Movie #834 "Nebraska" is an odd film to critique. When leaving the theatre, I was asked if I would recommend it to anyone, and I said, "No, not really." I don't know the demographic; I really don't. I think young people might not get it and be bored --- old people, the same. People from the midwest might find it offensive, people from a big city might find it BORING and a waste of time. People my age may find it sad, esp. if they are dealing with their folks at this age. And people in between might laugh at the old people with little respect for them. So there are problems in recommending this. I think if you look beyond the simple story, you see a lot more going on..........I don't mean the comment about alcoholics, or families that haven't seen each other all year and all they do is sit in front of a t.v. and watch football.............we've been there, done that. I think what this film says about having dreams, big dreams, even in a humdrum job, in a humdrum little town, and that no one has the right to take them away from us. In that way, this hero is like man of la mancha, only he comes from Nebraska, an unlikely place for someone to dream so big. I liked it, but I must warn you, it is very, very slow, and you end up laughing at a lot of what happens because if you didn't, you would be crying probably. You know why? We all will be here some day, and that's the basic truth. Don't expect a lot of plot at all, and I gave it a 3 because I found the acting atrocious (really!) I know the point of using real people for the secondary parts works well in some movies ("Bernie" comes to mind) but they weren't good at all here, and it's uncomfortable for the audience because we could laugh at them and shouldn't. Not in a malicious, making fun way. Bruce Dern is excellent because he walks a thin line here ---- he's crochet and incoherent at times, but you have to catch him between the lines........there's more there ---- if there wasn't, the film would fall apart at the end. And it doesn't. The ending, I thought, worked well. If you see it, I hope you feel the same.
Nebraska2013R I give it 3 stars out of 5
When a cantankerous old boozer thinks he's won a magazine sweepstakes prize, his son reluctantly takes a road trip with him to claim the fortune. As they drive from Montana to Nebraska, they visit friends and relatives to whom the dad owes money.
