Bob Odenkirk Punches Up ‘Nobody’ As A Wimpy Dad Hiding Dark Secret

Bob Odenkirk Punches Up ‘Nobody’ As A Wimpy Dad Hiding Dark Secret

 By Lynn Venhaus
This is one of the most violent movies I have ever seen. That said, it is a mostly satisfying thriller of kick-it-up-a-notch action, interesting plot developments and a nimble cast that elevates the good vs evil throwdown.

An ordinary husband and father with a desk job, Hutch Mansell (Bob Odenkirk) is in a rut. Every day is monotonous and nondescript until intruders break into his suburban home, and while his son Blake (Gage Munroe) acts, he thinks twice before using a golf club he grabbed to defend himself. While everyone thinks he’s a chump, the incident sparks a long-simmering rage and he becomes a vigilante of sorts.

However, this isn’t as far-fetched as you think because he has a dark secret. When he gets in the way of a brutal drug lord (Aleksey Serebryakov), things really heat up.

From Charles Bronson’s “Death Wish” in 1974 that ushered in mild-mannered dads exacting their own street vengeance to Liam Neeson’s dangerous dad in the “Taken” trilogy (2008-2014) and all the copycats in between, these movies have an appeal as strictly black-and-white action, no gray areas or nuance, in seeking retribution. You get exactly what you expect.

With a sharp script by Derek Kolstad, co-creator of the John Wicks trilogy, the pleasures of seeing a regular Joe reveal his long-dormant lethal skills in clever ways are central to the secret identity plot.

Carrying the film with genuine authority is Bob Odenkirk, who not only stars but is a producer. The Chicago native attended Southern Illinois University Carbondale and after years as a comedy writer and performer, is now best known as glib attorney Jimmy McGill from “Breaking Bad,” which was spun off into the hit series “Better Call Saul.” The Emmy nominated actor’s keen sense of timing is a plus as an action hero, although he’s not a stranger to drama either, having appeared in “The Post” and “Little Women.”

Director Ilya Naishuller, an indie rock musician and lover of hard-core video games, kicks the film into high gear with non-stop mayhem after Hutch turns his frustration and anger into vengeance that sets into motion a battle royale with Russian drug lord Yulian Kuznetsov, played by Aleksey Serebryakov as a ruthless hothead with some clownish behaviors.

But first establishing the drudgery of Hutch’s daily life and his family dynamic is key to understanding the transformation and the shocking previous life.

Hutch works on the finances of his father-in-law’s manufacturing business. He’s the butt of his more macho brother-in-law Charlie’s jokes. His teenage son thinks he’s a wimp, unlike his younger daughter Abby (Paisley Cadorath) who adores him. His wife Becca (Connie Nielsen) is a successful realtor and distant. He keeps taking life’s indignities on the chin as a “nice guy.”

So, in the aftermath, when they are in further harm’s way, his sudden protective reflexes are a surprise.

Somehow, his dad David (Christopher Lloyd), a retired FBI agent living in a nursing home, and his brother Harry (RZA), do not raise an eyebrow when he must do what he has to do. After all, they have secrets too, and it is fun watching the tables turn. Lloyd and RZA are terrific in support.

The barrage of gunfire and fights gets tedious because of its take-no prisoners formula, but that’s what the action genre delivers, and the mind games are an interesting twist.

Bob Odenkirk as Hutch Mansell in Nobody, directed by Ilya Naishuller.

Hutch won’t be considered a “nobody” for much longer, and they did leave it open to a sequel. Odenkirk, as a new action star in the Jason Statham lane, is one of the more startling notes of the spring movie season. But I would never bet against him, would you?


“Nobody” is an action-thriller directed by Ilya Naishuller that stars Bob Odenkirk, Connie Nielsen, Aleksey Serebryakov, Christopher Lloyd, RZA, Gage Munroe and Paisley Cadorath. It is rated R for strong violence and bloody images, language throughout and brief drug use. Lynn’s Grade: B-. In theaters March 26.

The Critics Choice Association Announces TV Awards Nominations

The Critics Choice Association Announces TV Awards Nominations

The Critics Choice Association (CCA) has announced the series nominees for the 26th annual Critics Choice Awards.  The winners will be revealed LIVE on The CW on Sunday, March 7, 2021 from 7-10pm ET/PT, with acclaimed film, television, and stage star Taye Diggs returning to host for his third consecutive time.  The show will continue its combined Film and Television awards format, honoring the finest in both cinematic and televised/streaming achievement.  Film nominees will be revealed on February 7, and the format of this year’s event will be announced at a later date, as health and safety guidelines are taken into consideration.  

This year, two Netflix series lead the pack, with “Ozark” and “The Crown” each up for six awards including Best Drama Series.  “Ozark” stars Jason Bateman and Laura Linney will vie for Best Actor in a Drama Series and Best Actress in a Drama Series respectively, while Tom Pelphrey, Julia Garner, and Janet McTeer are all nominated for their supporting roles.  “The Crown” also saw many of its royal players recognized.  Josh O’Connor is nominated for Best Actor in a Drama Series, while Olivia Colman and Emma Corrin find themselves together in the Best Actress in a Drama Series category.  Tobias Menzies and Gillian Anderson received recognition for their supporting roles.   

Several other series had especially strong showings with “Lovecraft Country” (HBO), “Mrs. America” (FX), “Schitt’s Creek” (Pop), and “What We Do In The Shadows” (FX) each earning five nominations, and “Better Call Saul” (AMC) and “The Plot Against America” (HBO) both up for four awards.  Netflix earned the most nominations overall, with a total of 26, followed closely by HBO/HBO Max with 24. 

“We are so thrilled to be celebrating the incredible work that was released during this extended season,” said Critics Choice Association CEO Joey Berlin.  “In a year when the need for entertainment was undeniable, the industry rallied to deliver beautiful series that delighted us, educated us, challenged us, and most importantly, brought us all together.”  

Critics Choice Awards are bestowed annually to honor the finest in cinematic and television achievement.  Historically, they are the most-accurate predictor of Academy Award nominations 

The 26th annual Critics Choice Awards show will be produced by Bob Bain Productions and Berlin Entertainment.  The CCA is represented by Dan Black of Greenberg Traurig. 

Follow the 26th annual Critics Choice Awards on Twitter and Instagram @CriticsChoice and on Facebook/CriticsChoiceAwards.  Join the conversation using #CriticsChoiceAwards. 

About the Critics Choice Association (CCA)  

The Critics Choice Association is the largest critics organization in the United States and Canada, representing more than 400 television, radio and online critics and entertainment reporters. It was established in 2019 with the formal merger of the Broadcast Film Critics Association and the Broadcast Television Journalists Association, recognizing the blurring of the distinctions between film, television, and streaming content. For more information, visit: www.CriticsChoice.com.  

About The CW  

THE CW TELEVISION NETWORK, a joint venture between Warner Bros. and CBS, launched in 2006.  The CW is a multiplatform network that broadcasts a six-night 12-hour primetime lineup, Sunday through Friday and streams its ad-supported content, free, without login or authentication on CWTV.com and The CW app which is available on every major OTT platform. In daytime, The CW broadcasts a Monday through Friday afternoon block, and a three-hour Saturday morning kids block. The CW’s digital network, CW Seed, launched in 2013, and offers beloved limited-run series, as well as past seasons of recent fan-favorite television shows. For more information about the network and its programming, visit www.cwtvpr.com.  

SERIES NOMINATIONS FOR THE 26TH ANNUAL CRITICS CHOICE AWARDS 

BEST DRAMA SERIES
Better Call Saul (AMC) 
The Crown (Netflix) 
The Good Fight (CBS All Access) 
Lovecraft Country (HBO) 
The Mandalorian (Disney+) 
Ozark (Netflix) 
Perry Mason (HBO) 
This Is Us (NBC) 

BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES 
Jason Bateman – Ozark (Netflix) 
Sterling K. Brown – This Is Us (NBC) 
Jonathan Majors – Lovecraft Country (HBO) 
Josh O’Connor – The Crown (Netflix) 
Bob Odenkirk – Better Call Saul (AMC) 
Matthew Rhys – Perry Mason (HBO)

BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES 
Christine Baranski – The Good Fight (CBS All Access) 
Olivia Colman – The Crown (Netflix) 
Emma Corrin – The Crown (Netflix) 
Claire Danes – Homeland (Showtime) 
Laura Linney – Ozark (Netflix) 
Jurnee Smollett – Lovecraft Country (HBO) 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES 
Jonathan Banks – Better Call Saul (AMC) 
Justin Hartley – This Is Us (NBC) 
John Lithgow – Perry Mason (HBO) 
Tobias Menzies – The Crown (Netflix) 
Tom Pelphrey – Ozark (Netflix) 
Michael K. Williams – Lovecraft Country (HBO)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES 
Gillian Anderson – The Crown (Netflix) 
Cynthia Erivo – The Outsider (HBO) 
Julia Garner – Ozark (Netflix) 
Janet McTeer – Ozark (Netflix) 
Wunmi Mosaku – Lovecraft Country (HBO) 
Rhea Seehorn – Better Call Saul (AMC)

BEST COMEDY SERIES 
Better Things (FX) 
The Flight Attendant (HBO Max) 
Mom (CBS) 
PEN15 (Hulu) 
Ramy (Hulu) 
Schitt’s Creek (Pop) 
Ted Lasso (Apple TV+) 
What We Do in the Shadows (FX) 

BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES 
Hank Azaria – Brockmire (IFC) 
Matt Berry – What We Do in the Shadows (FX) 
Nicholas Hoult – The Great (Hulu) 
Eugene Levy – Schitt’s Creek (Pop) 
Jason Sudeikis – Ted Lasso (Apple TV+) 
Ramy Youssef – Ramy (Hulu) 

BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES 
Pamela Adlon – Better Things (FX) 
Christina Applegate – Dead to Me (Netflix) 
Kaley Cuoco – The Flight Attendant (HBO Max) 
Natasia Demetriou – What We Do in the Shadows (FX) 
Catherine O’Hara – Schitt’s Creek (Pop) 
Issa Rae – Insecure (HBO) 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES  
William Fichtner – Mom (CBS) 
Harvey Guillén – What We Do in the Shadows (FX) 
Daniel Levy – Schitt’s Creek (Pop) 
Alex Newell – Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist (NBC) 
Mark Proksch – What We Do in the Shadows (FX) 
Andrew Rannells – Black Monday (Showtime) 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES 
Lecy Goranson – The Conners (ABC) 
Rita Moreno – One Day at a Time (Pop) 
Annie Murphy – Schitt’s Creek (Pop) 
Ashley Park – Emily in Paris (Netflix) 
Jaime Pressly – Mom (CBS) 
Hannah Waddingham – Ted Lasso (Apple TV+) 

BEST LIMITED SERIES 
I May Destroy You (HBO) 
Mrs. America (FX) 
Normal People (Hulu) 
The Plot Against America (HBO) 
The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix) 
Small Axe (Amazon Studios) 
The Undoing (HBO) 
Unorthodox (Netflix) 

BEST MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION 

Bad Education (HBO) 
Between the World and Me (HBO) 
The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel (Lifetime) 
Hamilton (Disney+) 
Sylvie’s Love (Amazon Studios) 
What the Constitution Means to Me (Amazon Studios) 

BEST ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION 
John Boyega – Small Axe (Amazon Studios) 
Hugh Grant – The Undoing (HBO) 
Paul Mescal – Normal People (Hulu) 
Chris Rock – Fargo (FX) 
Mark Ruffalo – I Know This Much is True (HBO) 
Morgan Spector – The Plot Against America (HBO) 

BEST ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION 
Cate Blanchett – Mrs. America (FX) 
Michaela Coel – I May Destroy You (HBO) 
Daisy Edgar-Jones – Normal People (Hulu) 
Shira Haas – Unorthodox (Netflix) 
Anya Taylor-Joy – The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix) 
Tessa Thompson – Sylvie’s Love (Amazon Studios) 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION 
Daveed Diggs – The Good Lord Bird (Showtime) 
Joshua Caleb Johnson – The Good Lord Bird (Showtime) 
Dylan McDermott – Hollywood (Netflix) 
Donald Sutherland – The Undoing (HBO) 
Glynn Turman – Fargo (FX) 
John Turturro – The Plot Against America (HBO) 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION   
Uzo Aduba – Mrs. America (FX) 
Betsy Brandt – Soulmates (AMC) 
Marielle Heller – The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix) 
Margo Martindale – Mrs. America (FX) 
Winona Ryder – The Plot Against America (HBO) 
Tracey Ullman – Mrs. America (FX) 

BEST TALK SHOW 
Desus & Mero (Showtime) 
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (TBS) 
The Kelly Clarkson Show (NBC/Syndicated) 
Late Night with Seth Meyers (NBC) 
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS) 
Red Table Talk (Facebook Watch) 

BEST COMEDY SPECIAL 
Fortune Feimster: Sweet & Salty (Netflix) 
Hannah Gadsby: Douglas (Netflix) 
Jerry Seinfeld: 23 Hours to Kill (Netflix) 
Marc Maron: End Times Fun (Netflix) 
Michelle Buteau: Welcome to Buteaupia (Netflix) 
Patton Oswalt: I Love Everything (Netflix) 

BEST SHORT FORM SERIES 
The Andy Cohen Diaries (Quibi) 
Better Call Saul: Ethics Training with Kim Wexler (AMC/Youtube) 
Mapleworth Murders (Quibi) 
Nikki Fre$h (Quibi) 
Reno 911! (Quibi) 
Tooning Out the News (CBS All Access)