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From Academy Award Winner Alexander Payne, the director of Sideways and The Descendants, comes the film that critics are calling an American Masterpiece.
When a booze-addled father (Bruce Dern) and his estranged adult son (Will Forte - 30 Rock) embark on a journey to claim a million dollar prize, what begins as a fool's errand becomes a search for the road to redemption. Also starring June Squibb in her acclaimed, acid-tongued performance.
Running Time: Approx 110 minutes
Rated: M
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I have heard so much about this, mainly becomes of all the awards that it got nominated for. I did not know much about the story and I am still trying to figure out why it was filmed in black and white - I don't think it added much to the story.
As with anyone who opens a letter that says 'congratulations you are a winner' you hearts beats a little faster till you look at it more closely and realise that its a scam. The chances of being able to receive one million dollars because of a sequence of numbers is very far and few between. The difference is in this movie Woody Grant beleives it and does everything in his power to get to Nebraska to claim that money. Along the journey he stops at his old home town and we find out more about the man himself and his 'classey' wife. A war hero, a sexaholic, a drunk his sons find out the whole package.
I found myself laughing a lot in this movie, it is extremely funny especially when the brothers are reunited and they just sit there watching tv. Men of very few words its hilarious. It reminds me of my dad with his brothers. His wife grow on me at first I thought she could not act but by the end I could not wait to hear what she would say next. It definitely has its moments.
If you are wanting a fast paced movie, forget about this - it is so very slow but yet it is entertaining. I did want to hit the forwards button quite a few times but I am glad I did not as would of missed the true essence of the movie. Loved the ending.
I was so excited to get to watch this movie - I had seen the trailer for it and also knew that it had been up for several awards (nominated for 6 Oscars and 5 Golden Globes) so I had fairly high expectations. This movie is in black and white which was quite strange to get used to - but then this is probably the first black and white movie I have seen in a very long time if not the first I've seen. However it definitely added to the movie and added to the sense of the setting, characters and story line.
Immediately I found the start of the movie captured me... An old man walking along the road/highway and even when a policeman stops and asks where he is going the man doesn't talk. I was thinking okay weird what's this old man up to . Then the credits for the movie come up (as they often do), however to be completely honest I grabbed the remote after a few seconds and checked that I hadn't somehow got to the end of the movie instead of the start. I think this is just because of the slow music, black screen and long credits that I normally see at the end of a movie rather than the flash on screen as its still playing credits I associate with the start of a movie. No biggie but just a warning so you don't reach for the remote like I did
Very early on in the movie I associate that the old man - known as Woody - has Alzheimer's or perhaps something similar. I think this is because my Nana had this and so I could associate with the "he just keeps walking/wandering off". Woody just wants to get his winning million dollars from the letter they sent him in the mail and he wont give up at anything short. So after trying to walk the huge distance his son steps in and together they go on a road trip. A road trip that amongst some drama's becomes a trip down memory lane and ends up with Woody being at peace with his past.
Quoted on the front of this DVD "Life's not about winning or losing, it's about how you get there in the end" - once you've seen the movie this will ring true even more so. I'll admit to at first thinking I didn't really like it that much. However its now 3 days after watching it and I'm still thinking about it - I think its fair to say I really enjoyed this movie, it touched me, it made me reflect on life and I will be watching it again (and soon). Highly recommended to all
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