Review of Nebraska (2013) by Norman B — 09 Mar 2014

An elderly man with tons of determination. Woody Grant, is a senior citizen who's seen the joyous times of his life pass by as he appears to be quietly withering away in the town of Billings, Montana. As of right now, he doesn't have much going for him, and he probably needs something to do just to give him something to do. At home, he has a wife, but she's not exactly the most calm person in the world and she has a mouth that would put even the most foul-mouthed sailors to shame with her raw takes on people (which are hilarious), life and an assortment of other things. So with that being the way that his daily life has turned out, the old man finds out that he may have struck it rich when he gets a letter saying that he's won a million dollars. This revelation has opened his eyes and is bringing him a large amount of joy that he hasn't experienced in seemingly forever, but he just has to find a way to get to Lincoln, Nebraska so he can get his hands on it. Since he doesn't have a car or any money to catch a plane, train or bus, getting there is going to be difficult.

While he's found himself in an interesting predicament, there's a younger man who lives in the same town with the Grant family blood running through his veins. His name is David, and he's one of the two sons that Woody had with his wife Kate. He has his own life, and it contains a few potentially life changing dilemmas that he has to deal with on his own. He loves his father, but he's probably the last person that wants to take on the responsibilities that Woody is offering at that particular time.That's mainly due to the difficulties of his personal life, but it may also have something to do with the way he and his father view the world. Woody is an idealist who's full of hope due to this winning ticket that he has, while David is more of a realist who simply tries to see everything for what it is. So, of course they butt heads a bit when it comes to the winning ticket that Woody currently has in his possession. David's cynical and honest view on life and the ticket doesn't sway Woody from moving on with his goal, and neither does anything else. All of the family members want him to just let it go, but Woody is determined to get what's rightfully his with or without their support. David senses his father's dedication to getting his one million dollar prize, and with the hopes of satisfying his desire, he reluctantly agrees to drive his pops to Nebraska to settle this once and for all.

The casting of Bruce Dern is very good I see why Oscar nominations were due for this film, including Will Forte, director Alexander Payne, scriptwriter Bob Nelson, cinematographer Phedon Papamichael and composer Bob Orton. The scenery of the Midwest becomes part of this family as though they have always been there in each straight line of the road. Music eases into the scenes and becomes one with everyone present. This is what America is about. People, places, and trying to blend the past with what is current, as in an auto body shop, once owned by someone Woody knew. Now, the mechanics speak Spanish and they have no idea who Woody is talking about. Hand-in-hand with the past and then hand-in-hand with the future, life goes on. I believe Nebraska deserves it's high praise for its modest approach to the father/son dynamic and its quietly moving sensibility.