Nebraska

Nebraska

Rated R and Released 12/27/12 in Grand Rapids

Reviewed 1/1/14 at Celebration North in Grand Rapids, MI

with Gary

2 1/2 out of 5 Js in QUIET Rating System

I haven't seen Bruce Dern star in a film in quite some time. He is good in Nebraska as Woody Grant but I have to say June Squibb as wife Kate Grant stole the show. At first, her quippiness and ill treatment of her aging husband make you cringe but she grows on you rapidly. This movie is probably not for anyone under 40 and probably will appeal more as the age goes up. It is a sweet movie about an older couple and it is as slow moving as Bruce Dern is as Woody Grant. Trust me; his movies are slow. Gary and I appreciated the black and white cinematography and the subtle clever humor that you do have to pay attention to or you might sleep through it.

The aging Grant receives a letter in the mail that he "might" be a winner of a million dollar prize. But he disregards the "might" and takes to heart the prize. Being ignored by his wife and his two sons doesn't hinder the confused Woody from wanting to walk some 800 miles from his hometown of Billings, Montana, to Lincoln, Nebraska, to collect his winnings. Sick of getting calls and picking his heavy drinking father up along the road, his son David (Will Forte) goes against his mother's wishes and decides to drive dad to Lincoln so dad can see for himself there is no million bucks waiting for him.

On the way the pair have a few adventures but waylaid in Woody's Nebraska hometown provides some of the funniest scenes, when Kate and other son Ross (Bob Odenkirk) join them.

This provides all the reasons to get out of "Dodge" if you live in real small-town America. I have experience in this matter. Get out or you will end up like Woody's family that they visit. The family provides a lot of material for an exit - trust me. The road trip is a journey that provides sentiment with some humorous moments. June Squibb as Woody's wife is a hoot and might make Nebraska worth seeing just for her.

QUIET Rating system: 2 1/2 Js

Quality: JJJ

Understood story:  JJJ

Interest: JJj

Entertainment:  JJ

Time:  JJ