It’s been less than two years since Alexander Payne scored his second Academy Award for The Descendants, but he’s already circling for another round of awards buzz with his latest feature Nebraska.
Bruce Dern leads as Woody Grant, an elderly man determined to make it to Lincoln, Nebraska so he can pick up the million-dollar prize he thinks he won in a marketing campaign. His son David (Will Forte) tries to convince him the letter is just a scam, but Woody is relentless. Even though his mother (June Squibb) and brother (Bob Odenkirk) protest, David decides to ride the scenario out for the sake of Woody’s mental and emotional stability, and drives him from Montana to Nebraska.
Even though Payne hits it big yet again by achieving notably natural performances and a combination of comedy and drama that produces beautifully bittersweet results, he also treads into unfamiliar territory because Nebraska is shot entirely in black and white.
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“Nebraska” is packed with hilarious material, but it’s all rooted in a brutally candid presentation of old age, resulting in a unique and especially thoughtful union of quirky comedy and honesty.
With ABC Family’s The Secret Life of the American Teenager heading towards a fifth season, it’s safe to say that the show’s star, Shailene Woodley, has made quite the name for herself. However, as much success as the actress has found in the television industry, she admits, “Features is where my heart is.” Well, turns out her heart is leading her in the right direction because not only is her first big screen effort an Alexander Payne film starring George Clooney, but Woodley is downright fantastic in it.
It’s most certainly not a surprise to see Judy Greer in yet another movie, as the actress tends to keep particularly busy, but Alexander Payne’s The Descendants? As my fondest memories of Greer include here iconic comedic performances in films like Jawbreaker and 13 Going on 30 as well as her TV show Miss Guided, which left us far too soon, seeing her pull the reigns on what comes so naturally to her and amp up the drama wasn’t just a nice surprise, but a notably successful effort, too.
There are two types of tearjerkers, the kind that merely tug on the typical heartstrings using formulaic tactics and the kind that earn the emotional reaction not by resorting to methods that guarantee watery eyes, rather by creating a situation that’s endearing simply because it feels real. The Descendants treats its tender subject matter with the utmost care and while the result may be a sadness that’s tough to shake, the film also offers a stirring degree of hope, leaving you with something The Descendants prides itself on from beginning to end, the power to see the best even in the worst of times.