Nomadland

Starring: Frances McDormand, David Strathairn, Gay DeForest, Patricia Grier, Linda May
Directed by: Chloe Zhao
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
2020

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: After the death of her husband, a woman (Frances McDormand) drifts across the United States, working odd jobs and living off the grid.

Review:

Tim: Chloe Zhao has certainly emerged as a unique voice in the film industry. I was a big fan of what she did with the overlook The Rider, and here, with Nomadland, she tells a beautiful story about wanderers, people who don't fit within the typical expectations of society. It's an unexpected film- one that has grown on me since I watched it.

It's hard to describe the experience I had during the movie. I was somewhat amazed at what Zhao was able to accomplish, weaving professional actors with real people into a compelling narrative. Several of the actual nomads depicted here didn't even know Frances McDormand was an actor until she revealed it later. Zhao has experience coaxing great performances from non-actors from The Rider, but she does something truly incredible here. She's able to tell a powerful story that feels authentic because of the pains she took to push against typical Hollywood artificiality. There are certainly moments when the movie is exasperating. It's purposely a meandering, quiet character study. It's not overly concerned with narrative, which isn't always easy to watch. There were moments I loved, and some that weighed on me. The film isn't long at 1 hour, 47 minutes, but that's still a long time to watch someone drifting. When I finished the film, my immediate reaction was that while I didn't love it, I was in awe of what Zhao accomplished. I had no doubts it was a great movie.

What changed for me was a week or so later, I was talking about the movie with a friend from work. I'd had some time to sit with the movie and reflect on it. What I realized was in talking to her, I was animated and excited about what I saw. We talked about some of the choices the protagonist means, what that said about her character, what it reflected about modern America post-Great Recession. It was a great conversation and it helped remind me of the many layers of complexity inherent in Zhao's seemingly quiet film. You could easily dismiss the movie as "a woman moves around talking to people for two hours", but there's so much depth beneath the surface. The movie looks at this nomad lifestyle, what it's like to push back against everything society is telling you success looks like. It's about the choices people make- this lifestyle may seem glamorous and romantic, but the film shows the downside, the dirt, the lack of comprehension in other people's eyes. The more you think about what you saw, the more there is to consider. I think that's the best approach for watching this movie- see it, then give it some time. Think about it in odd moments here and there, and I believe you'll find yourself appreciating it more and more. That's also a testament to Zhao's work here. Many movies are great while you watch them and you start to question them after. This was the opposite- it becomes more endearing after it's finished.

I've said in multiple reviews that while I've always appreciated Frances McDormand, I've never been the biggest fan. I'm not exactly sure why. Putting those feelings aside, I have nothing but praise for what she did here. This is a stripped down performance, McDormand showing us the raw humanity of this woman. She lived in the van for portions of the shoot. She slips into this character so well that it feels so authentic as she interacts with the real life nomads. As a I mentioned, some of the other cast members were shocked when they discovered she was an actress. I believe it, because she so embodies this stubborn, brave woman. There's no doubt that McDormand is this movie. Zhao did fantastic directing it, but the movie is great because McDormand gives yet another stunning performance. She's like Meryl Streep in that sense- you almost become numb to her greatness because you've seen it so often. I can't say enough about the authentic performance McDormand gives. It makes this movie exceptional. I was also really glad to see David Strathairn here. I've long been a fan of him and he gives his typically consistent strong performance. I really liked what he did here. That being said, I've heard some people talking like he could receive an Academy Award nomination. I didn't see that. I think there were better, more substantial supporting performances this year. Still, that doesn't mean Strathairn wasn't effective, because I really enjoyed his work here.

I really appreciated the cinematography, the feelings that Zhao evoked with her film. It felt a million miles away from Hollywood's glitz and glamor. It felt not like rich people slumming for awards, it felt like a true desire to tell the story of people whose story almost never gets told. It shined a light on part of America that's easy to ignore or scoff at. And yet, this is America. It isn't Wall Street and Hollywood, so much of America looks and feels like what we see in this film (minus the nomad part, obviously). I enjoyed this powerful story, this unwillingness to supply the audience with answers, the desire to not cater to our film expectations, but to tell a memorable story in a way that speaks softly, but says so much. In a bad year (in every sense, but including movies), Nomadland is undoubtedly one of the best.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 8



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend:
The Ride; Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Fargo