Director Alexander Payne (Sideways) tends to take us on hopeful roadtrips that are never about the destination, but about the journey. The mission is to collect a $1,000,000 sweepstake. The winner is Woody Grant (Bruce Dern) an aging, alcoholic who is going to walk to Nebraska if he has to (all the way from Montana mind you) to collect his winnings. His son David (SNL’s Will Forte) finally agrees to drive him and the adventures and misadventures ensue.
But just when you think you’ve had enough, the story takes a magical turn as we see our fathers or mothers in all of us. We become them, or try not to. In the case of Woody, I suspect he knows he isn’t going to get a prize package when he arrives there, but he wants to give his failed life meaning. …the risks not taken, the choices not made. That would include his choice to marry his miserable but hilarious wife (June Squibb) who should garnish a best supporting actress nod.
Bob Nelson’s script is nothing short of brilliant, capturing the heart of middle America with specific details one could only understand if, like Payne, an Omaha native, you’re from there. But you feel as if you can say you visited Billings, Montana, that’s for certain. Bruce Dern is one of those actors Hollywood never quite knew what to do with, but in this, he shines and will shine all the way to the Oscar red carpet. Let’s just hope he doesn’t choose – as in this – to walk there and collect his winnings.