Film Hick: Mr Nobody by Jaco Van Dormael (2009)

I really enjoyed this film – it was an easy seduction from the moment that I saw the trailer. It could have failed though, as many long and lyrical films do, to hold my interest for its length. I am happy to report that this was not a problem.

The cinematography, the special effects, and the balancing of the various storylines, together with wonderful performances from lead actor Jared Leto as Nemo, and each of the supporting cast, fused together into a movie that achieved something that worked on a level and in a way where other films have failed me recently. I am thinking of Cloud Atlas which was similarly ambitious and story-wise aimed to cover a similar span of time but which remained loose and formless, whereas this maintained that most important of elements to most, if not all stories, its human core.

Nothing about this film felt clever for clever\’s sake. It was grounded in the central drives and motivations of Nemo, and the exploration of his story was a heart that they built a thinking and beautiful movie around. It compelled me, kept me curious, and got me so involved in its drama, that I was entertained enough to not try to puzzle it out too much. It was an enjoyable journey – you should find a way to go on it.