It’s been a few weeks now since I
saw Nebraska, Alexander Payne’s monochrome
comedy-drama and I didn’t originally intend to write about it. But of all the
films I’ve seen in the last couple of months, it’s the one that has stayed with
me the longest. Nebraska stars Bruce Dern as Woody, a
grouchy old man whose moments of lucidity are swamped by his seemingly frail
mind. Woody receives a sweepstakes letter which tells him of a million dollar
prize win which he is determined to collect in person. Despite warnings from
his family that the prize is bogus, Woody is undeterred and eventually his son
David (Will Forte) agrees to drive across country to Lincoln, Nebraska
with his father to pick up the winnings. Along the way the pair stops in
Woody’s small hometown where he reconnects with the past.
At this late stage in 2013, Nebraska
stands as one of the best films I’ve seen all year. It’s an absolute delight,
merging neo-realism with caricature in a way that I’ve rarely witnessed before.
It manages to be both grounded but quirky, serious and flippant and focuses in
the everyday side of America
rarely featured in Hollywood films. The
characters don’t moan about money while living in mansions or complain about
their dream jobs, these are Middle Americans, dealing with normal issues and I
couldn’t take my eyes off the screen.
