Mr. Nobody (2009)

At first, I thought it was a story about a man, the life he lived, and the connections he made along the way.

Then I thought it was an epic statement about mankind and our place in the universe.

Then I thought it was several parallel stories about the same character in different timelines, like The Fountain.

Then I thought it was about a man with dementia, struggling to remember alternate, conflicting versions of his own life.

Then I wondered if these were simply the random firings and confused memories of a dying brain.

Then I considered something supernatural was at play.

Then I thought that maybe this is some sort of philosophical, Schrödinger’s cat statement.

Then… I gave up.

In the end, what is this movie? It’s a big mess, full of confusing time jumps, a lead character with little emotional depth, endless close-ups of Jared Leto’s face, accents that drift in and out, mind-bending Michel Gondry-style edits and effects, and a soundtrack packed with ‘50s music that feels completely out of place.

Leto doesn’t seem entirely human, and his performance feels sterile. Come to think of it, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen him express the full range of human emotion in any role. Is it possible he, the actor, is somewhere on the spectrum? The camera clearly loves his face, which is indeed pretty, but when the story is incomprehensible and those close-ups lack genuine emotional weight, what’s the point? And what’s the significance of his character’s name or the film’s title? Allan Corduner, as the therapist, is a poor man’s Ben Kingsley.

There are a few profound observations and childlike questions sprinkled throughout. I remember thinking some of those things myself when I was young. But even those moments aren’t enough to ground the chaos.