Review of Nebraska (2013) by Chris K — 11 Jun 2015

Starring Bruce Dern, June Squibb, and Will Forte, Nebraska is a sincerely potent human film from director Alexander Payne. Following a notice for the winning of a million dollar prize, Woody Grant (Dern) and adult son (Forte) go on a transformative and touching journey across the Midwest to claim the prize, or at least try to. What ensues is a funny, touching, and reflective experience. Nebraska is a really wonderful film, uniquely beautiful and darkly comical, with great performances from across the entire cast (June Squibb is a laugh riot, and Forte does an excellent job).

As a black and white film, Nebraska is especially visually poignant. Simple elegance is the best way to describe this films visual style; the cinematography is great. The music, a fusion of folk and Midwestern styles, is a great mix of melody and emotion. The main theme perfectly suits the bittersweet yet hopeful journey throughout Nebraska. The experience of watching Nebraska really resonated with me and my family (as they are from Nebraska), so it may not resonate with everyone. Nebraska is a great effort from Alexander Payne, in which he expertly paints a uniquely difficult picture in a comical and touching fashion.