Nomadland (2020), directed by Chloe Zhao

Depicting a little over a year in the life of Fern, a modern hobo, Nomadland is a meandering and beautiful film that shows a different aspect of America. After she was widowed Fern stayed in the mining town of Empire, keeping the memory of her husband alive. When the mine closed the town literally died and Fern put most of her belongings into storage and hit the road in search of work. There she finds a community of itinerant workers who look out for each other and makes some good friends. Everyone has different and complex reasons for being there, but for most it boils down to lack of money. The story seems romanticised, touching only lightly on the potential dangers and insecurities of nomad life and focussing on its freedom and connection to nature. There is mention but no exploration of the impacts of extreme job insecurity, the failings of corporate America and the appalling fact that many Americans in their 70s and beyond can’t afford to retire. In fact Amazon apparently pays well and is a great place to work the Christmas rush each year, with no dodgy practices or worker exploitation. Frances McDormand is faultless as ever as Fern; her portrayal is direct, honest and sympathetic. Much of the supporting cast is drawn from the nomad community and while this strikes a clear note of authenticity, some of the performances are patchy. The film presents ‘houselessness’ as a lifestyle choice and is consequently deceptively shallow, more about the journey and the picturesque countryside it travels and trivialising the underlying issues. Somehow less than the sum of its parts.