Nebraska

The problem with really, really good movies is that there seems to be less to say about them than really bad movies.  It's so much easier to complain about a movie's faults.

Nebraska has almost no faults.  This is hands-down one of the very tip-top best films of 2013.  There was not a single second of this movie that I was not completely enamored with.

Director Alexander Payne is a master of his craft.  He has a way with characters that sucks you in.  His style is not flashy.  You would never say that he is a visual director.  His style is characters.  He presents you with strong, well-defined characters and lets you follow them for a couple hours.  And the result is magic.

I love his work.  Even The Descendants, which I do not like, has better characterization than almost any other movie being made today.  The Descendants was not a funny movie though and that may be why I did not connect to it (that and all the characters being rich, whiny white people struggling with hardships of being wealthy).  Payne is at his best when he's dealing with comedy.  His humor is a little dark and sardonic, but it brings out the best in his films.  Nebraska is wildly funny if you're in tune with Payne's sense of humor.  I laughed out loud through the entire film.  

It's the story of an old man who is convinced by a piece of junk mail that he has won a million dollars.  He manages to convince/guilt his youngest son to drive him from Billings to Omaha in order to collect his prize.  They have to stay a weekend in the old man's hometown of Hawthorne, Nebraska and the hubbub over the million dollars digs up a lot of history.  When the eldest son and mother arrive in Hawthorne, family squabbles and old debts finally come to a head.

Being that Alexander Payne's movies are so character driven, performances become the big thing to talk about.  Bruce Dern's Oscar-nominated role in Nebraska is well worthy of its copious praise.  The man is already a legend and even at 77, he's proving that he's still got it.  Dern has very little to say but that's not where the strength of the performance lies.  It's in his eyes and his face.  He's always thinking, always off in his own world.  June Squibb is also nominated for an Oscar this year.  She is phenomenal.  Her performance is as close as the movie gets to conventional comedy.  She's a cranky, judgmental, and exasperated old woman.  She's a joy to watch and makes you so happy that she's not your mother.  Rounding out the main cast are Will Forte and Bob Odenkirk as Dern's sons.  They are wonderful.  Maybe Payne knew that it would take a couple of skilled comedians to handle the subtle humor of this film.  They nail it.  And Will Forte's performance is especially strong.  Also, a shout out to the great Stacy Keach (Mike Hammer!).  He still maintains his amazing blend of charm and menace.  I miss his mustache though.

This is a beautiful film (in exquisite black and white).  It's nominated for 6 Academy Awards including Best Picture.  It may not win any, but it certainly deserves to win them all.  Do not miss this film!

9 out of 10