Nebraska

Starring;
Bruce Dern
Will Forte
June Squibb
Stacy Keach
Bob Odenkirk

Director;
Alexander Payne

In three words; Beautiful - Bleak - Sweet


Review;
 
Nebraska tells the story of Woody Grant (Dern) who receives junk mail advising him that he is entitled to a one million dollar windfall. Not wanting to trust the US mail service with his claim he decides the best thing to do is to claim his winnings in person. Given that he is banned from driving he resorts to walking the long trip from Montana to Nebraska. Despite the Police and his family attempting him to stop him from claiming something which is obviously a scam, Woody is determined to make the journey to claim his fortune.

His son David (Forte) reluctantly agrees to drive him in order to placate his obsession. It is here where another Alexander Payne road movie begins, and it does not disappoint. Woody is retired and has the onset of dementia which exacerbates his families attempts to explain to him that he has won nothing. His wife Kate, played beautifully by June Squibb, holds nothing back in telling him what a fool he is. The relationship between husband and wife is summed up perfectly when David asked his father why he got married in the first place, he simply advised because 'your Mother wanted to.'

Payne's understated delivery of middle America is visually impressive. He captures the end of the American Dream with bleakness and with charm. Woody's confusion is echoed in the visceral admission that we live in difficult times where money seems the only answer to many woes. This is further encapsulated when, on the way to collect his winnings, Woody and David stop in Woody's home town of Hawthorne. This is a town which hasn't changed in 40 years. Same faces and same politics, and when people start to find out about Woody's supposed millions everyone wants a slice of the pie.

Of particular note is the performance of old town bully Ed Pegram (Keach) who feels aggrieved by Woody for an old business venture which didn't work out. He now feels that this is the time he should be compensated. This is a film full of excellent performances and shows that Dern can lead a film, something which has been overlooked for far too long.

It could be argued that the script needed fleshing out and perhaps a further draft or two being completed. Having seen interviews with Payne after seeing the film he explains that he wanted to develop his visual story telling rather than expand the script. This is certainly evident in the film and there are some rather sweet scene which reflect this. Notably where Woody and his extended family are watching television. Brilliant work.

The film is in black and white but was actually filmed in colour. Payne wanted to make a black and white film and felt that this script was perfect. The studio did not agree, partly because they have deals with certainly countries where they will only provide colour films. Although released in the way Payne wanted us to see it I feel that that film suffers from the lack of the intended film stock. Visually there is a lack of grain and distortion which you can only get from black and white film.

Having said this the film is beautiful and sweet. Although, as mentioned, there is bleakness there is also hope. There is light at the end of the tunnel, we will just have to be patient in order to get there.


Verdict;
4 out of 5.