Nomadland

Movie, 2021, R

 
Premise - After a middle-aged woman loses her husband and her job, she transitions to living in her van, traveling around the United States as a houseless (but not homeless) nomad. She finds community with other nomads living this same modern-day lifestyle, popularized by poverty, environmental awareness, and minimalism.

 

Review - I had no idea what this film was about, honestly. I knew it was Frances McDormand and that it had been nominated for Best Picture. And, knowing the title was Nomadland, I thought it would be about, well, being a nomad. For some reason, that word "nomad" did not compute into a domestic lifestyle. I had envisioned some sort of international travel film. What I instead came across was a very subdued, slice of life film very representative of a large population of Americans today.

 

For my communities/societies class that I took last term, we were assigned an article to read about this exact lifestyle, and for some reason I had absorbed the content but forgotten that the word "nomad" was used in reference to it. But once I caught on to what the film was about, I immediately thought back to the article and how this film, for what it's worth, isn't much of a fictional piece at all. Fern herself may not exist but this life sure does - and honestly, it makes a lot of sense.

To live more or less outside the bounds of capitalism sounds quite romantic, no? And the idea of drastically decreasing your personal carbon footprint on climate change. Finding what truly matters in life (community) and ridding yourself of what doesn't (material things).

But the film isn't a romanticized look at this lifestyle whatsoever. It showcases the realities of the cold, hunger, and inconveniences of living without a home. The film managed to somehow be too boring, and too intense for me all at once. And it's a delicate balance between bluntly showcasing those harsh realities, and not making a film intended to pity these people. By the end of the film, Fern makes the choice herself to continue living as a nomad despite having the offer to live inside a home.

Frances McDormand as Fern was fantastic. She has such a pathos to her face. There is something about Fern as a character that was sadly optimistic - and yes I put those two words together on purpose. Fern was so charming and really found simple things to love in life. (71/100)

Quote - "One of the things I love most about this life is that there's no final goodbye. You know, I've met hundreds of people out here and I don't ever say a final goodbye. I always just say, "I'll see you down the road." And I do. And whether it's a month, or a year, or sometimes years, I see them again."

What to watch for - Apparently a lot of the characters are portrayed by real-life nomads, which I didn't realize until after I had finished and read up on the film! Again, I should have noticed. The character Bob, who gave the quote above, was literally featured in the article I read for class. He just played himself.

Also, the article I was assigned to read: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/feb/04/modern-nomads-nomadland-van-life-us-public-lands?CMP=oth_b-aplnews_d-1

 

If you liked this film, I'd recommend Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri! For small-town Frances McDormand.

Based on the book by Jessica Bruder

Directed by Chloe Zhao

Distributed by Searchlight Pictures