Nomadland
A recently dispossessed woman finds hard-won freedom and fragile community while roaming the American West in her van.
Overview
A journey of self-discovery unfolds on the open road, where freedom and resilience collide.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Slow
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- melancholic
- contemplative
- intimate
- quiet evening
- reflective weekend
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as a poetic, deeply observed portrait of economic precarity and outsider life, led by Frances McDormand and Chloé Zhao's naturalistic direction.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Linda May, Swankie, and Bob Wells appear as themselves or closely aligned versions of themselves alongside Frances McDormand.
Fern works temporary jobs and travels after the collapse of her company town and the loss of conventional economic security.
Fern packs her van and deliberately explores nomadic life rather than returning to a conventional home.
The American West's deserts, roads, and open spaces frame Fern's solitary movement and encounters with other nomads.
Films like Nomadland, and why
The Rider
shares a contemplative road movie structure, economic precarity, and a humane focus on people living outside mainstream society
Wendy and Lucy
shares understated social realism, western landscapes, intimate character observation, and themes of grief and marginalization
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore
shares a drifting outsider protagonist, episodic encounters, and a melancholic search for autonomy across the American landscape
The Grapes of Wrath
shares poetic natural imagery, working-class hardship, and a reflective portrait of life on the margins
Movie Details
- Director
- Chloé Zhao
- Release Date
- 2021-01-29
- Runtime
- 108 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (3482)
Cast
- Frances McDormand
- David Strathairn
- Linda May
- Swankie
- Gay DeForest
- Patricia Grier
- Angela Reyes
- Carl R. Hughes
- Douglas G. Soul
- Ryan Aquino
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Nomadland about?
- A recently dispossessed woman finds hard-won freedom and fragile community while roaming the American West in her van.
- What is Nomadland like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Nomadland as slow, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Nomadland violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Nomadland.
- What did critics think of Nomadland?
- Critics broadly praised the film as a poetic, deeply observed portrait of economic precarity and outsider life, led by Frances McDormand and Chloé Zhao's naturalistic direction.
- Which films are like Nomadland?
- Films with a similar feel include The Rider, Wendy and Lucy, Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, and The Grapes of Wrath.
- How long is Nomadland?
- Nomadland runs 108 minutes.
- Where can I watch Nomadland?
- In United States, Nomadland streams on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads.
