Nebraska

3 1/2 out of 4 Stars

Nebraska is a dark, yet heartfelt, comedy about the conflicts of aging and father-son relationships. Directed by Alexander Payne (About Schmidt, Sideways), the film stars Bruce Dern as Woody Grant, a beer-swigging octogenarian on the edge of dementia and deafness who tries to go from Montana to Nebraska to claim a million-dollar prize, which he thinks is real. After Woody's multiple attempts of trying to walk to Nebraska and wandering away from his nagging wife (Jane Squibb), Woody's son, David (Will Forte), drives him to Nebraska to claim his prize. Along the way to Nebraska, David gets to know the father he never really knew apart from his alcoholism.

Bruce Dern has been on screen for almost fifty years and has delivered memorable performances in films as diverse as Hitchcock's Marnie, Hal Ashby's Coming Home, and Patty Jenkins' Monster. Dern's portrayal of Woody Grant is, without a doubt, one of his finest performances in the last 35 years. His performance is not as extroverted and intense as his previous roles, but he portrays Grant in the same fashion as he did when he played Jason Staebler in The King of Marvin Gardens; a man with big dreams that break away from rationality and reality. Funny and moving, Dern's performance will leave you in tears.

Will Forte gives a stunning performance as David Grant. Known for his hilarious shtick on Saturday Night Live, Forte forgoes the extroverted comedic side and successfully manages to deliver a dramatic performance that delivers subtle laughs, but with so much heart and warmth. Jane Squibb is amazing and hilarious as Kate, Woody's long-suffering wife, who tries to look after him as he slowly fades from reality. Squibb, who is usually underused in films like About Schmidt and Scent of a Woman, manages to give a towering performance with so much spry and humor.

Among other members of the superb cast, Bob Odenkirk, reeling from the success as the corrupt Saul Goodman on Breaking Bad, adds to the humor as David's older brother with an ego the size of a Midwestern corn field. Also, Stacy Keach oozes with snake-like charm and greed as Ed, Woody's former business partner, who wants a piece of Woody's prize money like the rest of Woody's relatives.

Alexander Payne is no stranger in looking at dysfunctional families with humor and poignancy in films like About Schmidt and The Decemberists. Payne succeeds in crafting Bob Nelson's story into a riveting yarn about the follies of aging and the flaws of the American Dream. Payne beautifully filmed Nebraska in black and white to encapsulate the sense of loneliness Woody and Dave share, as well as the starkness of small-town America as Bogdonovich did in The Last Picture Show. Some may think the revival of black and white films is pretentious, but I beg to differ. With an incredible cast under the command of Alexander Payne, Nebraska is a riveting and moving film.