Stream it on Hulu
Nomadland feels like the kind of movie that should be an anime. This is not in any way intended to imply that the film is bad; it's just that its choice of narrative and visual style, while relatable and gorgeous to look at, seems ill-suited for a live-action presentation. It is a slice-of-life style of narrative commonly found in anime titles such as The Garden of Words. Stories where not very much happens in terms of plot or conflict but present a bit of relatable human drama along with breathtaking visuals to keep your attention. This style of narrative filmmaking, at least in my opinion, does not work all that well in live-action. And I will explain why momentarily.
Based on Jessica Bruder's book, the "story" follows an older woman named Fern (Frances McDormand), living out of her van as a nomad after losing her husband. She travels from place to place, taking up short-time temp jobs and building up her mobile living situation. Along the way, she meets new people, explores wonderful sights, and contemplates pursuing a new romance with a fellow nomad named Dave (David Strathairn). All the while dealing with the sad reality of how uncertain the future is.
The film is a decent presentation of both breathtaking visuals and how living as a nomad most likely is. Featuring Joshua James Richards' stupendous cinematography, the film is loaded with delightful landscape shots and haunting old-town tableaus. Writer & director Chloé Zhao, known for The Rider and Marvel Studios' upcoming Eternals, deserves all the credit for delivering a narrative that feels genuine and authentic. Her talent for exploring the human condition is a rare treat that we need more of today.
Having said that, I still believe that Nomadland would probably be better as an anime.
You see, anime tends to get away with utilizing the slice-of-life style narrative structure because it has the added bonus of being anime: hand-drawn animation that requires intensive amounts of details and years' worth of meticulous artistry to create every frame. Anime remains one of the most gorgeous mediums in the arts and is one of the few mediums that can survive (mostly) on great visuals.
Nomadland, on the other hand, while still visually striking, does not have the same level of awe that emanates from anime. Live-action is still just pointing a camera at a pretty thing in an artistic way. It still looks nice, but it's not as impressive. Yes, that is part of what gives cinema its identity, but there is a bit more required for compelling narratives for live-action. Simply following around a nomad through pretty rock formations as she contemplates the horrors of reality is not enough to make a compelling film. At least, not in my opinion.
While I applauded Nomadland for trying to do something different and genuinely appreciate seeing more women directors working in film, I can't say that I was entirely blown away. It's a wonderful character piece and has decent commentary on the human condition, but it's ultimately not my cup of tea. I will say that I genuinely want to see more of Chloé Zhao's films, and I hope that her work on Marvel's Eternals will give her the clout to do just that.
Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading.
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