Perspectives

Reception and criticism

The movie Nomadland directed by Chloé Zhao had a mainly favorable reception. Many important publications rated it highly and praised its achievements. The Guardian, for example, called it “a gentle, compassionate, questioning film about the American soul” and praised Zhao’s “artistry and grace”. The magazine also praised Frances McDormand, who stars as Fern, and calls her “quiet, self-effacing performance” one of the best of her career.

In another review, The New York Times draws attention to the importance of natural landscapes in the movie, and mentions Zhao’s skill in creating an “interplay between human emotion and geography (…) the way space, light and wind reveal character”. The review acknowledges the almost complete lack of conflict in the movie, and points to Zhao’s choice of presenting the nomad lifestyle without judgement or any attempt at social criticism.

People have also praised Nomadland for its minimalistic filming techniques that give the movie a documentary-like feel. As well as this, the movie draws attention with the choice of using only two actual actors – Frances McDormand, as Fern, and David Strathairn as Dave. The other members of the ca...