“Weirdo” is the only name given to the lead character of “Nobody”, an elderly person of undefined sex who lives alone in an apartment full of memories. For the disgusting habit of spitting on the floor, the always impeccably dressed titular character of the film is despised by his neighbors and the angry bus drivers of the line he is taking daily to go to the hospital. His journeys are as mysterious as his sickening habit, for he seems to be a person of a good taste, careful about the choice of self-tailored suits he's always wearing along with shiny polished patent leather shoes.
“Nobody” screened at the Osaka Asian Film Festival 2020
The spitting is an obvious reaction of sorts, a hideous rebellion against someone or something, but the people won't take it, and Weirdo gets taken to the police station at one point by one of the drivers who had enough of his stubborn fits. But the senior never gives any explanation, not even to the police officers, using his alleged hearing impediment as a defense.
“Nobody” is a title that got lost in the translation. In this LGTB drama, there are barely people who lack substantial presence. Maybe the more proper name would be “Someone”, as there is a question surrounding Weirdo's (An Yi Chiao) identity hanging in the air. The frail frame, the walk and the face features are visibly feminine, the chosen identity is masculine. People also interpret his identity differently, and only person who at one point calls him “she”, is a young girl Zhen-zhen (Wu Ya-ruo) who walks into the senior's life with uncompromising force.
Lin Chun-hua had undeniably many good ideas in plotting the script for the film, but there is a deeper meaning missing in the picture. The wish to incorporate several layers of gender-based issues gets lost along the way through the decision of taking on the classical marital (heterosexual) problems as well. “Weirdo” remains as secretive as at the beginning, and the attempt to explain his behavior comes across as lame. All the mystery surrounding him remains awkward, as there is barely a reason for such a strong Stockholm syndrome he is faced with and plagued by since many years. The big love he's trying to forget is difficult to grasp, the guilt feeling even less so, despite a final reference to the causes for it.
“Nobody” is a film that you would love to love, but clicking with it is too much of a challenge. A bit less of good attentions would have benefited an otherwise a brave and welcome idea to address the otherness.
