By: Keaton Marcus

See you down the road.

Nomadland, which one could both consider a 2020 or 2021 release, has been put on Hulu for general audiences to witness. The film is deeply meditative, calming, depressing and more of an experience than an actual movie. No wonder it was put in select IMAX theaters, as it’s a gorgeously-shot film, likely one of the most beautiful of last year. Or soon to be if you count it as a 2021 release. It’s documentary-like in the sense that they brought Oscar-winning actress Frances McDormand around to act alongside true nomads. As a result, it’s an achingly real movie where arguably nothing happens on the surface.

Fern (Frances McDormand) is grieving a life that's been ripped away from her. It seems like she was relatively happy in Empire, Nevada, one of those many American small towns built around industry. When the gypsum plant there closed, the town of Empire quite literally closed with it.

This was never truly going to be a crowd-pleaser, that’s for sure. However, despite my gripes with the film hear or there, it was a near-masterpiece and a mature effort from director Chloe Zhao. She shows exceptional filmmaking prowess (that’s expected considering she was mentored by Malick) and a contemplative look at a few worthy questions. Is a home something we take with us? Does the community that surrounds us make it a home? It poses these deep questions about what makes a home, and through Fern, the movie answers this question several times. Zhao is clearly putting out the message that no matter where you are in the world, home can be found with friends, family or your loved ones. What’s so tragic about the film and its stubborn main character herself is the fact that she suffers from self-indulgent depression and a fear of being close to someone. She constantly refuses companions and people’s help, and almost embraces the sadness, isolation and loneliness as well. It’s become apart of her soul. However, primarily, Frances McDormand is the one who depicts this most effectively. She’s incredibly realistic and impressive in the sense that she felt authentic enough not to stand out in front of a bunch of true nomads. A completely human and down-to-earth presence that deserves love from the Academy Awards.

The remainder of the cast, who, for the most part, portray themselves, are inherently realistic. They’ve lived this life, and considering a lot of them knew that they were filming with an actress of this caliber, I was in awe by the fact that they were able to keep their cool. You could tell that at least the majority of scenes weren’t scripted, and the stories that some of them tell are utterly heartbreaking. Each of them have a distinct reason for choosing this life, for choosing something that requires never turning back. The campfire scene and Fern’s encounter with Swankie were surely the two stand-outs for me. Otherwise, it’s technically top-notch as well, which is what really separates it from being another documentary. The score and camerawork match the themes I wrote about earlier, and coupled with Zhao’s delicate direction and McDormand’s performance, it makes for the flawless combo. The pacing in the second half was definitely noticeably weaker than the first, and of course, it is extraordinarily hard to get through at times, but besides that, I adored this movie.