I kick off 2014 with the latest big budget blockbuster from Alexander Payne, director of 'The Descendants', 'Sideways', 'About Schmidt', 'Election' and 'Citizen Ruth'. 'Nebraska' follows the story of Woody Grant (Bruce Dern) , an aging, booze-addled man who is determined to walk from his hometown of Billings, Montana to Lincoln, Nebraska to claim a million-dollar Mega Sweepstakes Marketing prize. His wife Kate (June Squibb) and his older son Ross (Bob Odenkirk) believe that the whole thing is a sham and that Woody should be put in a home. His younger son David (Will Forte) also believes that it's all a sham but is more sympathetic and reluctantly agrees to take him to Nebraska. Along the way they stop at various bars, Mount Rushmore, and Woody's childhood hometown of Hawthorne, Nebraska. Once in Hawthorne they have to deal with various family members and old acquaintances of Woody's, and we get to learn a great deal about Woody's past and how he is the way he is now.
I liked this movie a lot. It's a very relatable movie. The acting in this is phenomenal. Each of the actors creating characters that feel real. You can see (or have already seen and personally know) these characters existing in real life. Bruce Dern's Woody is an alcoholic who has served his country in Korea, is a bit reserved and appears distant to almost everybody he knows, appears to be in the early stages of dementia, doesn't say a whole lot, and is bold and stubborn to still try and do whatever he wants to do. June Squibb's scene stealing Kate is self-centered, has no mental filter whatsoever, berates her husband and sons constantly but still cares for them, and sometimes just straight up insults people. Some people might be put off by some of the things she says and does, and indeed sometimes it is a bit shocking, but it's not out of the realm of possibility that someone like her would say or do those things. We've all seen people like Woody and Kate. And who knew former 'Saturday Night Live' funnyman Will Forte could be so good in a more grounded, more dramatic role?
Along with the acting, every other aspect of this movie is also top notch. It's beautifully shot in black and white, and honestly this movie would not have been as good if it was in color. Not much I can say to support that other than that the small town settings and the various shots of the countryside look great in black and white and just adds a simple, homely feel to the movie that doesn't make it seem pretentious (unlike last year's 'Frances Ha'). The heavily violin-based score also is great and once again feels simple and homely. It's mostly a drama, but when it shifts to comedy it's very funny and not out of place at all.
The only other Alexander Payne-directed movie that I've seen was 'The Descendants', which was also very good and like this movie shifted from drama to comedy seamlessly when necessary. Comparing the two I'd day 'Nebraska' is the better movie. This is also Alexander Payne's first movie that he directed that he didn't actually write, having previously co-written each of his previous directorial efforts. He also had a hand in writing 'Jurassic Park III' and 'I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry'.....
'Nebraska' is very funny, very well acted with realistic characters and dialogue, beautifully shot and starts off 2014 on a great note. It's always nice to go see a smaller movie even though I'm usually the youngest in the audience by about 30 or so years.
TRAILERS
It's rare when I get ticked off about the amount of trailers before a movie. But trailer after trailer after trailer after trailer after trailer after trailer after trailer kept showing and I just wanted the movie to start. And I personally found it kinda funny that THESE trailers were in front of 'Nebraska'...a bit of a different audience than what will be seeing these movies....
'Ride Along' - NO. To quote someone sitting in the back row, "That doesn't look like something I'll go see". And indeed, I won't. I don't find Kevin Hart to be funny at all.
'I, Frankenstein' - This doesn't look all that good, but it could be fun.
'That Awkward Moment' - It looks kinda funny.
'Vampire Academy' - Saying that this looks bad is giving it WAY too much credit.
'Labor Day' - Kate Winslet and her son are more or less held captive in their own home by a runaway convict, and soon he bonds with the son and falls in love with her. Looks a bit creepy.
'Devil's Due' - A found footage version of 'Rosemary's Baby'. Yep. I'll pass. Speaking of found footage I still need to see the newest 'Paranormal Activity' movie...
'Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit" - I should be sick to death of this trailer by now. Still looks like it could be all right.
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