Thursday, April 17, 2014

Nebraska

Nebraska (Alexander Payne, 2013 )
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Rating: Q=6, P=6 / Average OJ
Scale 1=3, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=3, Scale 4=3
 
Dark Comedy, Witty, Understated, Age, Father/Son
 
I really enjoyed this film. I went in knowing that the film would be about an old curmudgeon who thinks he's won a million dollars. I knew it would be funny and bleak. But the film is much more than these things. For me, Nebraska is about inevitability. It is a very philosophical excursion in understanding and appreciating the journeys we make. In a way, the film reminded me of The Last Picture Show, which is interesting because that film is about coming of age. Nebraska is coming of age at a different point on the road, a point which appears hazy, distant, and far too close to the end. Nobody wants to lose the things that have defined his/her existence whether it be a car, a house, a girlfriend, memories, or reputation. Best to embrace this awkward and scary part of life.
 
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