Nomadland, 2020

 

Rated R

This year's Academy Awards show was just about the worst one I've had to sit through (and yes, I sat through the Hathaway & Franco debacle and the "Is it Moonlight or LaLaLand?" disaster). The show was broadcast two months later than usual to allow for a longer eligibility period for films. I was ready to extend all sorts of grace given this was the first year they've had to navigate an award show during a pandemic, but it had high school dance written all over it. Critics wrote afterward that it was the lowest-rated and viewed award show in history. Many viewers even turned it off mid-air due to the politically- and racially-charged comments of the celebrities. But I'm not here to discuss the caliber of the show itself, so I'll jump ahead to what should have been the most exciting, but was rather anti-climactic (par-for-the-course) - the Best Picture winner....

"Nomadland" follows Fern, played by Francis McDormand, as she travels across the American west in her van after losing her job at a factory that has shut down due to the recession in 2008. Her husband recently passed away and she's off to find temp work and live the nomadic life since the entire town has dissolved as well and now she is "house-less". She ends up selling rocks in Arizona, working the Badlands National Park in South Dakota, and packing boxes for Amazon around the holidays. We're also given a peek inside "van life" complete with the harsh realities of surviving frigid winters and my least favorite: bathroom situations. She meets new friends (some she returns to seasonally) in different nomadic communities, but you can tell she keeps her distance somewhat and won't invest too deeply. 

There is a difference between being secluded and feeling lonely. A lot of us probably dream of peaceful retreats - time away from the hustle and bustle of the city, the noise, the responsibility, (the kids?) - where we are sheltered with our own thoughts and given time to process and reflect. Granted, seclusion can lead to loneliness, and I think Fern ended up going through periods of this during her journey. She was an empath who related surprisingly well with others. We'd see her listen, laugh, and give occasional pieces of advice. But she'd also close up like a clam. 

Also, there is a difference between wanderlust and a purely nomadic lifestyle due to circumstantial loss or grief. People have looked at this film and thought, "wouldn't it be great just to pick up and go?" First, they've missed the point of the impetus of this community's "movement". We hear from [real-life] nomads in the film who travel for reasons of financial ruin, addiction, and family dysfunction, among others. Some stop and "settle back down" like one character named Dave, but most are on the move, never putting down roots again and you can sense this has altered their perspective - definitely making them more jaded and/or guarded in a way. 

I didn't not like this movie, but it wasn't one I connected with on a personal or spiritual level. I respected the somber tone and the persevering gumption Fern had to keep surviving. But overall, I felt the movie dragged on; I wanted it to pull over and let me out. 

The film's cinematography had its moments though for sure - there were shots that were quite stunning, proving that the breathtaking landscape of the American west is one that should be noted and visited. 

"Nomadland" was up against "The Father", "Mank", "Minari", "Judas and the Black Messiah", "Promising Young Woman", "Sound of Metal", and "The Trial of the Chicago 7". I had not seen any of these films and honestly, I still don't care to. So I'm not offering a very good defense of "Nomadland"'s win- but this is my blog and opinion anyway. All eight films grossed a worldwide total of barely $35 million at the time of the show, which is an unimpressive amount for even one film usually. "Nomadland" had six nominations and walked away with three wins including Best Director and Best Actress. (While she was entertaining, I much preferred McDormand in "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" in 2017). 

MEMORABLE SCENES:

Whenever Fern would have little heart-to-hearts with the other older female nomads, I tended to smile. They swapped truth bombs and nuggets of wisdom. These are two real-life nomads, Swankie (L) and Linda May (R).

LESSONS LEARNED:

1. For many hardworking Americans, "the American Dream" is a cruel joke. 

2. Community is where it's at. Even though Fern chose the life of a nomad, she would meet up with these traveling communities, because it is with sharing and a sense of community that one finds companionship and purpose. She smiled more; she served and helped others, and carried on conversations that made her think more about herself and her predicaments.