Nomadland (Review)

Nomadland (2020) is a fictional adaptation of the nonfiction book Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century, written by Jessica Bruder. It was written, produced, directed, and edited by Choé Zhao, and starred Frances McDormand as Fern.

Now that I’ve got the boring stuff out of the way, let me take a moment to admit that I did not have expectations of any sort for Nomadland. 2020 was a bit of a blind spot for me cinematically, although I hope the reader is willing to forgive me on that front. Because of this, I had managed to let this film slip entirely under my radar. I mention all of this to explain why I was so caught off guard by the incredible, nearly tangible mastery that permeates the film.

Nomadland follows Fern, an older woman who has lost nearly everything in the Great Recession. Left with few choices, she becomes a member of a growing community of transient workers. While on the road, she meets Dave, played by David Strathairn, as well as fictionalized versions of real nomads such as Linda May, Swankie, and Bob Wells.

This film combines several things that I personally love: bold cinematography that is able to capture the mundane in a fantastic light, realistic and understated dialogue, editing that is clever and gives scenes room to breathe, and a beautiful score that blends in so perfectly with the scene that it is often difficult to recognize the magic being worked just out of view. It is easy to attribute the film’s success to Zhao, who took on so many roles during the production of the film, but it is also worth recognizing both the professional actors and real nomads, who gave stunningly authentic performances. That authenticity, when combined with the dramatic cinematography and editing, gives scenes a nearly mythological feel; as if the viewer is watching the birth of a brand new take on an American tradition as old as the nation itself.

Overall, this film is a melancholy and triumphant look at a growing, hidden way of life. It reminds the viewer that nothing, whether it be towns, or people, or even the horizon, will stay the same. There is fear in that uncertainty, but Nomadland also reminds us that there is beauty, too. This film gets an 11 out of 12 stars from me.