great sequel: sometimes being just as entertaining isn’t the same as being just as extraordinary.

The first NOBODY genuinely caught me off guard. The second one gave me another opportunity to spend time with a character I already loved. Those are two different experiences, and they’re both worth having. 

Hollywood is constantly trying to give us bigger explosions, bigger villains, bigger franchises, and bigger everything. But sometimes the greatest thing a movie can give you is the feeling that you have absolutely no idea what’s coming next.

That feeling is priceless.

I don’t need every movie to reinvent cinema. I don’t need every story to deliver some profound message about the human condition. Sometimes I just want to sit down, forget about everything else for a couple of hours, laugh my ass off, and have my adrenaline pumping.

Surprise me. Entertain me. Make me give a damn about the people on the screen. NOBODY did all of that, and NOBODY 2 reminded me how much fun it was.

I genuinely wish I could unwatch the original so I could experience it for the first time all over again. That’s about the highest compliment I can give any movie.

These two films have become one of my favorite movie series of the year, and Bob Odenkirk has somehow managed to become one of my favorite action stars. Not bad for the other guy from MR. SHOW. And apparently, he’s not finished. There’s another Bob Odenkirk action movie called NORMAL, and you can bet your ass that’s next on my watch list. I’ll be watching it, and I’ll have a review for you afterward. Because at this point, I think it’s safe to say that if Bob Odenkirk is kicking somebody’s ass, I’m probably going to want to watch.