Omaha takes place after a family tragedy, as siblings Ella and Charlie are unexpectedly woken up by their dad and taken on a journey across the country.
The film immediately opens with a scene that showcases its emotional heartbeat: a father and his children. There’s a sense that something is missing in this family, but a substantial amount of love is still there amidst the pain. While visibly seeing the hardships that the father is going through, the flick keeps his true thoughts and feelings hidden. This creates an interesting early dynamic, providing an emotional anchor to buy into while also being weary of him.
There is a lot of time spent on the road in Omaha, with close-up shots of the characters in the vehicle alongside drone footage of them driving. This can grow tiring at times, but it also provides a very surreal feeling, putting the audience in their shoes. While this may take up a lot of screen time, it’s the moments in between that allow the movie to flourish.
Omaha succeeds by crafting emotionally impactful, resonating moments. This is a simple movie, but it’s these sequences that make it stand out. On a basic human level, Omaha is extremely relatable. We are all clueless at some point in our lives, and this touches on having to make tough decisions, live uncomfortably and be afraid while still acting strong for those surrounding you.
The flick is held together by three outstanding performances from John Magaro, Molly Belle Wright and Wyatt Solis. Magaro is able to do so much with so little here. Without relying on an abundance of dialogue, he is able to convey a lot of pain, desperation and love. While he is phenomenal, it’s really Wright and Solis that make Omaha what it is. Even with all of the chaos surrounding them, the two children are able to see a world full of beauty and hope. These performances aid in that, being one of the most accurate portrayals of children that I’ve seen in recent memory.
As an exploration of parenthood and poverty in America, Omaha is heartbreaking. By the time that it reached its conclusion, I felt as if I had been punched in the gut. This is a movie that is meant to hurt, and it has certainly stuck with me.
Omaha is made up of moments, some of which are hopeful and others that are painful. Both are equally as impactful, as it teetors between the beauty of growing up alongside the desperation of parenting two children through poverty. With only an 83-minute runtime, the film feels slightly rushed in its closing minutes, but that doesn’t diminish the impact.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
