Robert returns with a gun in hand and accuses Adib of stealing his money. Adib vigorously denies stealing, and with the gun pointed directly at Adib, Robert remembers where he put the money. Adib takes the pay and storms off. Ridden with guilt, Robert tracks him down, finding him sleeping on a bus bench, because he’s homeless and undocumented Robert lets Adib stay at his home for the night, only to discover that Adib has a serious infection on his foot. Because he’s undocumented, Adib can’t go to the hospital, so former war paramedic Robert is his only help.
The second half of Nobadi gets really crazy, and any detail would spoil it. Nobadi is just one of those stories, where you think you know what’s going on, and it takes such a turn that it actually caused several members of the audience to walk out.
“…a heart-warming story of an older man who wants to do something good and noble…”
At the heart of the film is the friendship between Robert and Adib. Robert is very old and struggles to remember things and is pretty much set in his old ways. It’s Adib, who is in great need, where Robert’s heart and compassion come out and out in a way I can’t say anything about. I want to so badly.
There is a moment when Adib is telling the story of himself and his family, and since this is a German-speaking film, subtitles are required to understand the story for those not fluent in German. The problem comes in that while you’re reading the story, some crazy s**t happens, and I couldn’t watch it. Eyes averted, I only got part of the Adib’s tale.
Markovic’s Nobadi is a film you’ll never forget. It’s going to make your head spin and possibly cause you to lose your lunch. Trixner is terrific as the elderly Robert. He keeps his emotions close to his vest, and you’re always guessing about his true motivations. In the end, it’s a heart-warming story of an older man who wants to do something good and noble in the waning years of his life for someone society ignores.
Nobadi screened at the 2019 AFI Fest and the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival.
"…it takes such a turn that it actually caused several members of the audience to walk out."
