Blind Date

Last night I had a blind date with American actor, Frances McDormand. It didn't begin that way, but I am so glad we connected.

It was my first date in three years. As I drove to the cinema I reminded myself to be kind and open minded; open hearted. Sporting an identifying red scarf, I waited for the stranger to arrive at the table. I try to manage expectations, but there are rogue fantasies that take us into future scenarios. A rolling tape of The Sullivans, Seven Little Australians, the Brady Bunch or Sleepless in Seattle. Time and experience has taught me to be more realistic and to mask disappointment.

He arrives. A pleasant smile and glassy eyes, that I suspect have been buoyed with a few steadying beers. I go into journalist mode; asking open questions, digging a little deeper into this man's life to see if there's a hook, a spark, a something. There isn't. I suspect it isn't there for him either. After 30 minutes of polite, friendly conversation I wrap it up, indicating that I am meeting a girlfriend to catch a movie. I am not.

We part ways. I think he wants a hug, but Covid and my own instincts position me behind the cafe table. A nice man, but not for me. If it had gone well, I would have suggested a movie.

Now it is me alone, taking myself on a date. Fortunately I adore watching movies on my own. I line up at the box office to buy a movie ticket and purchase one for Nomadland. It seems fitting that I should be watching a film about a mature woman who loses everything and hits the road in a van. Don't get me wrong. I haven't lost everything, in fact my life is pretty good, but I do feel that I have entered a new phase of my life which at times leave me feeling that I am not sure what I am doing. 

The cinema is relatively full; couples, groups of women and an occasional singleton. I position myself in a cosy spot as the lights dim.

The opening scene is Fern, the main character played by Frances McDormand, rummaging in her own garage. As the camera pans out we see that she is in a multi-storage facility choosing what to take in her van from her three square metre of lifetime possessions. She has lost everything; her husband, her job and her home.

It is difficult to express what occurs in the 108 minutes of watching this extraordinary film. We are confronted with the bleak, majestic backdrops of the rocky, snow covered mountains, as well as the harsh, arid deserts of the American west. The scenery is as much a character as it accompanies Fern on her journey through the seasons, towns and trailer parks.

The film score by Ludovico Einaudi, marries beautifully with the pace, mood and cinematography of the film; rolling tyres on long roads and the every changing lifestyle of these nomads who have chosen or been forced onto a path for different reasons. They are a traveling community of individual, that gather to trade goods, support each other and learn the practical skills that make life on the road a little easier. 

This film is a meditation on the fragility and complexity of life and the idea of home; conventionally homeless vs multiple property investments, family vs aloneness, poverty vs wealth, stability vs freedom and companionship vs independence. 

It could have been over-done, but Nomadland is a meaningful glimpse into the lives of the thousands of nomads who travel the highways every day. This is their normal. Director, Chloe Zhao has gently interwoven the landscape, music, the incredible acting of Frances McDormand and the stories from real people on the road to create a thoughtful film about relationships, kindness, grief, loss, resilience and the idea of home. 

In the context of it being my first date in many years, I consider what I can glean from my accidental viewing of Nomadland. While the film does not steer away from the challenging and sombre sides of traveling solo, it is a reassuring reminder that choosing to travel the world alone, with friends and acquaintances alongside us, can be full of insight, love, wonder and meaning. 

Either way, it was a great night out and I look forward to future dates with Frances and others. x

NB: I am writing this while listening to the wonderful film score by Ludovico Einaudi, which I would recommend. 

https://youtu.be/W32VdXGUnUY

More information about the film...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nomadland_(film)