Directed by Alexander Payne, the film stars Bruce Dern, June Squibb, and Will Forte. Woody Grant (Dern) is an aging, alcoholic, and stubborn man. He is convinced that he one a million dollars in a marketing sweepstakes. His son, David (Forte) is reluctant to drive him from Montana to Nebraska to claim the prize, knowing that it is definitely a scam. He gives in, however, and they set off on a road trip to Lincoln Along the way, wife and mother Kate (Squibb) joins them, and they stop at Woody's hometown, where they visit old relatives and friends. This film, you could say, is much more about the "journey" than the "destination." It closely examines the strained relationships between father and son and husband and wife. Does it sound dull? Well, its not. In fact, the simplicity of the film is what makes it great. Shot in black and white, and slowly but masterfully paced by Payne, the film exemplifies the power of a good dialogue and a good story. The writing is suberb; the dialogue is natural, poignant, and often times hilarious.The trio of protagonists all give wonderful performances (Dern and Squibb earned Oscar nominations). Payne has developed a trademark of exploring human relationships in offbeat settings, and Nebraska surely deserves to rank among his best films.
Should you see it: Yes
Grade: A-
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