This is a film of open spaces, satisfied with a deliberate pace and a natural, open, vibe, shot with beautifully captured landscapes that breathe, and performances so natural you can feel the valleys and scars of time with your fingers. Rich, complex characters (and a few winking stereotypes) fill the frame, uncomfortably grumbling from, but content with and loyal to the close range of picture perfect family eccentricity. We've always grasped the despondency of the underdog in Payne's movies, and Woody's character is positioned as almost a foregone conclusion to their narrative, surrounded by frustration and failure, but this film isn't mawkish, depressing or cloying. It's peaceful, graceful, awkward, funny, calmly resigned, a little bittersweet, and a deeply satisfying watch that left me happy to be alive, thankful for my experiences.
these days it is very rare among directors to get a deep massage in the simplest of forms .. the whole mood of the film got my facial expression all riled up I smiled , laughed , frowned , got surprised , cried and had a look of pride at moments during the whole thing .. call me emotional but it is something different and I salute Alex Payne from the bottom of my heart !
Slow-moving yet oddly majestic, touching yet flawed, well-meaning but troubled, innocent yet worldly: These are the ways one can describe the protagonist of Nebraska, Woody Grant.
In some ways they serve to describe the film itself, a too-close-for-comfort slice of Americana and the passing of a generation that was simpler, folksier, more rustic.
The lovely black-and-white photography serve this theme well, and while Bruce Dern's performance as the struck-it-rich Woody Grant is great, the supporting performances of his family, particularly of Will Forte, are really what help Dern shine.
Overall, the film is a portrait of family bonds and misguided hope, troubled kindness and is very American.
It's hard to imagine a film like Nebraska coming out of the youth-obsessed "look at all the pretty people" cinema of Hollywood. Alexander Payne's leisurely, deadpan road picture is filled with what looks like mostly local talent as a son (Will Forte) takes his confused father (Bruce Dern) from Montana to Nebraska to redeem a Publishers' Sweepstakes million, knowing full well it's bogus. The ride through the northern Midwest is drab on purpose, flat and colorless (literally) to represent what people from many rural areas (and my province counts among them) will recognize as their own economy in decline, aging population, and lack of opportunity. Had the film been in color, it would have been all "Big Sky" vistas, but instead, the characters trek through a wasteland, physical and emotional. The people are real - dull and inexpressive - and the family relationships are too - bitter and corrosive, yet not without affection. Ultimately, it's about how a son connects to his distant father, creating hope and joy (however small) where hopelessness (but not despair) has a grip on reality (which is what the false million-dollar opportunity represents). A quiet triumph of humanity.
A bit of Coen Brothers lite, with the most desolate spaces this side of a post-apocalyptic film. It doesn't work very much simply because the spareness is a dead-end: it leaves you stranded in the geography, stuck with an uninteresting worldview and mise en scene for the majority of the duration (many 'slower' auteurs are more inventive than Payne without disregarding simplicity). Still, its heart is in the right place, and the final shot recalls Eastwood at his most graceful.
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Comments 1 - 15 of 22
devilsadvocado
This movie proof that you can fill the big screen with a little story told well.Scratch47
This is a film of open spaces, satisfied with a deliberate pace and a natural, open, vibe, shot with beautifully captured landscapes that breathe, and performances so natural you can feel the valleys and scars of time with your fingers. Rich, complex characters (and a few winking stereotypes) fill the frame, uncomfortably grumbling from, but content with and loyal to the close range of picture perfect family eccentricity. We've always grasped the despondency of the underdog in Payne's movies, and Woody's character is positioned as almost a foregone conclusion to their narrative, surrounded by frustration and failure, but this film isn't mawkish, depressing or cloying. It's peaceful, graceful, awkward, funny, calmly resigned, a little bittersweet, and a deeply satisfying watch that left me happy to be alive, thankful for my experiences.neocowboy
Payne is pleasure.cfish80
June Squibb gives one of the funniest performances I've seen in a while - good God, I've known old ladies like her.nadasj
these days it is very rare among directors to get a deep massage in the simplest of forms .. the whole mood of the film got my facial expression all riled up I smiled , laughed , frowned , got surprised , cried and had a look of pride at moments during the whole thing .. call me emotional but it is something different and I salute Alex Payne from the bottom of my heart !Melvelet
My 1000th check.Made me laugh more than most comedies ever did. :)
Louis Mazzini
Pretty good. Not as good as the brilliant Sideways but a lot better than his previous, The Descendants.frankqb
Slow-moving yet oddly majestic, touching yet flawed, well-meaning but troubled, innocent yet worldly: These are the ways one can describe the protagonist of Nebraska, Woody Grant.In some ways they serve to describe the film itself, a too-close-for-comfort slice of Americana and the passing of a generation that was simpler, folksier, more rustic.
The lovely black-and-white photography serve this theme well, and while Bruce Dern's performance as the struck-it-rich Woody Grant is great, the supporting performances of his family, particularly of Will Forte, are really what help Dern shine.
Overall, the film is a portrait of family bonds and misguided hope, troubled kindness and is very American.
3.5 stars out of 4
juanittomx
I'm becoming a Payne's fan.. I quite enjoy his movies :P this one smooth and bring a smile on me every now and then.thestuman101694
A fine film. Enjoyed this one very much and encourage any Payne fan to indulge in its power.Jontaquestion
I really enjoyed this one. It's simple and complex at the same time. The story is more than good enough, but the cast does it for me. Worth your time.Earring72
Sweet, funny and well acted drama. VERY good!!!!Siskoid
It's hard to imagine a film like Nebraska coming out of the youth-obsessed "look at all the pretty people" cinema of Hollywood. Alexander Payne's leisurely, deadpan road picture is filled with what looks like mostly local talent as a son (Will Forte) takes his confused father (Bruce Dern) from Montana to Nebraska to redeem a Publishers' Sweepstakes million, knowing full well it's bogus. The ride through the northern Midwest is drab on purpose, flat and colorless (literally) to represent what people from many rural areas (and my province counts among them) will recognize as their own economy in decline, aging population, and lack of opportunity. Had the film been in color, it would have been all "Big Sky" vistas, but instead, the characters trek through a wasteland, physical and emotional. The people are real - dull and inexpressive - and the family relationships are too - bitter and corrosive, yet not without affection. Ultimately, it's about how a son connects to his distant father, creating hope and joy (however small) where hopelessness (but not despair) has a grip on reality (which is what the false million-dollar opportunity represents). A quiet triumph of humanity.acoltismypassport
Great stuff. It's no Sideways, though I really enjoyed it.karuss
A bit of Coen Brothers lite, with the most desolate spaces this side of a post-apocalyptic film. It doesn't work very much simply because the spareness is a dead-end: it leaves you stranded in the geography, stuck with an uninteresting worldview and mise en scene for the majority of the duration (many 'slower' auteurs are more inventive than Payne without disregarding simplicity). Still, its heart is in the right place, and the final shot recalls Eastwood at his most graceful.Showing items 1 – 15 of 22