NEBRASKA - Review

Nebraska

Dark Comedy, 2013
1 hour, 54 minutes
Written by Bob Nelson
Directed by Alexander Payne
Rated R for "some language"

Starring
Bruce Dern
Will Forte
June Squibb
Stacy Keach
Bob Odenkirk


"I never even knew the son of a bitch wanted to be a millionaire. Should've thought about that years ago and worked for it."


There really isn't anything quite like Nebraska. Alexander Payne has a pretty good track record, and he certainly keeps it going strong with this new one. It's an excellent combination of sad and hilarious, executed well with great performances and phenomenal writing.
Nebraska is about a father and son, played by Bruce Dern and Will Forte. Dern's character, Woody, receives a letter one day telling him that he's one a million dollars and he can claim his prize in Nebraska. It's clear to pretty much everyone except Woody that this is a scandal. Woody is a rickety old man who's lost some of his marbles, but he doesn't have Alzheimer's or anything like that. He's just a bit lost. Pretty much everyone, including David (Woody's son played by Forte) Ross (Bob Odenkirk) and Woody's wife Kate (June Squibb) knows that it's not real. But that doesn't stop Woody from trying to claim his prize money. David takes pity on his father and decides to take him down to Nebraska, just to ease his father's addled mind. On the way, they stop for a couple of days in Woody's hometown, where he runs into his aging family as well as some old "friends." Things quickly unravel for David, who discovers more about his father and his family than he realized.
The film has a pretty slow start, but once the duo arrives in Woody's hometown, things quickly pick up. Almost immediately the movie begins to reveal itself. The deadpan humor bursts out of the starting gate and never really lets up, even in the more depressing scenes of the story. Drama ramps up when Woody's old friends come a knockin' asking to see some of his million bucks. Some of the family drama gets intense as well, but it's played off with some fantastic deadpan humor that Payne is known for in his films. There's even a steady character growth for both Woody and David, and their chemistry is fantastic.
The performances are all stellar. Bruce Dern is great, and has already won some awards for his performance. He expertly nails the clueless determination that makes up so much of Woody, and sticks the landing in the final touching scenes of the film. Will Forte's first real dramatic performance is also noteworthy. Some comedians can't quite stick the landing for dramatic roles, but Forte is completely sympathetic and likable as David. What really surprised me was June Squibb, who plays Woody's wife. She's sassy, courageous, and completely steals the screen. For an 84 year old actress, that's something to take note of. She has some of the funniest material in the movie.
Like I said, the movie starts out slow, but quickly picks up. The movie is just under 2 hours, but it can feel slow at times. There are also a few jokes that don't quite hit the mark. Sometimes it felt as though it were trying to be too comical. Some of these jokes payed off, some didn't. But overall, it's surprisingly funny.
I'm also a little split on the ending. While it's a little predictable, I can't help but to think of how crazy the ending would be if it were to take the other route. If you see the film, you'll understand what route I'm talking about.
Nebraska isn't for everyone. Some will be turned off from its slow pacing and the flatlined deadpan humor. But for those looking for an Alexander Payne movie, then well, look no further. If you like any of Payne's other movies (there's one for everyone), I would definitely recommend Nebraska. Despite it's flaws, it's probably somewhere on my best of 2013 list. But we'll have to see.

Something tells me that this is one movie that's gonna grow on me.

9.3/10