Dir. Jaco Van Dormael, 2009, 141 mins
Cast. Jared Leto, Diane Kruger, Sarah Polley, Linh Dan Pham
Review by Michelle Moore
Jared Leto has stunned audiences with his many acting roles as well as his mesmerising singing voice. In Mr. Nobody he takes on the role of Nemo Nobody, the oldest man in the world at 118 years old and a stranger in his own body. The film focuses on his deathbed, as a journalist interviews him about the three loves of his life, Anna, Elise and Jean.
The narrative of the film is fragmented, flipping back and forth from childhood to his teenage years, adulthood and present day, therefore these three women enter in different areas of his life, and also in different paths he takes. The narrative is much like one of those stories where you choose what will happen next; if you go down path A, this will happen, or path B something different will happen. In this instance, if the young Nemo goes to live with his mother or father, depending on whom he chooses, he meets someone different and then from there can make small alterations in his life.
The constant flipping back and forth from different parts of Nemo’s life or possible life, can be a tricky to grasp, some points particularly the adult elements, with three wives, children and the teenage years which follows two paths. The discussion about space and time as well as the different features of the brains are also a little overwhelming. Having said that, alongside this element of confusion there are also elements of intrigue, curious as to what will happen in each path as they come into play and the result of the question posed by the futuristic game show host – should Nemo be allowed to die a natural death or be artificially kept alive by science as humans are in 2092.
Jared Leto has played many roles in his acting career; burgler in Panic Room, drug addict in Requiem for a Dream and murderer in Chapter 27. As a confused man, unaware of where he is in reality, it has to be said that it is not one of his finest roles, however, he is able to take on the attributes of each of Nemo’s personalities, from caring father, to loner and longhaired bearded homeless man to elderly man.
As the movie concludes some 141-minutes after it started, it appears that even the ending could not conclude without some elements of complexity; it is even more confusing with a 30-something Nemo having a conversation with the 118-year-old Nemo. If you don’t mind the ongoing need to rationalise in your mind while trying to enjoy the film then Mr Nobody is the film for you. However, if you watch to relax rather than think, then Mr Nobody may be a little too complex and rather puzzling.
