Nomadland Is Boring but Beautiful | Review

To be perfectly honest, Nomadland is boring but at the same time, I understand the appeal. The authenticity of each character, the script, and the cinematography are what sets this film apart.

Because this film is so highly praised and awarded by the top film experts in the world, I feel like I’m missing something to not feel the same awe and adoration for this film as others have but, it is what it is. Different people, different connections, different interpretations, different emotions…

Nomadland is about a late middle-aged lady, named Fern, who is refiguring out her life through the nomad lifestyle.

Nomadland Is Beautiful 

Nomadland came across as if there was no script, no casting, just real people who happened to be filmed. All of the characters feel so authentic, not artificial or manufactured. There is nothing cringeworthy about it. The camera, audio, and soundtrack are all on point. It is a beautifully put-together film. 

The main character, Fern, felt so real; cool with mean streaks, sweet and sour, friendly and introverted; she was a complex individual. 

I really enjoyed how her relationship with Dave felt sincere and simple. “I just like being around you.”

It doesn’t have to be intense, passionate love at first sight as movies often do. Just a simple, peaceful companionship. I appreciated the simplistic portrayal of a relationship between a man and a woman.  

Nomadland Is Boring

Nomadland feels 3 hours long. When it ended I was like dang – finally. It just felt like I was watching a sequence of moments with a vague sense of timing. There was no rollercoaster of emotions but rather a straight, median line of indifference. A feeling of “meh” all the way through.

The story seemed to lead nowhere. It was just a meaningless, mirroring of life. Characters wander with moments of happiness and sadness, community, and loneliness. At the end of the day, there is no real conclusion. Nomadland is boring.

Message

I noticed a message of grief near the end: we never say “goodbye” we just say “see you down the road.” That moment feels profound. Honoring the bonds that never truly break and how we manage to stay connected with the people we cross paths with and walk paths with. 

The whole movie is a journey through Fern’s grief. She learns to let go of her past and the devastating loss of her husband and embrace new adventures ahead. 

In Conclusion…

Nomadland is not a bad movie but it is a bit boring. It made my life seem exciting. I turned it off and looked at my well-lit room, remembered my indoor plumbing, and was so relieved to escape the nomad world. 

Nomadland was unfortunately exactly what I expected it to be. It wasn’t until I saw all of the awards that it won that I thought that there might be more to the story than I assumed. Instead, it was exactly the slow-paced, aimless, quiet, cerebral journey that I expected. An older woman just wanders untethered and free through life with no plot or conflict to be resolved. Just people doing things and exploring humanity with no questions to be answered or clear conclusions. Nothing more than I originally expected.

Not many complaints, but I wouldn’t watch the movie again. I personally didn’t feel any deep connection with Nomadland but that doesn’t take away from the fact that it is truly a quality film. 

Rating: 6/10

What are your thoughts on the film? Let me know in the comments below!

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Peace, love, and lots of popcorn,

IMO