“The future is as irreversible as the rigid yesterday,” says the Borges quote that opens the fantasy coming-of-age journey Nobody is Crazy, directed by Federico J. Arioni – who penned this wild script and also stars as one of its leads. Exploring mental illness, growing up and time travel through our main character’s battle with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, we attempt to bend time itself, which layers this film with intricacy and imagination as well as some campy humor. Heartwarming, thoughtful, and creative, this piece resonates with originality by diverting from the constant use of the multiverse theory, seeing time in an altogether new way.
Rafa (José Manuel Gutierrez) is not your typical 16-year-old boy as he starts his strict daily schedule for a person with OCD; waking up to put on two watches and begin the arduous task of washing his hands and organizing his items in the perfect fashion. Battling with his mother over another round of psychiatric treatments, Rafa has fought treatment before and is now at an impasse with his parents, as he no longer wishes to attend school. The family is currently being torn apart; Rafa is adopted and this is putting immense strain on his relationship with his mother who has divorced his father, worsening his symptoms. This decline has led to an ultimatum from Rafa’s mother who is at her wits’ end, saying it’s either time for treatment or she is sending him to his father, who will likely send him to military school.
Rafa meets with a counselor to discuss treatment, where he stonewalls the therapist. He has misled psychologists in the past and has even refused to speak to them at all, creating yet another frustrating relationship dynamic. At a standstill as Rafa’s inner monologue fires off thoughts, the therapist offers him a flyer for a three times weekly OCD support group. He tells the boy that he will be passing by a mental institution on his way there, if he really wants to see what “crazy” looks like. Back at war with his mother: she’s furious that her son has rejected another therapist, but he tries to reassure her that instead of sending him to his father’s, he would like to try to take the group seriously. Sessions begin tomorrow, and the two agree this is a good way to socialize and soothe. Soon in group, Rafa is silently sitting and listening to his thoughts, not sharing or engaging with the others, recalling the many years of treatment he’s already had. After some supportive words from the group’s leader, Rafa leaves group having said nothing and out on the street, he notices a masked man sitting alone who quickly jumps up to approach him, speaking Italian. Okay.
The man swaps to Spanish and says he arrived late for the group, and asks if the boy stared because of his mask, introducing himself as Nadie (Federico J. Arioni), meaning “nobody” in Spanish. The answer for the mask is simple: he is a superhero, a time traveler, recently arrived here back from the 80s. From his gloves to his transient behavior, Nadie is starting to sound a lot like a patient his therapist mentioned, one known for escaping the institution. We see our first hints from Rafa demonstrating feelings of regret regarding people and relationships. Fascinated by the man, he wishes he had stayed to listen to him talk and wonders if he’ll see him again. Equally obsessed with time travel, Rafa wonders if maybe his fixation drew a traveler to him, thinking deeply about fate, time, and the future. The next day in the park Nobody reappears, saying Rafa cut out too soon and he had a great journey. Nobody speaks about the group, wondering if it really helps and prodding Rafa as to whether or not he was forced to go to it. The masked man, fittingly, says everyone is a little crazy more or less, that there is only the present, and that Rafa’s present shouldn’t be locked in a room for group, but instead experiencing life. Guiding the young boy away, the masked stranger could be a liar, a patient, or truthful in what he says.
The chemistry between the two leads is immaculate and their bond grows and evolves to be just as complex and deep as their conversations about time travel. Gutierrez is reticent on the outside, while inside his internal monologue hums away at a breakneck pace, meaning you have to pay close attention during every scene to keep up with both the spoken dialogue and Rafa’s thoughts. He plays a sympathetic portrayal of someone suffering from OCD, longing for both solitude and socializing but fearing rejection; this is a beautiful portrayal of how you can find strength and change with the most unlikely of forces. Arioni is affable and lovable as the masked dimensional traveler: upbeat and talkative, he is the antidote to Rafa’s overly introverted demeanor; teasing out conversation and embarking on life’s smallest and largest ventures, Nobody is a character that is a believable time traveler—or a very persuasive mental patient. Shot vividly with clarity and color, destinations small and large seem more interesting and relevant, making us more present where even background graffiti seems to pop. While the budget may show in the lack of effects or simplistic settings or costumes, it never hinders the performances and never pulls you from the experience.
Both men do a tremendous job of making sure you’re always paying attention, but as interesting as it is, you can sometimes find yourself reeling at the type of and amount of theories and ideas proposed about our universe. You’ll need to keep eyes and ears perked for this story, because topics and conversations can go from simple and deadpan to discussing quantum physics and “the grandfather paradox.” This isn’t Marvel’s dimensional travel however; there are no convenient or comedic loopholes in time, and as it’s described, we only have now, and our futures are set in stone, much like our pasts. “No one can bathe in the same river twice,” so we are left with a sense of floating in our present state and drifting towards a new now. As secrets and knowledge are revealed, we see Rafa open himself to new possibilities, even love, and his time with Nobody and the mystery surrounding it is a stimulating new way for him to experience a world from which he previously felt so isolated. A fantastical piece of film on a budget, this takes you through life’s little wonders and leaves you with life’s biggest questions. Available to view now, Nobody is Crazy is a clever, complex explanation of time and a coming-of-age tale told through a sincerely unique lens.