Nebraska

Nebraska

Starring Bruce Dern, Will Forte, June Squibb, Bob Odenkirk

Directed by Alexander Payne

In Billings, Montana, Woody Grant (Bruce Dern) is attempting to get to Lincoln, Nebraska, because he believes he's won a million dollars.  His son David (Will Forte) and his wife Kate (June Squibb) keep telling Woody he didn't win anything, and that it's a big scam, but he doesn't want to hear it.

In order to appease his father, and spend some quality time, David decides to play to Woody's delusion and drives him to Nebraska, where they run into old family members and friends of Woody whose true colors show when they hear Woody is a millionaire.

What follows is a moving tale of an ordinary family and how the most important thing in life can't be bought with money.

"Nebraska" has been nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Actor (Bruce Dern), Best Supporting Actress (June Squibb), Director, Cinematography, and Original Screenplay.  After viewing this film, I can clearly see why it was nominated so many times.  It's not a traditional Hollywood film filled with over-the-top antics, wild special effects or sex and gore.  What it is, instead, is a look at a modern family and their everyday struggles as they face old age and what it means to be a family.

Bruce Dern delivers a powerful performance, and Will Forte takes a step out of his typical comedic roles to tackle a more serious film, and does so brilliantly.  However, it's June Squibb who steals the show as the boisterous, long suffering wife of Woody.  She looks like this innocent old woman, but the stuff that comes out of her mouth - especially during the cemetery scene - had me in stitches.  She was a pure joy and it's a shame this film wasn't released in a different year, because she would've won the Oscar hands down, but up against heavyweights like Julia Roberts and Jennifer Lawrence, she really doesn't stand a chance.

The most beautiful aspect of this film is that it was shot entirely in black and white, giving a film noir aspect to the film that transports you back to the golden age of cinema, much like "The Artist" did a few years ago. 

An amazing film that touches the heart yet also delivers the humor, "Nebraska" brings you back to the reality of life and how we all go through struggles, but nothing is more powerful than family.

My Rating: A