Top Movies of 2013/14; #4 "Nebraska"

Journal: February 2014

Google description... 

After receiving a sweepstakes letter in the mail, a cantankerous father thinks he's struck it rich, and wrangles his son into taking a road trip to claim the fortune. Shot in black and white across four states, Nebraska tells the stories of family life in the heartland of America.

My review... "Nebraska" is one of those movies where you know how it is going to end, but not how we're going to get there. It was also my surprise movie of the year. When I saw the trailer for "12 Years A Slave," I knew people would be discussing it during Oscar season. "Nebraska" came out of nowhere and I couldn't have been more pleased. 

As son's, we are often told second hand stories of our fathers, but rarely are we confronted with their past faults. Throughout "Nebraska," we see a son confronting the faults within himself, his family and his father. Now, this may sound painful, but this movie does it in a hilarious fashion. 

As you watch this movie, you will find yourself wishing the sweepstakes letter to be true. We desperately want to be wrong about the conclusion of this movie, because we know the characters deserve a win. Ultimately, this doesn't happen, but each character is offered the opportunity to walk away with something much bigger than money. 

This, in itself, is the story of our lives. We place such a high emphasis on material things, we often overlook the simple things like: love, forgiveness and family. "Nebraska" for all its quirkiness has the power to teach us that. 

Thanks for entering my world, 

-Nathan