Nomadland ★★★★

Chloé Zhao

Starring Frances McDormand, David Strathairn, Linda May, Swankie, Gay DeForest

At last, we finally get to see this multi-award winner in the UK!

Everyone’s talking about Nomadland right now and as we creep towards the opening of the silver screen, having this on in the living room on Disney+ is a mouthwatering prospect.

The story centres around Fern (Frances McDormand) who has become a modern day nomad after losing everything during the great recession earlier this century. What follows is a graceful look at a life lived on the road and all the people that make this lifestyle so interesting.

Everything about this is like a warm hug followed by a bit of a cry, all topped off with a soothing cuppa. The visuals are stunning, Frances McDormand is fantastic and the direction is sure, caring and mindful. It is a truly cathartic experience hearing from the real people that star in this picture with McDormand just about nestling in to the community in a truly believable performance. Each of the community has their own story which will make you travel through the whole spectrum of emotion and are truly the heart of the film.

The reason that they became the heart of this film is down to the great direction from Chloé Zhao. There is a confidence in the stillness and the close ups that others may have missed with a dusk-like hue that screams of a modern award season nominee. But here lies the only issue with Nomadland; it all feels very “award season”. The lingering shots and barren landscapes just shout Oscars and the whole picture doesn’t feel particularly re- watchable. Perhaps it is a slight victim of its own success?

Nevertheless, this is a must watch to get a sense of perspective and as the cinema doors re- open, do consider this as your first, gentle foray in to the world we’ve missed so much.

Nomadland available now on Disney+