Nomadland
Introduction
The Oscar Season is here and with it amidst the pandemic, India has got a theatrical release of possibly one of the front runners at the Academy Awards this year, Nomadland. This year the fight seems to be between Minari(releasing in India on 16th April) and Nomadland for Best Picture. And so I have just finished watching Nomadland, is it worth your time, stay tuned.
Story & Screenplay
Nomadland is the story of a widower who travels in her Van as a Nomad after she has lost everything to the recession. The story is melancholic as also searingly sobbing. The sadness which is the essence here also grips you right from the beginning and engulfs you till the end. While the main protagonist is on an journey, you are too on an emotional journey with her. The leisurely and non hurried screenplay allows you time to invest in her and her surroundings. And the screenplay also shows you similar characters to the protagonist, each with a story of their own. Each of them quietly fighting a battle of their own while trying to be happy in life. The end and that one particular dialogue carries a lot of weightage that lessens the burden of the baggage that the main protagonist had being carrying till then. There is hope that one day as all nomads do, you will see “them” along the road. That is the brilliance of the screenplay.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are powerful and hold a lot of weightage here and by doing so they leave a lasting impact. The BGM adds that melancholic flavour to the movie quite brilliantly. The cinematography is just Outstanding here, with some beautiful shots taken of landscapes that reflect on the mood of the drama. Director Chloè Zhoa has done a fantastic job with the narration. Questions like why do you even exist are all tackled so beautifully. She may as well win the Best Director at the Oscars this year.
Performances
There are so many performers who do their job beautifully. But it is Frances Mcdormand as Fern who is the life and soul of the film. The sadness on her face is evident and so beautifully portrayed, your heart cries for her. For me, this is an Oscar winning performance in the Best Actor(Female) category. She has won it twice earlier and she is chasing history this year!
Conclusion
Nomadland is a quietly melancholic take on a searingly sobbing story which took a part of me and I am not getting it back. Probably the movie of the year for me at the Oscars(yet to watch Minari). Available in a theatre near you and soon to be streaming on Disney plus Hotstar, Nomadland is Highly Highly Recommended.