Checking out NEBRASKA (the movile)

Bruce Dern (Woody) and  Will Fort (David)

NEBRASKA, directed by Alexander Payne and written by Bob Nelson.  Starring Bruce Dern, Will Fort, June Squibb,  Stacy Keach, and more.

The first thing you will notice is that the movie is in black and white.   My first thought was "Why?"  But after watching it I think color would have taken something out of the movie.

It is a trip movie.   Woody Grant ( Bruce Dern) gets one of those bulk rate notice from something like Publishers' Clearing House insinuating there is a good chance he has won a $1,000,000.  He insists on driving  to Lincoln, Nebraska, to claim his million dollars.  Woody is apparently half senile and seems to be  in another world during most the movie.  His son, David (Will Fort),  risks  his job to go along with his father to watch out for him.

Also his Will's brother Ross (Bob Odenkirk), a local anchorman,  is good supporting part.

They dropped by Woody's hometown Hawthorne, Nebraska,  that   he  was born in and grew up in and still have plenty of relatives nearby.   

In Hawthorne one of the middle age unemployed cousin/nephew is facing a crime charge.  It was casually mentioned, like asking how is the RAPE charge coming and the man's parents quickly jumped in and  said it was not RAPE, nothing like it.  It is SEXUALLY ASSAULT charge they said.  Big difference they felt.  The word meant everything to their reputation.

Up until this point his relatives  and old partner could take him or leave him but somehow word got out that he WON $1,000,000 and suddenly everybody becomes gushy friendly and  reminds the Bruce character of all the favors they have helped him out with.... first it was nice then they got vicious.  All in the name of greed.

Bruce's wife Kate is played by June Squibb.  She is a blunt speaking  tell-it-like it is motherly type that uses four-letter words almost as often as she used sentences, or it seemed that way.

I thought it was a good movie that was a good study of mankind, and not without humor.

Bruce Dern received the Best Actor Award for it at the Cannes Film Festival.  And it has been nominated for 6 Academy Awards.

June Squibb (Kate)