Alexander Payne is no stranger to dramas that are oddly comedic and comedies that are oddly dramatic. Sideways, About Schmidt, and The Descendants come to mind immediately as examples of his delicate genre smash-ups. These films, by and large, work because they mine their pathos from the everyday situations of adulthood. I knew then, right from the top that his latest film, Nebraska, would likely be up my alley. I caught it over the Thanksgiving break, and I’m happy to report that it is as good as it’s been advertised.
The story is simple. It’s basically a road trip film about an old man, played by the incomparably talented Bruce Dern, who “wins” a Publishers Clearinghouse-esque contest and decides to travel from Montana to Nebraska to claim his million dollar prize. His son, played by Will Forte, accompanies him to make sure that his dad, who is kinda losing it. Hijinks ensue.
I won’t say much more about the plot because that would ruin the film, but I will say this is a film for fathers and sons, or hell, mothers and daughters. I am at the age now where I can see myself growing into more of a leadership role in my family. It happens as your parents age, and this movie brings that role-reversal into the fore masterfully. One of the things most interesting about entering your 30′s is finding out that your parents weren’t always JUST your parents. Prior to your existence, they had lives, dreams, failures, and relationships so complicated you would never understand until adulthood. For Will Forte’s character, and his brother played by Bob Odenkirk, we see them at various parts of the journey finding out who their parents really were. Kids see things in black and white, while adults live in the grey of things. Speaking of black and white, the decision to film in black and white, worked perfectly. I was dubious that a road trip film shot in the “fly-over” states would make the call to ignore the oranges and auburns we associate with the heartland, but it works. I came away actually enjoying it more. There are long vistas shot in B&W that feel more like memories as a result. It’s also nice to see a film about middle america that doesn’t seem to have a “message” about our land-locked brethren. Some people in the film are good, some arent, but I didn’t feel the elitist misappropriation of values that us coastal folk give to mid-westerners.
This is a small film built on subtlety. There might be two or three moments where you will laugh out loud, but largely the humor is restrained. I thought the film would have more overt humor as Will Forte, and Bob Odenkirk, known for more over the top comedic roles were central characters. However, they both held a lot back which made the film so funny. Every other major role in the film, just about, is played by an actor north of 65 years, so I can’t imagine this film doing specifically well at the box office. Critics so far have been praising Bruce Dern’s performance and I am no different, but this is a movie built on more than just one stand-out Oscar-worthy performance. It’s a film about family and discovering the complicated nature of people you drew firm conclusions about as a child. I highly recommend it this winter as the bombast of 3 hour franchises and oscar-bait continue to roll out.
P.S. June Squibb, who plays Bruce Dern’s wife in the film crushes every single scene she is in. If she doesn’t win Best Supporting Actress, the whole industry is rigged.
About Russ Stevens
Russ Stevens is an editor and writer at Rookerville and a guidance counselor at Nyack HS. He mostly writes about either loving or hating things. In his spare time, he performs Improv comedy with his troupe Priest and The Beekeeper and is a co-producer of their monthly variety show Pig Pile. He loves all the New York sports teams that are historically bad, and he hates lateness more than anything in the world.