By: Andrew Wing, Contributing Writer

Nomadland is a 2020 neo-Western drama film directed by Chinese filmmaker Chloé Zhao. It stars Frances McDormand in the lead role as Fern, a woman in her sixties who embarks on a journey through the Western United States as a modern-day nomad who lives in a van after she loses not only her job in the Great Recession, but her husband too. Along the way, she makes many great friends out of her fellow nomads (portrayed by real-life nomads in the film) and finds a greater purpose in life that is more valuable than personal belongings or wealth.

The Good

It didn’t take long for me to realize why this film is the early favorite to win Best Picture at the 93rd Academy Awards, scheduled for April 25th of this year. Nomadland is a slow burn that is elevated by another gripping performance from Frances McDormand. Her performance as Fern is just so real and powerful, but also quiet at the same time. It is hard for me to say that this is McDormand’s magnum opus of her incredible acting career with her other astounding performances in Fargo and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri that garnered her Best Actress awards for both from the Academy, but I would certainly put it top 3.

What was arguably more impressive than McDormand’s performance in the film however was Chloé Zhao’s direction and the technical aspects that came with the film. First, with Zhao’s direction, this was only the third feature film she has directed, followed by Songs My Brother Taught Me and The Rider which both earned scores of over 90 on the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, and she is already quickly becoming one of the most sought after directors in Hollywood today. The way Zhao paints the picture of the simple daily tasks of a modern-day nomad pulls you in and keeps you wanting more. This is obviously aided by the superb performances of the other cast members in supporting roles such as David Strathairn, as well as real-life nomads playing fictionalized versions of themselves, Swankie, Linda May, and Bob Wells. Back to Zhao though, be sure to tune in on April 25th for the Oscars and see if she can become only the second female ever to direct a Best Picture winner and win Best Director (the first was Kathryn Bigelow for The Hurt Locker).

And for the technical aspects of the film, the cinematography is second to none. When watching, I often found myself in awe of some of the shots that cinematographer Joshua James Richards was able to capture in what felt like every scene. Also, the music in the film is done by Italian composer Ludovico Einaudi, and it just adds another dimension to an already extremely immersive experience.

The Bad

It was very difficult in my opinion to find something either bad with the film or something that I did not like because of how much I enjoyed watching this. With that being said though, it might not be your cup of tea. For example, this film is really slow at times, and if you aren’t intrigued by the story, it could end up being a tough watch for you because there isn’t a lot going on at some points throughout the film. Also, as someone who was very invested in the story, I would have loved to see more about Fern’s background and what her life was like before the recession hit because all we see of Fern’s life pre-recession is really just an old picture of her husband who has since passed on.

The Verdict

As much as I enjoy the action-packed superhero movies, movies like this are so much more rewarding in a sense. After everything that COVID-19 has brought upon us as a country, a movie about a modern-day nomad who struggles to get back on her feet after losing everything but ultimately bounces back stronger and more at peace with her life is something truly beautiful and is something we all can find inspiration from.

For just a bit more perspective, here is Ted’s final thoughts on the film…

Nomadland is more than just a movie, it's a journey of self-discovery that you embark on with characters you will genuinely care about. You will feel the full range of emotions, but more than anything else, you will find yourself taking a long hard look at what really matters in life - most of which is beyond the materialistic surface we all know far too well. Highly recommended.