Flying under the box office radar, the 2013 comedic drama “Nebraska” appeared out of nowhere to high acclaim at the Cannes Film Festival, in addition to being nominated for six Academy Awards. Director Alexander Payne (“The Descendants,” “Sideways,”) known for dark humor and unusual work, blends a taut script (written by Bob Nelson who was nominated for Best Original Screenplay) with nostalgic imagery and a command of his actors that results in an intriguing and comical heartfelt tale.
Woody Grant (Bruce Dern) is a cantankerous though good natured and trusting senior on a mission. Grant has received a sweepstakes form from a magazine company and its boastful though spurious claim of a one-million dollar prize.
Woody’s nagging wife Kate (June Squibb) and eldest son Ross (Bob Odenkirk) are immediately dismissive of the letter, deciding this is the final antic needed to send Woody to a nursing home. Youngest son David (Will Forte) sees it as harmless, and though he knows the prize is erroneous understands that his elderly father just needs something to live for.
With the winnings to be claimed at an office headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska, and Woody’s refusal to mail the entry form back as requested – “I’m not trusting the mail with a million dollars” he rationally explains – he and David depart Billings, Montana and embark on a three-state voyage, which explores the depths of their own relationship. A stop off in Woody’s middle-of-nowhere home town in Nebraska unveils the treachery that money always conjures.
Payne takes a well written script and turns it into a perfectly believable tale. Filmed in black and white, “Nebraska” is deliberately slow paced, perfectly mimicking the casual lifestyle of the Midwest. The characters lead simple, almost enviable lives – dull in comparison to the hectic and turbo charged world of the northeast, which seems centuries away in comparison. The pacing and dialogue imitate that of the movie “Fargo” in terms of its laid back quality.
Anyone who has ever conversed with older people can relate to the stopover in Woody’s hometown which brings dull conversation between Woody and his older brother (Rance Howard) centering around repeating tales of yesteryear and dozing off for constant naps. David’s cousins, the hickish Cole and Bart (Devin Ratray and Tim Driscoll) add hysterical scenes with perfectly expected banter and limited conversation.
The humdrum lives of the characters are well developed but not overdone. Ross is a co-anchor of the small town local news station, enthusiastically reading stories that wouldn’t make the back of page ten anywhere else. David works as a clerk in an appliance store and is trying to make it work with his overweight and unremarkable girlfriend whom any other movie protagonist would scoff at. Woody and Kate have been married for half a century and as such have a contemptuous relationship with Woody’s mind seemingly phasing away and Kate growing tired of having to care for him.
Bruce Dern carries the role of Woody with flawless ease, bringing to life the central character as a strong willed man entombed in an archaic body and dealing with a wandering mind. Woody is a simple man who has lived a mundane life, and simply wants to collect a prize he feels he rightfully has won. Woody’s innocence is captured perfectly with banter between David and a receptionist at the sweepstakes office. When asked if his dad has Alzheimer’s thus explaining why they would drive 900 miles for an obvious scam, David’s answer is simple. “No. He just believes what people tell him.” Equally as powerful is the receptionist’s sorrowful response – “Oh, that’s too bad.”
The surprise performance for me came from Will Forte. Known for a near decade run on Saturday Night Live and awful trash humor with movies like “MacGruber,” Forte demonstrates an unexpected ability to master a dramatic role while still adding realistic humor and believable interactions with Dern and the rest of the cast. David is a man who could seemingly do anything though chooses to stay in his small hometown because of the love he has for his family.
“Nebraska” is a great movie from a multitude of angles. If offers drama, family relationships, and humor to go with a well written story and perfectly acted tale.
by – Matt Christopher
