How ‘Mr Nobody’ explores the passage of time and the power of choice
Through his exploration of both the film and music industries, Jared Leto has built global careers through acting and making music. The star started both careers in the 1990s, appearing in classics such as Fight Club, Girl Interrupted and American Psycho, alongside forming the band Thirty Seconds to Mars in 1998. One film Leto holds close to his heart is the science-fiction drama Mr Nobody, released on September 12th, 2009 and directed by Jaco Van Dormael, who is recognised for his sympathetic portrayal of people with disabilities.
The film narrates the life of Nemo Nobody, a 118-year-old human who is Earth’s last living mortal following humankind’s anti-ageing conquest. Nobody shares his story with a journalist, discussing his three main loves, his parents and the hardships he endured. Mr Nobody embodies a nonlinear narrative, incorporating the multiverse hypothesis, as other potential routes of Nobody’s life are explored under the famous question “What if?”
Following an initial release at the 66th Venice Film Festival, Mr Nobody was nominated for seven Magritte Awards, winning six, including Best Film and Best Director for Van Dormael. It has gained a cult following in the 13 years since its release, with fans celebrating its cinematography, in-depth characters and emotional weight.
“My producers don’t like me saying it, but it’s really a big-budget experimental film about the many different lives one person can live, depending on the choices he makes,” director Van Dormael shared with The Gazette upon the film’s release. “It’s about the infinite possibilities facing any person. There are no good or bad choices in life. It’s simply that each choice will create another life for you. What’s interesting is to be alive.”
These elements are presented through the multiple narratives and outcomes stemming from the many choices Nobody can make, involving his love life and choosing which parent to stay with. When considering and analysing where each possible choice will lead him as a child, Nobody’s imagination resorts to internal chaos. Through this exploration of choices and the imposing butterfly effect, Mr Nobody also dissects the passage of time in which these decisions carry out. As the film alternates between scenes of the young boy, the adolescent, and the mature man, it emphasises the expressive reciprocity between philosophical lifestyles and what makes reality possible.
Theories on time and the consequences of our decisions are introduced through the emphasis on the lack of control individuals have over their lives and the passing of time, evident in the multiple ways Nobody has to rely on luck. Furthermore, its concepts of the nature of time, string theory and the butterfly effect are explored through visual symbolism, such as colours used to indicate and emphasise specific values and explain how Nobody feels about his choices. For example, yellow symbolises the value of wealth and materialism as related to independence. When Nobody chooses Jean to be his wife, he becomes submerged in depression, symbolised by the colour blue.
On the 11th anniversary of Mr Nobody, Leto took to Twitter to pay tribute to the film. The star shared how the film changes his life, explaining the bonds he built on set and the impact the film’s content had on his outlook. The star added: “It’s a film about how even the smallest choices we make can have huge ramifications. What’s a decision you’ve made that could have led to a different life if you chose differently?”
These statements highlight the effect Mr Nobody had on Leto’s outlook on life and career, establishing strong bonds between film industry workers and having a thorough appreciation for the director’s vision. Mr Nobody has this aftermath through its presentation of brilliant genre codes that express some emotional and dramatic thematic values, harmonising both categories, story and emotional input. The film channels its concepts effectively, proposing an insightful observation of the power of time and how people use it.
Watch a philosophical clip from Mr Nobody below.
