Nomadland
Ten Second Review: Interesting and beautifully constructed, Nomadland doesn’t do much more than a surface level sweep of transient culture.
Back in the cinema. It feels good.
Cineworld is running a pre-film clip set of actors talking about the experience of going to the cinema. How it feels to shut out the world and absorb yourself in a film. That moment when the lights dim or the faint smell of popcorn several rows in front of you.
It’s exciting to be back and there were two directions to go for the first film of the year; heavy vfx blockbuster or awards season sweeper. As the none of the blockbuster options had a showing past 5:30pm I had the decision made for me, and what better awards season film than Nomadland which has been picking up accolades all over.
Fern (Frances McDormand) has packed up her life and taken up transient living in her van. Moving as and when she can and finding seasonal work, she lives pay-check to pay-check, day by day, new friend by new friend. What she sacrifices in stability, she makes up for in experiences and freedom. After several years of moving around, staying put anywhere seems less and less likely.
The premise of Nomadland is based on a non-fiction book of the same name by Jessica Bruder. After the financial crash of 2008 saw people across America loosing jobs and being dispossessed from their homes and lifestyles, a new growth in the transient lifestyle emerged. Reconnecting with many of the original people Bruder’s book initially included, Nomadland is part fiction, part reality. Real people with real stories, pinned onto a narrative following a fictional main character. It’s certainly an interesting way to tell a story and greatly helps the realism of discussing a lifestyle and situation that is intriguing to many.
The film has certainly managed to captivate critics across the board, picking up five star reviews and awards all over the place. Sadly, I’m not quite sold on the hype and esteem.
To be absolutely clear, McDormand is amazing, the film looks fantastic, the subject matter is a story that is well worth attention and the authenticity in the way the dialogue and narrative flow is near flawless. My issue is that it does not go deep enough to truly critique the circumstances that brought many people into their current circumstances. I’m sure some would argue that the nods toward it are present throughout, but the tip towing around the film does is likely to leave many non-critic audiences feeling as though something is either missing or hidden.
Again, the film is perfectly fine, and in many aspects superb, but my disappointment is compounded by being sold a five star film with clear faults that critics have chosen to overlook in favour of overweighing the value of the performances and aesthetic.
In many ways the films successes are not hindered by these critiques. If what you want is a beautiful film, with great acting, that brushes close enough to important issues to make you feel as though you saw something with a viewpoint, then great. If you want a film that tangles with the issues that drive its characters, you may need to look elsewhere. It feels designed as award season bait and at that it seems like a resounding success.
