NEBRASKA

US, 2013, 106 minutes, Black and white.
Bruce Dern, Will Forte, June Squibb, Stacey Keech, Bob Odenkirk, Rance Howard.
Directed by Alexander Payne.


Nebraska is a very likeable film, one of the most likeable in recent years.

It was nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars with nominations also for Bruce Dern and for June Squibb. Had they won, the awards would have been well-deserved.

Bruce Dern has had a long career, gaining an Oscar nomination in 1978 for Coming Home. But, he has not been a leading man, rather a character actor, and this film gives him the chance of a lifetime – and he takes it and creates a memorable character. He plays Woody, an old man, becoming confused, thinking that he has won a $1 million because he receives one of those brightly-coloured pages in the mail that trumpets that he is a winner. He does not understand these promotions, does not know the conditions, but is convinced that he has one and decides to go to Lincoln, Nebraska, to get his million dollars. He starts off by walking but is brought home by his son, with his wife ticking him off.

So, we are introduced to a ‘typical’ old man, rather gaunt, bearded and scruffy, sometimes confused, prone to keep to himself, sometimes a hard case, and an old heavy drinker. Were also introduced to his wife, a strong-minded woman, who has stayed in her marriage despite all the difficulties and certainly wears the pants in the family! The couple have two sons, one successful in television, the other a rather morose man in middle age, often feeling forlorn, separating from his girlfriend, in an okay job but just that, not relating so well to his father.

In an inspired moment, David, this younger brother (Will Forte) decides to drive his father to collect his winnings, all the time trying to persuade him that he has not won. This will be a significant journey not only for Woody but also for David. They begin to talk as they travel, the father not revealing much, David challenging him at times, opening up some leads.

Their overnight stop is with one of Woody’s brothers, Ray (Rance Howard, Ron Howard’s father). Woody is comfortable with Ray and his wife, Martha, but their oafish twin sons are mocking and try to steal the ticket for the winnings. No matter how hard David tries to dispel the news about the winnings, everybody takes this is a sign that Woody has actually won.

At night, they wander around the small town, visiting bars and eventually finding older men that Woody knew, especially his partner from the past, Ed Pegrem (Stacey Keech), who has something of a nasty streak, wanting money from Woody although he should be in debt to him and revealing some unpleasant aspects of Woody’s past. Better is the family dinner where all his brothers and their families come to Ray and Martha’s house. The visual composition of Woody and all the brothers watching TV is classic. But, some of the family also have their eye on the money, bringing up situations from the past – but finally being emphatically told off by Woody’s wife who praises his past generosity and their meanness.

There is a fine sequence where David goes to the local newspaper and meets the widow of the publisher who shows him newspapers from the past, with Woody’s photo and his Korean service, and reveals something of Woody’s past more kindly.

As might be expected, there is no money in Lincoln. However, David does an admirable gesture at the end, an acknowledgement of and a tribute to his father.

The film was directed by Alexander Payne, not a prolific director, but a fine one with different films like: Citizen Ruth (starring Bruce Dern’s daughter, Laura), election, Election, About Schmidt, Sideways, The Descendants. He tells a good story, spends a good yarn, and elicits great humanity from his cast. He has also opted to film in black and white, a striking use of this black and white, the vistas of the open spaces of the mid-West, wonderful close-ups of the characters, fine compositions with characters, so that one welcomes the power of black and white photography.

Enjoyable, humane, thoughtful.

1. The impact of the film, older audiences? Younger audiences? Humour, humanity, warts and all portrait? Likeable?

2. Awards and nominations?

3. The choice of black and white photography, the widescreen? The open spaces of Montana, Wyoming and Nebraska? The close-ups? The visual compositions? The musical score, the piano?

4. Montana, Wyoming and Nebraska? The small towns, the streets, the homes, the shopfronts, the bars? The countryside and the farms? The city of Lincoln, the high-rise, offices?

5. The basic plot, the plausibility, elderly people, confusion, thinking they had inherited $1 million, not seeing the conditions, convinced, not hearing other people, the determination? The journey, walking, being picked up and brought back, reactions? The sons? Woody’s wife? The fulfilment of hopes?

6. David and Ross, Ross and his success, television, family, relating to his parents? David, the younger, the descriptions him as a baby? The separation from his girlfriend? Seeing HIM at work, the sales and the young couple talking to him? His feeling down, picking up his father, talking to his mother, trying to relate to his father? His motivation in the decision to drive his father to Lincoln? His journey for his father? His learning so much, the effect? Asking about Woody’s love for his mother, the desire for children? Woody offhand, taking it for granged, his wife being Catholic? His drinking? Buying the truck, Woody’s ownership, driving, the open road and the end?

7. Bruce Dern as Woody, his age, his appearance, his experiences of being confused, on and off? His relationship with his wife, his sons? Walking on the journey, being picked up? His wife ticking him off? His son deciding to take him? His talking on the journey, some revelation of himself, his memories of his past, his father, at home, his brothers, not wanting to farm, a mechanic, going to Korea, the revelation that he was shot down, the aftermath? His marrying and his motivations? His relationship with Peggy and choosing his wife? The story of his infidelity at the reservation? His heavy drinking, his poor fathering, his assertion that he should do what he liked? The story of the past partnership with Ed Pegram, selling his share in the garage? The comments about his generosity to people?

8. Ray and Martha, pleasant, their twins and their being dumb, the accusation of rape, their volunteering? Their laughing at David? The masks, stealing the document? The other characters in the family, all the brothers and their families coming for the meal, the discussions about the car with the older brother, and his selling it? Albert and his going out onto the footpath to watch the passing traffic – and Woody saying goodbye to him as they passed?

9. Kate’s arrival by bus, taking over, the visit to the cemetery and all her comments on those she knew, all the Lutherans – and her revelation to the man who was after her?

10. David’s visit to the wife of the publisher, the stories about his mother, about her liking for Woody, wanting to marry him, but his choosing Kate? Her story of the shooting down in Korea? David’s visit and seeing the newspapers, the photos and articles? Peggy coming out of the shop at the end, looking at Woody – his recognising her or not?

11. The town of Hawthorne, the bars, the younger people he did not know, the other bar, Ed and the old friends, their welcoming him?

12. Ed, as his partner, the taking of the transformer and wanting it back, Ed and his wanting money, his story to Dave said, David, his hard line, David punching him?

13. The relatives at the meal, the chat, the interest in the money, after the dinner, the special requests? The wife and her swearing at them?

14. Going to the old home, visiting the rooms, his own memories, father severity’s about his and his wife’s room? Looking out the window, the memories?

15. Going into the wrong house, to steal a transformer, the nice people coming home, the sons having to return it quietly, Woody and his wife having a nice chat with these friends?

16. Arriving in Lincoln, the office, the reality of the conditions, not getting the million? His choice of the cap? Wearing it?

17. David, going to buy the truck, putting it in Woody’s name, getting his father to drive? Woody’s delight and satisfaction?

18. The open road and the future? The achievement of Woody’s journey? The achievement of David’s journey?