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Plot

Fern experienced total loss, including her house, husband, and work. The possible cause? Who knows, perhaps the world has evolved and it doesn't wait for those left behind, or perhaps it was the Great Recession that started in 2006. In summary, Fern essentially has nothing left except for a worn-out vehicle that she uses to travel around the western United States and an old jacket that serves as a constant reminder of the man in her life. California, Nevada, Idaho, and New Mexico. And every year, the same route is taken, much like migratory birds who flock together to escape the heat and feel less chilly and less alone.

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Why you should watch it?

There is a sentence in the movie's opening credits that sums up Nomadland well. And it involves the words "house" and "home". House is the actual, material house; home is where the heart is, the memories are, and the clutter that has accumulated in the corners of recollection. Fern is very clear when she states, "I'm not homeless; I'm just houseless." She now considers the van, as well as the entire country of America, to be her home.

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Nomadland is a tribute to those who choose to live on four wheels, a cautious exploration of a breathtaking landscape, but it's also a story about an inner journey, an existential search, and the pain that drives one to move forward obstinately while avoiding all other possibilities of connection, appropriation, or relationship aside from with one's own memories. Fren therefore makes a lot of friends, builds rapport, and relationships, just to break them soon she board her van again. She rejects offers of a home from sexual friendships as well, and it appears to us that this rejection is motivated by regret, grief, and a desire to return to her own memories.

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Zhao, the director of the movie, uses a technique that occasionally resembles a documentary and blends reality and fiction to take us on a trip to learn about a world we know little to nothing about. While the majority of the men and women Fern encounters on her voyage are actual nomads, Fern is a fictional character.

Men and women who join their destinies and lives for a shared goal, out of necessity, and occasionally out of despair. who never part ways, merely saying good-bye, knowing they'll run into one other again. It would be unfair to categorize these men and women as non-professional actors because Chloé Zhao directs them with a special competence.

Zhao demands her actors use their hands, bodies, and faces to communicate in a movie with minimal speech and an Adagio-like tempo. Every aspect in Nomadland has a voice because she gives the areas in which they move a voice, whether it be the claustrophobic interiors of the vans or the limitless wild landscapes.

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And as a result, you stop noticing the absence of concise dialogue or robust monologues. The pauses are never silent because Nomadland uses graphics to communicate in a kind, approachable, and open way.

The journey to Nomadland takes significantly longer than two hours in a camper van. The places where something happens and what happens are equally essential. A way of life that might be perceived as "alien" and thus "judged" by society is investigated in this balance, which is characterized by stark and beautiful contrasts. This is done with a simple yet profound gaze that offers sincere reflections on the concept of home, the role of the elderly in society, the economic system, the idea of human kindness, life and death, speaking directly to each viewer.

Taking about the cinematography, it is characterized by broad planes that emphasize the American West's landscapes but, more importantly, are crucial to the story of nomadic life, of the solitude and inner connection that Fern's character, in particular, seeks on this journey. This is supported by effective lighting, especially natural light, and a color scheme that incorporates a variety of natural colors (blues, browns, greens). The rear color grading work and the basic clothing definitely improve the entire visual narrative.

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Conclusion

I encourage everyone to watch Nomadland, because it tackles significant subjects in a brutally honest manner. The documentary-style clip will touch you and make you upset about the injustices it discusses. The thematic it deals with are profound and usually "forgotten" by "normale" people who live in the comfort and security of their pre-constructed schemes, and which find everything that deviates from their own life style, to be weird and wrong. This movie tries, among other things, to shows us that there are a lot of ways to live our lives, and that there is no a-priori correct or wrong way. Lastly a praise to Frances McDormand who earned her Oscar, and her talent is now widely acknowledged.

Rating

My personal vote is:

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8.0/10

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