‘Nebraska’

As shown in the January 1, 2014 edition of the 'Monroe County Reporter':

Fresh off my family's holiday travel to visit my parents in Ohio, I am reminded how a road trip offers a unique perspective on the world in which we live. Whether it is a survey of the passing landscape, the peculiar people we meet along our path, our co-sojourners or ourselves, a road trip provides temporary space for reflection before our return home.

Like his 2004 film "Sideways", director Alexander Payne utilizes this perspective from the road in his latest film, "Nebraska," which has been open in theaters for limited release since November. The story explores the family dynamic between an aging father and his adult son. The main character is a man named Woody Grant who believes he has won a sweepstakes with a $1 million prize. He is convinced he must collect this prize in person 850 miles away in Lincoln, Nebraska. Unable to drive himself, Woody's middle-aged son decides to drive him.

Woody is portrayed by 77-year-old actor Bruce Dern ("Coming Home", "The 'Burbs"), who won Best Actor for this role at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival. In the film we learn Woody is a Korean War veteran and an alcoholic. Dern embodies Woody's cantankerous spirit in his appearance and demeanor. His unshaven face and untamed hair communicates to those around him he does not care and that he is to be left alone. Yet this stubborn façade is actually an invitation to see a man who struggles to conceal his suffering.

Woody's son David, played by Will Forte, (TV's "Saturday Night Live"), sees this delusional road trip as an opportunity to get to know more about his distant father and also to make sure his father stays out of harm's way. June Squibb, who played Jack Nicholson's wife in Payne's 2002 "About Schmidt", portrays Woody's vulgar and loyal wife Kate. Bob Odenkirk (TV's "Breaking Bad") is David's brother Ross.

The film "Nebraska" is meant to be a portrait of America. Filmed in black and white and teamed again with cinematographer Phedon Popamichael, director Payne said he wanted to create an "iconic, archetypal look." The black and white camerawork conjure the elevated brightness and contrast of the rugged landscape and the characters it embodies. The main character's name, Woody Grant, bears resemblance to Grant Wood, the artist most notable for the painting "American Graffiti."  This leads one to ask, What is Woody painting about America?

Woody and David make a stop along their road trip to Hawthorne, the town where David was born. A good portion of the film's story takes place in this small town and calls special attention to the people they encounter during their homecoming, as if to invite a commentary of America today.

The brilliance of "Nebraska" is that this engaging piece of artwork is so subtle it requires another viewing to satisfy the awe of its mastery. The film invites us along the journey to wonder about the strange yet familiar world in which we live with Woody, about the mysteries of family in adulthood and the hope we wrestle with on our way home. Because this film is not showing in Middle Georgia theaters, this film is worth a road trip to Atlanta to see. Along the way you might ask, What portrait do the people of Monroe County paint for its travelers (and vice versa)?