Return to Cinema 2021 - Nomadland

Ok so after a break from the cinema last week, I saw two films today. First being, Nomadland.

Directed, written, and edited by Chloé Zhao, Nomadland is based on the 2017 book Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century by Jessica Bruder.

Starring the fantastic, Frances McDormand Nomadland premiered at the Venice Film Festival, where it won the Golden Lion. It also won the People's Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival. 

The film had some preview screenings in Australia around the summer holidays, before landing in general release earlier this month. In the (former) United States some cinemas begun screening the film on January 29, whilst also streaming digitally on Hulu on February 19, 2021. 

The basic plot of the stunning US road movie is McDormand as Fern, a woman who leaves home to travel around the American West. Along with Frances McDormand, the film also stars real-life nomads Linda May, Swankie, and Bob Wells, as fictionalized versions of themselves. 

The film garnered critical acclaim while becoming the third-highest rated of 2020 on Metacritic.

Nomadland was frequently ranked by critics and publications as one of the best films of 2020. It was named one of the ten best films of 2020 by the National Board of Review and the American Film Institute, and received four nominations at the 78th Golden Globe Awards, winning Best Motion Picture – Drama and Best Director; in winning the latter award, Zhao became the second woman and the first Asian woman to do so.

I loved this film. It was slow in parts but heartbreaking at times too, so the pacing actually allowed my emotions to catch up with me.

If you need a good drama to use your Service NSW Dine & Discover vouchers to see, this is a must see. Frances McDormand is so exceptional whilst also appearing completely naked. You go girl.

4.5 Stars. American poverty on the big screen for the whole world to see.