Directed by Chloe Zhao
Screenplay by Chloe Zhao
This film follows Fern, who after losing everything in the recession, lives a modern day nomad life in the American West in her van.
It is a film I felt like I have not seen before. Zhao takes a character Fern played wonderfully raw by Frances McDormand , and she is acting against real people being themselves in a nomad life.
It is an odd film because it feels like a documentary but it is scripted.
It shows real nomads which is upbeat. This is their life, they are not ashamed. They create their own communities. They have their own leaders. People come and go, they seem , well, not happy but maybe content in their lives.
As for Frances she seems like the opposite of the rest of the nomads, she is in survival mode and always seems restless, and maybe a bit depressed.
McDormand is just great in this part, most the time observing like we are. We know she is running from life and we feel for her.
As for the film itself....Zhao uses handheld cameras most of the time which puts the viewers right along the side of Fern..following her and seeing what she sees. That all works. However, the film does not have much movement. It is almost stagnant. The film gets kinda boring in the back end.
I have to give the film some credit. Zhao tries something different, and it works to a point. It just sadly lays there, under a great performance by McDormand.
If you want to see something different watch Nomadland, 3 stars out of 5.
As always from the shadows thanks for your time.
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