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One scene in “Nomadland” features Dave, a friend of the main character, Fern (Frances McDormand), debating whether he should go visit his estranged son. Fern responds bluntly, “Don’t think about it too much, Dave. Just go, be a grandfather.”

Chloé Zhao’s film, which she wrote, directed and co-produced follows a similar logic. “Nomadland” is a gorgeously shot and relaxing film that follows McDormand’s character through an emotional yet healing journey throughout the American heartland. The film also sheds light on nomadic culture with a neutral yet loving eye, and neither passes judgment nor analyzes anything too difficult. The film is rather simple and sweet in its simplicity in its presentation and story.

The film begins as Fern is leaving her hometown Empire, Nevada, following her husband’s death and the discontinuation of her town’s ZIP code (which really happened). She then decides to live a nomadic life, traveling around through several states in her van, aptly named “Vanguard.” The film follows Fern as she takes on new jobs, meets different people and processes her lifestyle.

Zhao lets Fern breathe throughout the entirety of the film through modest editing choices. There are several tracking shots where we follow Fern walking throughout her environment, but aside from that, she keeps it simple.

Cinematographer Joshua James Richards and Zhao feature some steady handheld shots throughout. This adds to the naturalistic environment of the film, along with mostly natural lighting. Zhao lets the environment play a part in the story, whether using campfire light to illuminate the characters, or allowing us to admire the sunrises over the desert landscape. The grey, cloudy atmosphere at the start and end of the film in Empire does set up Fern’s journey well, a visual choice that both works with the setting and acknowledges her loss.

The line between film and documentary does get crossed at moments by including real-life nomadic people in the cast. But they add more authenticity to the film by helping Fern along her journey. They also open a more personal dialogue about their lives and why they decided to live a different way, such as Charlene Swankie’s (fictional) account of her battle with cancer and the need to travel up north to Alaska one more time.

I love the motif of not saying goodbye but rather “see you down the road.” This echoes several points in the film when Fern either intentionally or randomly reunites with several figures, small or large. That fits well not only with the nomadic character’s lifestyles but also mirrors Ferns’ journey. She is trying to move on from her husband’s death while still saying that she’s “married.” The mentality captures so much about the film in just a few words.

The film both critiques Fern for picking herself up and leaving her family behind. She is neither condemned for staying alone following the death of her husband nor given any reason to stay completely invested in the corporate world. Zhao just watches her character advance through different scenarios.

That may be too simple for most people. The nomadic lifestyle is a unique one, as addressed in the film. However, it is very relaxed to the point that it feels meandering at points. This style makes the film feel longer than it actually is at points. There is only so much the film can get by on just traveling around the country with McDormand.

McDormand is solid in the film, albeit giving a more understated performance than her more quirky characters in her Coen Brothers’ films performances. She has few soliloquies she opens up about her life slowly throughout the film. One such moment comes near the end when Fern says that she stayed in Empire longer than she should have because her husband loved the town and she felt she had to stay there for him.

I find it refreshing that “Nomadland” is so pure. There are some cliched narrative devices — a broken family heirloom for instance — but Zhao understands that the beauty in this lifestyle is its simplicity. A beautiful landscape image with our protagonist admiring the sunrise can be enough at times.

Ultimately, “Nomadland” comes across as our singular director’s vision in creating a story that honors the nomadic lifestyle. This is a sweet, simple film that can be digested and revisited with ease, like the expression used in the final slide of the film: “see you down the road.”

Published on March 30, 2021 at 10:38 pm

Contact Patrick: pagunn@syr.edu