Mr. Nobody

Mr. Nobody

Hi guys! Erika Perez, a Film & Electronic Arts (FEA) major from the 2:30 class says that Mr. Nobody is the best film she’s seen in a while. Want to watch it? If you watch Mr. Nobody on Netflix, etc, and discuss the film in the comments on this page, I’ll give you up to 20 points of Extra Credit. You can watch it here:

This page will be open for discussion till the end of Week 2: Sunday, Sept 4, at 11:59pm

Watch & Talk! (& add to your comments whether you’re in 1p or 2:30)

Thanks Erika!

movie poster for the film Mr. Nobody featuring the title text, and various vignetted images from the film

28 Comments

  1. Mr. Nobody was quite the interesting film. At first I found it difficult and confusing to comprehend what the movie was trying to portray. It took me a while to realize what the movie’s message was. Once I began to tie parts of the film together, I started thinking about what the underlying message was that the producer was trying to get across. I personally think that the meaning behind it was “choice.” Sometimes in life it is more smart and logical to let things flow rather than forcing an issue. Thinking so strongly about a decision can cause conflict. In Mr. Nobody, Nemo was constantly fighting between what really happened in his past (what was real and what was fake).

    -Nathan Davalos 2:30

  2. Thank you Erika Perez, for recommending this film. I truly enjoyed it, and it challenged me to think about the way our actions can affect everything in our lives. The film also reintroduced several theories that I have not thought about in awhile. In the film Mr. Nobody, the main character Nemo Nobody, contemplates his life, from what seems to be three milestone moments. The movie is a bit difficult to unravel, and I had to rewatch it three times to understand it completely. It really is amazing to think that small actions can impact our life in a way that we do not understand. Like choosing whether to walk or run to a class, one allows you take your time and enjoy scenery. While the other one gets you to class on time or maybe just in time. Overall, the movie was eye-opening and interesting.

    Samantha Gomez
    Section 03, 2:30

  3. This film was quite interesting, in my opinion. At the beginning, I was a bit confused at the beginning because it showed the main character, Nemo Nobody, jumping from different perspectives. Throughout the movie, it also makes us think about complicated questions, such as “if we cannot see ourselves, do we really exist” and theories, such as “the butterfly effect”. One thing that really stuck with me after I watched the movie was the importance of choice. The movie emphasizes on how someone’s choices, no matter how small they may be, play a role in an event much greater. Overall, I really liked the movie.

    Nhi Truong
    Section 02, 1:00

  4. The movie was captivating from the very start. I really admired the visuals and thought that the whole organization of the movie set it apart from most movies, as the visuals provided a sense of surreal allure in a futuristic setting. The sci-fi romance illustrated with Mr. Nobody’s also added additional appeal–at least for the girls. The overlapping moments from Nemo’s memories were a little difficult to follow at the beginning but I actually came to enjoy the mystery in all of the different lives. I loved how the film conveyed a sense of wonder and how it explored existential elements about our lives through the movie. It made you think about people’s place in the world and really ponder the notion of fate and free will in a philosophical way.

    Jamie Van
    Section 03: 2:30

  5. This movie was very interesting. Throughout the entire movie, I was very confused and had a hard time following it. I kept on telling myself to just watch a little more and maybe I’ll get it. I told myself that until the very end of the movie when everything actually started to make sense. The main character, Nemo, visualized himself in many different situations. Mr. Nobody creates a lot of conflicting memories and possibilities. Ultimately, it leads to one thing: choice. He was forced to make a choice between his parents. In the end, he chose the third option: to not make any at all. I just realize how this relates to our everyday lives. Everyday, we make a choice. We think of the different outcomes and if we think that it doesn’t work out, we try to think of other options. I definitely recommend this movie to other people.

  6. Damonte Ford

    This movie was honestly one of the most confusing movies I’ve ever watched. I didn’t understand anything that was going on throughout the entire movie. It was as if the movie kept fluctuating between different events that occurred in Nemo Nobody’s life. Although, I was able to gain some insight on what the movie is actually about. I realized throughout the movie he talked about choices and how the choices we make can effect our lives. As the movie continued it showed Nemo’s life in different perspectives due to what choices he made throughout his life. Overall this movie gave me the message of making wise choices.

    Damonte Ford
    Section 02, 1:00

  7. Jacqueline Sanchez

    This movie was amazing! I would agree that it is one of the best films I have watched in a long time as well. Although it can get a bit confusing, I love the way it is presented because it better contrasts the outcomes of the different decisions the protagonist had to make. The film spoke out to me because I tend to overthink every decision I have to make. I find myself getting carried away with “what ifs”. This movie made me think about how impactful the decisions we make in life can be, however it also make the point that regardless of what life one ends up with, it is no less meaningful. There is no absolute “right” decision.

    1:00pm

  8. Andrew Nguyen

    This movie made me really think about life in a different perspective. I felt it was a little hard to follow at times but as the movie progressed it showed how the main character, Nemo, was put in various situations with all different memories. He lived out different lives in every memory. It almost felt like Inception watching this movie. Mr. Nobody presented a romance in every memory; however, I really enjoyed how the movie made viewers question what reality was. Throughout the movie he has to make different choices, which ultimately affected his life. The theme of the movie was memories and choices in a sense and I believe this is very symbolic to our everyday lives. We should always try to make the right choices that will affect us positively. Overall, I would definitely recommend this movie for those who like mystery future movies.

    Andrew Nguyen
    Section 02: 1:00pm

  9. If I didn’t know that this movie was about making life choices, I would’ve been so confused watching it. Throughout the movie, I kept asking myself “Which path did he choose? Did he end up with Anna? Jean?? Elise??? What is this movie about?? What is the point of this movie?” I know the situations were memories but I was itching to know which one was real. At the end of the movie, it concluded that they’re all in the imagination of the 9 years old kid on the train track who was in the dilemma of choosing between his mom or his dad; however, he ran the other way – not choosing between his parents. To me, I can relate to that. Everytime I get so indecisive, I don’t choose and just walk away from the situation. For example, if I wanted to buy a laptop or a desktop, I don’t decide at that moment until I know what I want to get. But until then, I just walk away from it. Also, in the movie, it portrays Nemo’s life with Anna, Elise, and Jean. How he ended up with each one in each memory. Teen Nemo fell in love with Anna, but then got separated. Teen Nemo fell in love with Elise, but Elise was still in love with Stefano. One memory, teen Nemo and Elise got together but the other memory, teen Nemo got with Jean as a rebound. But the adult Nemo wasn’t satisfied with his life with Jean even though he was super rich and very successful. With Elise, they had 3 wonderful kids but still unhappy. With Anna, they were still separated until they met again after many years. With Anna’s memory, it seemed like he didn’t have that much money and didn’t have that much going on with his life. But at the end, Mr.Nobody’s last word was “Anna.” That hit me. He chose a “path” with struggles and separations because he knows at the end, he will end up happy with someone he truly loves. With Jean, he was bored of his life and unhappy even though he was super rich and his wife loves him. With Elise, he had a decent life with kids and a stable job but Elise still loved her ex. With Anna, he didn’t have anything. He didn’t even have a job but he waited for Anna at the bench where they promised to meet because Anna was his true happiness. Success, stability, and excessive amount of money don’t guarantee true happiness, true love does.

    Joy Uba 1pm

  10. Yesenia Hernandez

    Mr. Nobody was interesting, confusing and enlightening. I was confused for a good portion of the movie because I did not know what was real. I had the same question throughout the movie, which life did he live, which is real? I wanted to know and him to choose. However, by the end of the movie, I hoped he had lived through all of them. It did not matter which was “real” he had loved and lived in each. Just as he tells the journalist at the end, every life was right.
    Mr. Nobody revolved around choices. Every chose leads you down a new path. I think people in general have a hard time making decisions because they do not want to make the wrong one. We get so stuck trying to decide which choice is right that we never make one. We do not get to live. I think that is what the movie was trying to portray that what is important is to live and love. In each life Nemo had love and that made his life worth it. As an old man Nemo understand that it does not matter, however, young Nemo knowing all the truths of his life still cannot make a decision. If we all knew what each decision led us to we wouldn’t know what to choose as well. The unknown risks each decision has makes it more interesting. Knowing the future is burdening. Although, the unknown is scary it makes life more exciting. I would rather not know.

    1. I was also confused at first haha, but I do think it is one of it’s charming points. I wanted to bring up a specific example about risks in Nemo’s life with Jean. I feel like in that life Nemo made all the “right” decisions in terms of society’s standards. He became successful and wealthy, but he doesn’t seem happy in his comfortable life. He seems bored and the only source of entertainment he gets is by flipping a coin to determine his next decision, even if it means his life. Having unknown risks really do make life more interesting.

      Jessica Obrique, Section 2: 2:30 p.m.

  11. Mr. Nobody was one of the most interesting and confusing movies I have ever seen. I went into the movie completely blindsided, not knowing what the movie was about. However, throughout the movie that’s all I wanted to know. I wanted to read a description of the movie because I thought it would make things clearer. However, I didn’t go through with it. I simply continued to watch Mr. Nobody. The movie was confusing because as a viewer you were never really sure what actions Nemo Nobody actually did and by the end of the movie it sort of still stayed that way. What I got out of Mr. Nobody was that our choices in life come with other choices after that. Life goes on after we make a decision, it might get harder or easier, but it goes on. However, the most important aspect I walked away with is that we all have choices in life. Nemo didn’t have to stay with his father, but he didn’t have to go with his mother. He had a choice, and his choice lead to a variety of different lifestyles he could have had. Overall, I thought the movie was surprising and amazing and wouldn’t mind watching it at all.

    Melissa Rios
    Section 02: 1 p.m.

  12. Wow, Mr. Nobody had many compelling philosophical elements that were brought to scene. Immortality? Choices? Alternate universe? Mr. Nobody shows two directions that could’ve happened. Did happen? So, in the movie Nemo has two decision, whether or not he lives with his dad or mom. The movie played out both his potential life to the end. This is where it got a bit confusing for me therefore I searched up the synopsis of the movie. It was then that I realized none of the choices have played out in Nemo’s actual life and that he just saw the future of his choices. At the end he chose a different choice, a choice he didn’t see the outcome of. I thought that was a beautiful ending because it shows how life has no certainty. I thougth the movie portrayed well the elements of free will and the idea of free will. I am glad I saw the movie as I would recommend to my friend and family. Maybe would even watch it a second time to grasp the entirety of the movie a little more clearer.

    Darryl Nguyen
    Seciton 02: 2:30 PM

  13. Janett Moctezuma 2:30pm

    Mr. Nobody was a very interesting film although it was quite confusing and hard to follow at first. The main character in the film is Nemo Nobody, who is the last mortal on Earth and is about to die. The overall message the producer is trying to send with this film is life choice and that is because in the film they talk about Nemo’s three lives. Three lives because Nemo made different life choices which all result in a different life story. By the end of the film, I began to think about the life choices I have made so far and how would my life be if I would of chosen different. Life is all about choices and whatever choice we make will lead us to a different life.

  14. When the movie started, I knew from the opening scene that Mr. Nobody wasn’t going to be one of your typical movies. At first I was a little thrown off by the seemingly random cutscenes that disrupted the flow of the movie. But as I continued to watch, I realized the style and message of the film was developed to make the audience think. It wasn’t meant to be straight forward and in your face. The message I got out of the movie was that every decision we make can impact our life and sometimes we may or may not make the “right” choice. But even if we go back and change that decision, what will the future look like now? It’s impossible to see the future.

    Jessica Obrique, Section 2

  15. Evan Burton 1:00 PM

    Mr. Nobody is a perfect film for anyone who has ever wondered what fate could have had waiting for them if they made different choices. It is a commentary on the human processes of regret, personal reflection, and the freedom of choice, which turns out to be one of the most powerful aspects of our lives. Isn’t it a bit intimidating to realize that we truly do have the power to shape our own destiny, but we could easily make the “wrong” choice? Personally, I am a deeply relflective person. Instead of living strictly in the moment, I often wonder how my actions will affect my life as a whole. This movie has been on my Netflix list for a long time, and I’m glad that this class finally made me take the time to watch it. It follows Nemo Nobody, a man in a futuristic setting near the end of his life. The cinematic components of this film could be discussed for days due to its sci-fi aspects, but the deeper parts of the plot are generally more engaging. It was eye-opening to see Nemo like who he was in one version of his life, but not like who he was with romantically. The choices we make usually result in trade-offs: family or career, known or unknown. Mr. Nobody shows that there are always things you will have to leave behind in life, things you can’t bring with you. I thought about how different my life would be if I lived with either my mom or my dad, and it was like night and day. If Mr. Nobody has taught me anything, it’s that you should always look at your life from various perspectives and figure out where you want to go.

  16. I watched this movie a while ago with my ex boyfriend because he had really wanted to see it. It was on Netflix and I was pretty excited to see it because I didn’t know what it was about. However, when I watched it I was just very confused and I didn’t comprehend what was going on throughout the entire movie. I thought that it was all too complicated and I didn’t know if I connected with the movie as well as I’d hoped I had. Anyways, I watched it again this week and I feel like I can now grasp what the movie is about and what is the underlying theme to it. Nemo has various situations in which he must make a choice but in the movie he has scenarios for every option he could take with each choice he makes. I think about this concept a lot about my life. It is so frustrating how one simple decision, as small as it could be, has the power to influence your life in a huge way. Sometimes your actions or decisions will have tremendous effects on your life down the road. In a way, I think that you should consider your options in life and try to make decisions to the best of your ability so that those decisions can later make a positive attribute to your life. But I don’t think people should become fixated on “making the right choice” all the time because in the end we don’t know where we will end up. Life has a way of working out for everyone and if you’re always second-guessing yourself and thinking that you could have done better or that your life would be better if you had done this instead of that doesn’t work. You can always try to shape your destiny and control your life but in the end there are always going to be greater forces or other factors that you may have never known about or thought of that can also affect you in a powerful way. There are no “right” choices and you just have to make the best out of what life brings you every single day.

  17. I absolutely loved this film. Like many of my peers, I also was confused for the first half of the film and was not quite to sure what was happening. But as the film developed, I think the confusion that this film evokes in its audience perfect.It captures the confusion and complexity of the life changing decisions that we, as humans, are faced with day in and day out. This film reflects on three versions of the life of Nemo Nobody as he is on his “death bed”. Later we find out that this film actually happens in span of a couple minutes as a young Nemo Nobody is forced with a very difficult decision, whether to stay with his father or leave with his mother since they are splitting. The variations of his life were all equally complex, fulfilling and distressing. I think that it is a very important point that the film was trying to make. Choices all have pros and cons. There is not one choice in life were everything that will come out of it is completely positive. Why? Because that is life. Its beautiful and messy at the same time. One of the most important things that I got out of this movie was that it doesn’t matter what choice you make as long as you’re in control of your life. At the end of the film, i think there is an allusion to the phrase “you make your own fate”. All of these three possible lives for Nemo were a metaphor for the so called fate that so many people strongly believe in. Nemo for a while believes that he is a slave to his own destiny or fate and just has to chose the better of the paths. But he breaks free from this and takes on a life that was not presented at the beginning of the film. Nemo decided to make his own choices, which was also messy but beautiful, but was not a premeditated idea, rather just a series of decisions that in the moment made him happy because that was what he wanted. I’m always planning ahead and trying to plan the future and set it up for myself, but I think this movie made me want to live a little more day by day while still being the author of my own story and not let anyone tell me that I have a premeditated fate.

  18. Roxana Chavez

    Mr. Nobody is absolutely a great movie! A little back story of this movie is Nemo (the main character ) being conflicted and torn apart by his parents. Nemo’s parents are divorced and he has to make the decision of either going with his father or his mother. Which I can not personal relate but know how difficult it is when a child is torn between parents. Through out the movie we see the different choices and decisions that he has had in each different life he has lived. From the three love interest he had in each different life was special in each and every way. This movie is based of on how the decisions we make can affect our lives in many various ways. As my classmate Evan said I am as well a very reflective person and before I make decisions in my life I think of every possible outcome that can come out of the decision I am about to take for myself. The message behind this movie was very touching in my perspective because it shows that whatever choice you do decide to chose they will have its goods and its bad times. Life is unpredictable and to have this movie show all of the different possiblies someone can have is outstanding in a way that makes you view life and the way we live it differently. I will definitely be showing this movie to my family and friends. I t was great.

  19. The movie Mr. Nobody is an interesting film that had me appalled at the beginning. As it progressed however, I got the idea of what Nemo was going through. He was in a world left alone with nothing, but strangers. Who hasn’t felt that before ? Nemo was the last mortal left on Earth. He had lived a fascinating life and as he was on his death bed. He might have wondered what could’ve happened if his life would have been different in every choice he made. I think the important message in this film is look at your choices, analyze them and make the best one happen. I think Nemo overthought things which is why he struggled in making choices however. As shown in the beginning of the film, Nemo wasn’t able to make a decision not even as simple as choosing a pastry; therefore, he preferred to not make one at all. I believe Nemo was afraid of making choices because he didn’t know if he would’ve made the right choice by choosing the other option. I think this film represents the quote “Life is like a box of chocolate, you never know what you’re gonna get” because in life we really don’t know what we’re getting ourselves into. I think the director of this film did an amazing job because through out the film it makes the audience wonder and question ourselves about our oh well’s and what if’s.

  20. Lydia Chang

    I think that the movie was very intriguing, as much as it was confusing. After watching the movie and looking up summaries (because, come on, what did I just watch?), I think that “Mr. Nobody” is about the choices we make in life and how every decision (the big & little ones) can affect the way things can turn out. The only questions that preoccupy Nemo in his old, present self is whether he lived the right life for himself, loved the woman whom he was supposed to love, and had the children whom he was meant to have and his purpose is to find the right answer. Ultimately, the film asks the question “does it even matter in the end what choice we choose- is any of this even /real/?”
    This film also explains that nothing is certain/real – everything is imagination. It’s like day-dreaming: you picture something and then one thing leads to another and you may find yourself wondering what it’s like to be old and having a family with children. This concept resonates well because it’s true, you can witness it everyday. People can “plan” their lives all they want yet nothing works out the way they hoped for or they thought it was supposed to be. Plans are good for a guideline but never as the ultimate be-all-and-end-all; that’s just foolish. If you plan for everything in life you may ultimately miss out on the beautiful chaos called life.

    Lydia Chang, Section 3(?): 2:30PM

  21. Lourdes Sandoval

    Mr. Nobody:
    For the first entire hour of the movie, I was partially confused because of the different scenes from different ages throughout Nemo’s life. Nemo’s parents get divorced, because his mother cheats on his father in which his father blames himself for that. In one scene, we see Nemo leave with his mother and in another we see him stay with his father. While living with his mother, he falls in love with a girl named Anna. He later gets married to her and has children. One day, he hits a bird and drives his car into a lake and ends up drowning. While leaving with his dad, his father becomes disabled. Later, Nemo gets into a motorcycle accident in which he has to be hospitalized. What I understood from the movie was that Nemo had a few choices: to go with his mother, father, or neither. Nemo makes the third choice, which is to not make a choice at all. I feel like Nemo had many decisions to choose from throughout the movie, and had a hard time choosing the “right” one. That could be relatable because sometimes I just wish someone could just tell me what the “right” choice is for any situation that I’m in. Overall, this movie was confusing, but clearer as it was ending. I really liked it because of all the perspectives the audience was able to see as Nemo was going through different times in his life. I really liked that this movie was assigned as extra credit for this week because coincidently this week’s art activity was to photograph a way of dying. I just thought it was ironic seeing a movie where the character dies a few times.

    Art 110 Section 03- 2:30pm

  22. Much like many of my peers, Mr. Nobody confused my in the beginning. I would say the purpose of this movie first clicked when he meet those three girls when they were young, which would build to show how every decision you make has an implication. I want to point out my favorite points were when he would explain everything in science terms because I would understand them considering I’m a science major. The different experiences that Nemo went through all had a purpose in his life to exemplify his decisions. Although the movie revealed itself as it went along, the time lapses into different moments of Nemo’s life made it a bit confusing. I felt the movie was very emotional, connecting to these different people throughout his life, which connected the audience with Nemo. By connecting with Nemo, we find ourselves in these situations where we have to decide and make life-concerning decisions. It shows how one simple moment has a chain of preceding events, which we don’t think about when we are making these decisions. I loved the fact that the movie made us think of these things which we overlook a lot of the time. It made me think of the decisions I make on a daily basis, especially when I least think they will effect me long term.

  23. Maritess Inieto, Wed 1:00pm

    “As long as you don’t make a choice, everything remains a possibility”. I found this movie very interesting because it was SOOO abstract. The way the movie was set for one thing was already very different. What instantly caught my attention was when they brought up telomeres because I had recently studied them! Also the use of stem cells intrigued me. I MUST say the scene where they all started living together and the step siblings slept together and sneaked off into other rooms as the mother was looking for Nemo made me a little nervous that they might get caught. If you don’t pay close attention, it would be a little confusing because they go from story to story, but that also made it all so interesting. The fact that the movie went back and forth on each decision that he made was such a different concept in comparison to any other movie that I have ever watched. Also with Nemo being the last mortal person I was just like, wow what is going on. The complexity of this movie was on a whole new level. When Nemo decided what he wanted, numbering things off and getting them, it inspired me to do the same. Achieve things I want, no doubts about them. Being a person who thinks thoroughly of what has happened in the past and how I could have changed certain things, I knew what Nemo felt when he would look back at certain decisions, wanting to change them. Overall, this movie was very compelling to watch and I would definitely recommend it to others if they are in the mood to watch a confusing yet interesting movie.

  24. Carlos Villicana

    Mr. Nobody was a movie that I had long had my eye on. I thought the film did a good job of transitioning between all of the different perspectives. I was never confused about whether or not what I was viewing was a perspective I had previously seen or completely new. There was enough that changed visually with each perspective change to notify to the audience when we were viewing a different version of Nemo’s life.

    Unfortunately, the film didn’t really connect with me. Jared Leto being the lead had something to do with it. I’ve never been able to enjoy his performances in movies. He always comes off to me as having a fake quality to him. I felt that the film undermined its own message of trying to say that the choices we make aren’t necessarily good or bad by showing that some of the lives were clearly better than others. Though the idea that Mr. Nobody plays with is interesting, I found the film to be hard to connect with as it relied too much on its gimmick.

  25. Thanks everyone! Nice discussion of a very interesting but, yes, confusing film.

    Personally I like films about ideas, and Hollywood doesn’t make so many of them. Hollywood tends to be, you know, so fast, and so, you know, furious! 😛

    Anyway, in that context I appreciated this piece.

    But for me I think it might have been “too many secrets”. I think the filmmakers could have “helped” us a little. Also it was so intercut that I found it hard to connect to the different narrative arcs. Until about 45:00 in, we never really connect deeply to any of his 3 main storylines / relationships… at that point we get a longer segment of the relationship with Anna (played as an adult by Diane Kruger) and I started to connect with that a bit better. Although even as we do finally get bits of the 3 arcs, each of his 3 partners are played by so many actors of so many ages that again, it’s hard to connect.

    We often use the term “suspension of disbelief” meaning that even though a film story may be in a fantasy or impossible world, that we’ll suspend judgement of that and go with whatever the given circumstances of this story world are. We humans seem almost wired to do this. Mr. Nobody makes this hard with all these fragments. No aspect of the film is too far out to accept, but it seems to constantly work against letting us connect to, or understand any of, the characters or their relationships.

    For me this was an admirable effort. But I think that if the story had been reeled in a bit, it could have spoken more powerfully.

    Thank you Erika for recommending it!
    And thank you everyone for watching and discussing it!

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