Alexander Payne's latest opus to the state of his youth is another masterful film from an incredibly gifted storyteller. Nebraska unfolds from a point of simplicity into a deep thread that sews together the best and worst of human nature. It does this against the stark backdrop of the plains states in small town America, where economic woes and long forgotten dreams litter the barren landscape. Nebraska is sad, incredibly humorous, and profoundly poetic all at once. The last scene of this film is so beautiful and artistic, it's a reminder of how the smallest gestures are the most powerful.

Bruce Dern stars as Woody Grant, a senile alcoholic wasting away his retirement years with his sharp tongued wife - Kate (June Squibb), in Billings, Montana. Woody has opened up a package similar to that of Publisher's Clearing House, claiming he has won a million dollar prize. Incapable of driving to collect his "reward" in Lincoln, Nebraska; Woody has taken to walking towards Lincoln, every chance he gets. This leads to much consternation from his wife and sons. Will Forte co-stars as David, his youngest son. With a dead end job and recent break up, David decides to drive his father to Nebraska to collect his winnings. Hoping to show him the folly of this undertaking and put the issue to rest once and for all. The pair decides to stop in the small Nebraska town where Woody and Kate grew up to see their relatives. Woody lets slip his newfound fortune to family and friends, igniting an unexpected chain of events.

Nebraska is, at first glance, a road trip film about a father and son coming to terms. David knows absolutely nothing about his father. Woody has never spoken to his sons about anything, a total mystery to his progeny. What David discovers about his father, and himself, is a true journey of understanding. It only takes place because they interact with people from Woody's hometown. Their family and Woody's childhood friends, particularly the lecherous Ed Pegram, played wonderfully by Stacy Keach; are essential to the growth of these characters. Villainy, in the form of greed and envy, is on sharp display as Woody's fictional prize becomes the talk of the town. These scenes are magnificently staged by screenwriter Bob Nelson. Every family has seen bouts of pettiness simmer to a boil when relatives reunite. Now imagine the effect of a supposed million dollar payday, like adding lighter fluid to a fire.

Nebraska is shot in black and white. I'm always skeptical of the artistic reasons to shoot in black and white, but honestly, this was the pitch perfect way to shoot this film. The characters and their way of life is keenly understood in this format. The hardscrabble economic woes of the times mirror what Woody Guthrie might have seen in The Great Depression. There isn't a lot of hope, or anything inspiring in these places. Life is rote, austere, as the cinematography suggests. This is why the idea of the money, and all it offers, is so appealing. The fantastic discovery is what the money means to Woody. Why is he so hell bent on getting this prize, when David continually tries to tell him it's pure imagination. You'll have to see to it to find out, but it is enormously heartfelt.

The acting performances in Nebraska are excellent. Bruce Dern and Will Forte have garnered a lot of attention, but I think that June Squibb is just fabulous as Kate. Initially we see her in one dimension, but as the plot thickens, Kate's importance becomes more apparent. June Squibb and Stacy Keach are solid in their supporting roles. The ensemble cast overall is key to the dramatic weight of the film. I firmly believe that multiple acting nominations will come from Nebraska.

Now comes the part where I extol the virtues of Alexander Payne. This guy is a tremendous filmmaker. His ability to tell deeply personal stories against seemingly normal backdrops is brilliance personified. A teacher student conflict set against a high school Election, a buddy trip in California's wine country in Sideways, a man reconnecting with his daughters while discovering his comatose wife's infidelity in The Descendants, and now a father son road trip in the Midwest. Payne's beguiling techniques in staging the perfect dramedy continues to be near flawless. I don't ever see him making a mega-budget film, but it would be wonderful if he took the chance.

Nebraska is a great film, one of the best of the year. I love it when I can laugh out loud, but still feel empathy and sadness in the same film. It is rare when a film can elicit such a myriad of emotion from audiences. Nebraska is a must see, another feather in the cap of one of Hollywood's finest talents.