Confess that when I saw this film, I was unaware of two very important things for this review: that a ‘roadtrip’ could be deeply dramatic but without falling into an abuse of resources. This story touches on aspects of loneliness and forgetfulness that are not often highlighted..... It also raises a number of questions and questions about personal dignity, resilience and the strength to survive despite the harshest of circumstances. Honestly, and not to be a bore, but if this film had been directed by Steven Spielberg, it would have been behind in the awards everywhere....
In fact, something that is immediately apparent when watching Nomadland is the symbiosis between the beauty of the shots and the harshness of the situations that the character played by Frances McDormand has to go through... A woman who, after the death of her husband and the closure of the town where she lived for decades due to the closure of the company that provided work for the people who lived there, had no other option but to look for a living..... In McDormand's own words, ‘I got to work, you know? The government gives me a cheque for $1,000 a month, and I'm in the stubborn habit of not starving...’. It is not and anti-capitalist manifesto but it is a reflection of the inequality and rawness of the dispossessed....
Sub-zero temperatures, eating only a can of tasteless soup, crying in total loneliness, and when somehow life tries to provide her with some love, accustomed to misery, and pain; she decides that a new love is not for her. This film is and ode to values that, personally, I thought were lost. Honour, fidelity, indomitable strength and kindness. This film is an act of love and love for Stoic philosophy. Clearly, it is not a mainsteam work but it is impossible to remain indifferent when watching it. It is one of those hidden gems in the Disney Plus catalogue that any film lover should see. It is impossible not to be reflected in the dialogue and the fighting spirit of the character played by Frances McDormand.
Honestly, the touch that only a woman, as its director, can bring to the film is noticeable in the subtlety of the shots and shots that we can see in each section of this scene. A soft aura of perpetuity makes a masterful company with a subtle soundtrack, which creates the necessary atmosphere to be able to show everything that causes the most cruel loneliness through a journey through the United States of America; a country that loves to forget those who have not done so well in life. Yes, as the title suggests, it's a story about being a nomad and what it's like... There is no tourism for fun, no adrenaline rush of ‘getting back to nature’ in a hipster way, no. In fact, one thing that is appreciated is that it's not just about the nomadic lifestyle.
Nomadland is a game of words in a poetic way to explain the harsh reality of a woman who has to go through everything, without help, and without complaints. There are tears, there are many lessons and teachings and I think it is one of those films to watch alone. Sometimes the tears we thought we shouldn't shed are impossible to hold back. And in a world where it is increasingly difficult to empathise, watching this kind of work is a pampering of the soul. I read that McDormand and the director were nominated for the 2024 Oscar, and that in Berlin, they received a standing ovation during their presentation at the Berlinale Film Festival of the same year. Regardless of the awards, it's too hard not to be moved by Nomadland.
