Nobody
As far as grand pronouncements about last month’s flood go, I’ve got two. The serious one is that it is criminal how little the mental health and well-being of Tennesseans is valued by the current supermajority running things. Speaking as someone still dealing with trauma from Nashville’s 2010 flood, I think it would be great if there were resources available (counseling/therapy, housing assistance) for regular folks. The other grand pronouncement is that at least there are better movies than 2010’s Nightmare on Elm Street remake in the zeitgeist this time around. As always, look back at past issues of the Scene for more recommendations of what to stream: March 26, April 2, April 9, April 16, April 23, April 30, May 7, May 14, May 21, May 28, June 4, June 11, June 18, June 25, July 2, July 9, July 16, July 23, July 30, Aug. 6, Aug. 13, Aug. 20, Aug. 27, Sept. 3, Sept. 10, Sept. 17, Sept. 24, Oct. 1, Oct. 15, Oct. 29, Nov. 5, Nov. 11, Nov. 26, Dec. 3, Dec. 17, Jan. 6, Jan. 21, Jan. 28, Feb. 4, Feb. 11, Feb. 18, Feb. 25, March 11, March 18, March 25, April 1.
Nobody in Theaters Now, via video on demand April 12
Best enjoyed as a Mr. Show sketch that somehow got a few million dollars thrown at it, this Bob Odenkirk vehicle has all the expected beats of the kind of action cinema that has been keeping Liam Neeson and Keanu Reeves at the forefront of contemporary asskicking conversations. The difference this time around is twofold: Odenkirk is a delight, as he is in everything he does. He sells Nobody’s Hutch Mansell as a nebbish, pragmatic dad, auditor (on multiple levels) and merchant of death. But there’s a moment in the script (written by John Wick’s Derek Kolstad) that feels like a wrinkle brought in from David Cronenberg’s The Fly dealing with the real and the constructed that scratches the brainstem in an interesting way. It teases a narrative path promptly put back in the film’s wallet.
So it’s retired CIA/FBI assassin/amateur lasagniero Hutch versus the Russian mafia, with impressive fight choreography (the best comparison is 2011’s Haywire, as far as unexpected impact) and a weird sense of humor. (Also, thankfully, the filmmakers don’t try to make Hutch’s former job a heroic avocation, because it isn’t.) Nobody also has a ridiculous amount of cavalier gunplay, for which your personal mileage may vary. It would be an exponentially better world if people’s arsenals remained fake and on screen rather than as instruments of intimidation and slaughter for their fellow human beings, but that’s a decision that every moviegoer has to make for themselves.
But as far as a slick little exploitation film (I saw this at the drive-in the night before the flood, and it fit perfectly), this has several great narrative turns and a great supporting cast — any film with Christopher Lloyd, Michael Ironside and RZA gets full marks on that end. The great Connie Nielsen has very little to do, and it would be smart to step up her presence for the inevitable sequel — in both Demonlover and the Wonder Woman films, she’s demonstrated a game physicality for kicking all sorts of butt. But Odenkirk can do anything (see also: his sublime directorial debut Melvin Goes to Dinner, currently streaming on Netflix, and his sorely underrated comic exposé Let’s Go to Prison, on Cinemax and HBO Max), and it’s nice to have him do action movie things — especially when he basically disassembles an entire busworth of toxic dudes.
Then came the flood. Thankfully I found a couch in Hermitage courtesy of some friends (thankfully vaccinated as well), and my pal Phil C. said, “I know what will help.” And it was ...
Bad Trip
Bad Trip on Netflix
Eric Andre remains a chaos agent for all that is good and destabilizing. Bad Trip is a brisk effort, a fusion narrative (think Bad Grandpa or Haggard) that sends Andre and best friend Lil Rel Howery from Florida to New York City for love while detouring into first-person prankster scenarios, and it pulls off a really neat achievement. It’s really funny, gross in a way that pushes some interesting envelopes, perfectly paced, and determined to point out the inherent decency of random folks. Like Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, Bad Trip is a case of hidden cameras that aim to build up human solidarity, and it’s reassuring in a way that is very helpful to those in strenuous situations.
That’s not to say Bad Trip is all respectable — I imagine it might cause some very heated nationwide discussion. (It was the No. 1 film on Netflix its opening weekend, which is wild considering the film’s ménage à gorille.) But Andre, Howery and the always-reliable Tiffany Haddish have a blast with this cathartic travelogue, and that chaotic joy is infectious. And does anyone know where to find a rearview mirror chandelier like Haddish’s car has?
Saved by the Bell (2021) via Peacock
Similarly, the first season of the new Saved by the Bell series pulls off quite a few interesting objectives. It nails the charm of the ’90s-staple original series, while stepping up the writing to a whole other level. (It makes perfect sense that 30 Rock’s Tracey Wigfield was a guiding force behind this reboot, because this show is where that rapid-fire character-driven jokecraft has landed.) The original Bell was a pleasant trifle devoted to the form of the hacky sitcom, and it is remembered because of the game, enthusiastic cast having rich-kid adventures and learning low-key lessons. Using that as the foundation, the folks involved with this new incarnation have managed to make a smart show about a silly situation, with some incredible performances (Josie Totah has Jane Krakowski-level comic timing) and writing that puts non-Letterkenny sitcoms to shame.
Adept at demonstrating the multiple dishonesties that get caught up in using underfunded schools as a tool, the way that racism poisons aspects of interpersonal interaction, and executing a pitch-perfect Euphoria parody, this is a show everyone should be paying attention to. I resisted, even when those whose opinions I trusted completely vouched for it. But in a post-Bad Trip flood-aftermath situation, the time was right. So maybe this’ll help you check out what’s going on at Bayside High. You won’t regret it. You’ll laugh, feel better about the world, and maybe even forge your own secret handshake.
