A disheveled Woody Grant (Dern) is picked up by a worried highway patrolman when seen walking aimlessly in the shoulder lane of a freeway exit ramp. His son David (Forte) retrieves his father from a local hospital in their hometown of Billings, Montana. The elder Grant explains to his son he was in the process of traveling, by foot, to Lincoln, Nebraska. A sweepstakes letter he got in the mail informed him he was a “lucky winner.” David tells his father this type of thing is an advertising “come on,” but he remains adamant that he is entitled to the large lump sum. They return home to find Woody’s wife Kate (June Squibb) in a sour mood in lieu of the senile stunt.
A following day, David is called at work to help Kate and his brother Ross (Bob Odenkirk) once again ratchet down the old man’s foolish aspirations. Ross explains that he and their mother are ready to send Woody to a “home,” and urges his brother to get on board with the decision. Shorty after this intervention, David has to talk down Woody from boarding a cross country bus to Lincoln. In the face of his father’s persistence and perceived naivety, David decides to drive the pair in pursuit of the fool’s gold. An incredible dramedy ensues, with unforgettable performances and a palpable sense of “reality.”
Nebraska is the epitome of a dark comedy. You’re never really sure if it’s okay to laugh or not. The natural humor response in the face of proper nudging by on-screen action is always uncomfortably triggered. This effect is mostly to the credit of the splendid cast. Bruce Dern puts on the best lead performance I’ve seen in years. I know that’s hyperbolic in nature, but it’s true. His work is so incredible that Mr. Dern himself completely disappears. He is Woody Grant. If I were to meet the actor in person, I would expect to meet Grant, not Dern. Never once, through all of his antics and remarks and craziness, did I not buy into what he’s selling. His portrayal of someone who is slowly but surely loosing grip with reality because of their age is flawless. When he’s in the frame, this act of fiction becomes cinema verite. Astounding. Second on the billing is Will Forte. Let me first say that I’m a fan of Forte. I hated the McGruber movie, but practically anything else he touches I think is gold. In this, he’s good, but I don’t believe it’s worth all the touting that’s been lobbed his way. Some of his line deliveries feel forced. Sometimes it’s as if you can see and hear him struggle to stay “serious” when his natural instinct is to fly off the handle, make a funny face, and do the traditional comedy routine. Again, I don’t think he’s bad. Not by any stretch. Most of the time, his interactions with family members are great. And Dern is so amazing, that he’s able to pull Forte through the rough patches and make them seem like average exchanges instead of a distraction. I want Forte to continue to take roles like this; practice indeed does make perfect. June Squibb is my personal favorite in this piece. When she re-enters the film about half way though, she brings the comedy caravan along with her. You start realizing that her hinges are just as loose as her husband’s, but way less tragically. Some of her lines and actions are excruciatingly funny, and they usually come at a time when you’re emotions need a clean, cathartic release. Watch her closely in the grave yard scene. It’s epic. I want to give a shout out to my boy Bob Odenkirk. Traditionally reliant on his writing prowess for most of his showbiz credits, his breakout role of Saul Goodman on Breaking Bad has allowed folks to see his acting chops. His time is limited, but his touch on his scenes is not. Odenkirk is money, being the perfect counter balance to his brother’s passiveness when the preceding call for a little kick. He ameliorates situations where assertiveness and sanity need applied.
The key people in the film’s crew are quite comfortable with one another at this point. Director Alexander Payne brings many of the same folks back together from some of his other projects like The Descendants and Sideways. Maybe the most important of these is casting director John Jackson. The above paragraph wouldn’t be as glowing as it is without he and his team’s diligent work to bring all this talent together. And the foresight that Dern would step in and hit a grand slam out of the park is worth a huge tip of the hat. Honestly speaking, this is the first Payne directed film I’ve watched. Many people speak about works like Election and About Schmidt with great reverence. And if those are anything like this, it’s well deserved. The character blocking decisions of he and photography lead Phendon Papamichael couldn’t be better suited from moment to moment. Intimate shot-reverse shot conversations compel strong emotions of isolation and regret. Wide panes with several family members having contradictory, and rather meaningless, dialogues about trivial matters is a very humorous way of showing just how disconnected the Grants are from each other and the world outside of small town mid-America. The “outdoor” shots that encompass the wilderness and weariness of dying communities in “fly over” states with a sorrow soundtrack in tow is splendid work. And when you’re watching, you realize the only decision to make was to film Nebraska in black and white. That particular brush stroke by Papamichael will probably put him as the front runner to nab best cinematography at this year’s Academy Awards. I’d be remiss if I didn’t at least mention rookie screen play composer Bob Nelson. With only two previous writing credits to his name, both of which being for television, the lines he thought up for this one make you wonder why he doesn’t have dozens more entries on IMDb. Rest assured, he will from this point forward.
Unfortunately, there is only one entry in the Special Features category, but it is very good. The Making of Nebraska is a half hour long featurette that traces the very beginnings of the film all the way to it’s finalization. It starts with executive producer Julie M. Thompson talking about receiving a script written by Bob Nelson, whom had never written something for the big screen. Immediately after reading, her and fellow producer Ron Yerxa green light the project and eventually land Alexander Payne for directing duties. This leads to accompanying interviews with main cast members, casting directors, editors, director of photography Papamichael and many more.