Nebraska Movie Review

Nominated for 6 Academy Awards
Best Picture
Best Director (Alexander Payne)
Best Actor (Bruce Dern)
Best Supporting Actress (June Squibb)
Best Original Screenplay (Bob Nelson)
Best Cinematography

Nebraska is another one of those meandering, slow paced, loosely structured independent films that come out every year. It's shot in black and white, doesn't have that much plot and there are not big revelations or huge character moments or anything of that nature. Now that may sound like the most boring, painful sit through in all existence. I'm here to tell you that it's not. Despite that it does meander, it is slow paced, and "artsy" so to speak, this is a film that is so profound, with rich, complex characters, and is consistently engaging and engrossing, despite it being a slow, methodical film

In Nebraska, our protagonist is Woody Grant (Bruce Dern) who has received a letter in the mail saying that he's won a million dollars, and he can pick up his winnings in Lincoln, Nebraska. His son, David (Will Forte, of SNL fame) and wife, Kate (June Squibb) are both highly aware of the fact that it's nothing but a dirty scam, but they reluctantly follow Woody to Nebraska, where they make an extended pit stop at his hometown in Hawthorne, Nebraska. While there, they encounter Woody's interesting, flawed family, and David (as well as the audience) discovers more about his estranged father and why he is the way he is.

Now, I've never been to Nebraska. I'm familiar with its occasional mockery as a rundown, dank place to live, but I know next to nothing regarding it's people, culture, or history. And while I still don't know much about after watching Nebraska, Director Alexander Payne does an incredible job of capturing a wholly palpable atmosphere and environment, that convinces you your spending the day in Nebraska. Payne, with his masterful black and white cinematography (which adds a particularly special layer to an already excellent film), immerses you into his quirky, unique world with skill and precision, by doing something that all great filmmakers should, and need, to do. World Building. He creates a location with a wonderful cast of characters to inhabit, and creates a darkly comedic and melancholy tone throughout that is believable and real. Payne is one of the most polished directors in the business, and he exudes major confidence behind the camera. He captures numerous wide, still shots of the expansive Nebraska landscape that are astonishing to behold, thanks to gorgeous cinematography by Phedon Papamichael. The color pallet is irresistibly bleak, with hues of white and grey encapsulating the screen. The great world building is also thanks, in great part, to an award worthy script from first time screenwriter Bob Nelson. Nelson uses meticulous craftsmanship in the way he writes his characters. And while this movie may not have conventional character development, intense revelations, or emotional meltdowns that reveal years of information about an individual, by the end of the picture we come to a lovely place as an audience where we really understand these people. Where they're coming from, why they act the way they do, and why they've made the decisions, no matter how questionable, that they did. The conversations these people share with each other are real, and not "pseudo-real"; the kind of dialogue that so many Oscar-type movies contain. When an entire family gathers a round a huge, wood table to share salad, chicken, and homemade pie, and the matriarch of the house tries desperately to come up with small talk to get rid of the painfully awkward silences which contain quick eye contact and obnoxious chewing, it reminds us of our own families, and the outcomes of our own situations. The film also has a number of hilarious moments, that still contain a wealth of realism in each word. Nelson clearly knows what he's talking about hear, and he's absolutely deserving of the numerous accolades he's received (including an Oscar nomination for best original screenplay) and I can't wait to see what he does next.

This was one of the best years for movie performances of the last 10 years, and one of the great contributors to this fact are the incredible performances in Nebraska. Veteran actor Bruce Dern gives the ultimate career highlight performance as our main character Woody Grant. Woody's an unhappy man in his mid 70s; an alcoholic, and possibly senile. Dern takes what easily could've been a hammy, showy, caricature of a role, and does what so many actors forget to do. Just be. By simply using his presence and understanding of Woody, he single handily carries the film, in a performance that is funny, emotional, heartbreaking, and masterfully crafted. Will Forte of SNL fame gets the 1st serious role of his career as David Grant, the lonely, frustrated son of Woody. Forte has always been a hilarious comedic force, but hear he is subtle, incredibly restrained, and brilliant. Forte makes David the most sympathetic character of the piece, a man who truly believes he has no purpose in life, and has distant relationships with the ones he loves. This is Oscar level work here, and this performance should've garnered him a best supporting actor nomination. Indisputably, however, June Squibb steals the show as Woody's crazy, foul mouthed, loose canon of a wife Kate. Squibb walks away with the film, stealing every scene she's with a virtuoso and gusto about her that is equally charismatic and hilarious. Even though Kate is the "craziest" character in the film, Squibb adds a wonderful layer of humanity to her, more present in some of the film's final scenes. Very deserving of her best supporting actress nomination.

Films of this nature come out every year, but Nebraska is a very special one. It's a film that meanders, but rarely drags. Slow, but always entertaining. Black and white, but stunningly beautiful. Unusual characters, who are incredibly realistic. Payne is iconic for making films of this nature, and Nebraska is a wonderful addition to his canon. Movies this profound, moving and real are rare these days. Will it win the Oscar for best picture? No. But it's incredibly deserving of its nomination.