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Anyone with an obsessive-compulsive disorder is easy to deal with. People just have to be more compassionate and know what to say in order to help them manage the everyday. But for Rafa (Manuel Gutierrez) in Nobody is Crazy, what he has to do is face what makes him the odd man out. He has no friends or people to turn to, and this actor does a remarkable job at selling the fact he can do better.
But when nobody believes that he has made a friend, a masked individual (who prefers to be recognized as Nobody) who claims to be from his future, the film by Federico J. Arioni is masterfully crafted to not let anyone in on the secret. It’s a very thoughtful low-fi time travel cum existential work that deserves continued film festival screenings worldwide. Even though this work was released back in 2019, getting noticed by well known movie celebrations is tough.
Also, I was amused at how this Argentine director puts himself into this movie by playing this hero who pops in and out of existence, like a conscience to offer sage advice to a lost boy.
Even though I had a tough time determining if this slice of life adventure is in Rafa’s head or not, what’s presented even left me wondering if we’re all crazy to some degree. That’s mostly because of our own social constructs concerning whom we believe are our true friends, how the world should turn, and let life be what it is. Whether we’re lonely or not, it’s more about how to live, and what Arioni fashioned will have audiences talking.
I also get the feeling this avenger is meant to represent Green Hornet! Although he’s not out to fight crime, what he does is more about waxing Greco-Roman philosophies to the troubled teen. His charming attitude is very infectious, and as for the romantic interest, Daria (Lara Ammi Wheeler), I can’t help but wonder if she is supposed to be a candle in the wind when considering how fast her role in this tale breezes in and whisks out.
The tale is really about self-discovery and learning how to gain confidence in the face of adversity. Whether that’s from school (to which he conveniently ditches since he’s bullied) or with a bum on the streets (who he imagines as The Mute), the strength he eventually finds is good enough.
And as for viewers wondering why his world is rich with iconic 80s and 90s cinematic and pop culture moments, that’s because some graffiti artists from other countries don’t get to see them right away. Anyone visiting these cities will find homages to TMNT or Batman; as for Kung Fu Panda, which is more recent, I feel some set design was intentionally laid out rather than be a happy accident to be in the camera frame.
As for actual moments, there’s a wonderful scene which is a direct homage to Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. The way Arioni developed the screenplay lays out a lot more references about why time travel is more about a state of mind rather than to actually propel oneself to another era. Whether Rafa is imagining it all, it doesn’t matter, as we see a young teen finally come of age, and be accepted for who he is.
4 Stars out of 5
Nobody is Crazy Movie Trailer
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