What Chloe Zhao is able to achieve with her direction of Nomadland is nothing short of outstanding and it will almost certainly be a huge player within the Best Picture Academy Award. The movie allows us as the audience to pull back the curtain and explore the life of a Nomad and the reasons for living the way that they do. With Frances Mcdormand playing the lead role, this movie is beautiful in a number of ways and was certainly an eye opener.
Written by Joe Brown
What is so special about this film is that it uses a lot of real life nomads in the cast, giving the movie a very authentic feel. You almost forget you're watching a film, it has more of a documentary feeling to it, as we learn about the life of a Nomad. It is very clear that Zhao wanted to allow her audience to understand why these people live the way that they do and the reasons for this lifestyle choice, which you fully grasp.
Frances Mcdormand is always fantastic but there is a good argument that this is her greatest performance to date. Her acting ability is one of a kind as she immerses herself into and becomes her characters. The connections she makes with these non actors and real life Nomad's, allows us to believe that she is one too. There is just a quality to her acting ability that makes her feel real and believable. It would be of no surprise if Mcdormand wins her third Oscar for Actress in a Leading Role.
Also, the technicality of this movie is exceptional. What they are able to achieve in terms of cinematography and set design was beautiful and this is a gorgeous film. There are many moments where the backdrop has a sunset and the natural light gives such a sense of realism, making us feel as if we are there. The realism created from this aspect offers a different dimension to the film, something that is very hard to achieve.
However, this type of movie definitely is an acquired taste. It is a film where not much happens in terms of substantial moments or scenes of drama. Thus, this film will not be for everyone. It is certainly more of a character study and peak into the lives of the Nomad's, which if you're into, you will have a great time with Nomadland.
This is a superb film which gives us an amazing look into the life of a Nomad. Zhoa's skills as a director are on full display, Mcdormand's performance is one of her best and it is a genuinely interesting depiction, of a way of life that is not often spoken about, but is often misunderstood.