Nebraska
2013
*****
Director: Alexander Payne
Cast: Bruce Dern, Will Forte, June Squibb, Stacy Keach, Bob Odenkirk, Mary Louise Wilson, Missy Doty, Angela McEwan, Devin Ratray, Tim Driscoll
Woody Grant, who is in the early stages of dementia, is determined to travel from Montana to Nebraska to collect the \$1M he believes he has won in the sweepstakes. His son David agrees to drive him there and use this chance to spend some time with him. Woody is not a loving father or even a remotely likeable person, but the long stopover in his hometown Hawthorne at least helps David to understand how his old man became the man he is. Alexander Payne's excellent black and white film is one of the most poignant character dramas and one of the funniest comedies of recent times. Like About Schmidt, it's a road movie which depicts Middle America with affection and vitriol in equal measure. The fictional Hawthorne is hit by economic hardship and an aging population, and the entire community is permeated by a sense of meaninglessness. Bob Nelson's script deals with dreams, disappointments and compromises, with fond and painful memories, and with the inevitability of death. It shows familial bonds at their warmest and at their ugliest. The characaters are wonderfully drawn. Bruce Dern as the grouchy Woody and June Squibb as his angry and outspoken wife Kate give the standout performances.
