Bob Odenkirk makes fast talk funny, then lets us notice the dishonesty behind it. We rate him most highly in long-form drama, where his schemers have time to become people we worry about.
Fi1m perspective
Bob Odenkirk talks as though a pause might give somebody else time to think. As Saul Goodman in Breaking Bad (2008), he makes verbal speed funny and useful: a man can get away with quite a lot if nobody interrupts him. We laughed at Saul’s fast talk, then felt uneasy about how readily his confidence had won us over. That is an awkward pleasure in a series so attentive to the excuses people make for themselves.
Mr. Show with Bob and David (1995) established him in sketch comedy, alongside partner David Cross. The recurring Saul role followed in 2009, and he brought the comic timing with him. Odenkirk lets us see that Saul is performing for other people. We can enjoy his quickness without mistaking it for wisdom.
The early Saul can also feel close to a sketch-comedy character, which is where Odenkirk’s skill risks becoming a limitation. When the delivery draws too much attention to itself, we become more aware of the performer than of the trouble his character might cause. Breaking Bad gives that broadness a good home, because a drama about people excusing themselves has plenty of use for a persuasive schemer.
With Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould, Better Call Saul (2015) gives his mixture of comedy and drama more room. Odenkirk’s leading role as Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman develops over six seasons, with enough time for sympathy to complicate our judgement. This is where we find him most involving: allowed to be funny without being let off for it.
Nobody (2021) finds a physical use for the same persistence. His Hutch Mansell fights scrappily, without the polished athleticism that can make an action lead seem untouched by effort. That is a sensible extension of what he does, though the fists interest us less than the talking. Start with Breaking Bad; allow the confidence to be funny, but keep listening to the excuses.
Biography
Bob Odenkirk, also credited as Robert John Odenkirk, is an American actor, comedian and filmmaker. He was born on 22 October 1962 in Berwyn, Illinois.
He is known for playing Saul Goodman in the series Breaking Bad (2008) and the lead role of Jimmy McGill in its spin-off Better Call Saul (2015). Earlier credits include the guest role of Gil in Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000). He co-created and starred in the HBO sketch series Mr. Show with Bob and David (1995–1998) and has written for Saturday Night Live and other programmes.
Odenkirk has appeared in films including Nobody (2021) and voiced roles in Incredibles 2 (2018) and episodes of The Simpsons.
