Starring: Bruce Derne, Will Forte, June Squibb
Directed by Alexander Payne
Rating:
The standout thing about Nebraska is that it’s effortlessly universal, a film that can speak to anyone. It shows life as most of us know it, in a simple, unvarnished way, but with underlying compassion. An old, difficult, forgetful and stubborn father who is on the verge of dementia; a cheeky, irreverent mother; parents whose togetherness seems to have been cemented, ironically, by their needless bickering, a girlfriend you can’t hold on to, a successful brother and an extended family with whom sharing is nothing more than awkward, monosyllabic conversations. Nebraska portrays people and relationships credibly, candidly, with rare poignancy.
Shot in stark and austere black-and-white, it’s about the aging and ailing Woody (Derne) who wants to travel to Lincoln in Nebraska for claiming a million-dollar prize money. A sham though it is, it’s also Woody’s naive shot at an elusive sense of purpose in his fast fading life. He goes on the journey with his son David (Forte) that eventually helps the family reconnect. It’s also about revisiting the past, about retracing memories. It’s about seeking old friends, some of whom disappoint with their greed, others win over with their dignity. All through, Payne keeps the tone low-key, light, believeable and at times very funny. Derne brings alive the restlessness and turmoil of Woody; Squibb as the wife is delightfully impertinent. Together they make one of the best, though quite an odd, couple at the movies.
