Nomadland is a desolate, harshly realistic account of life on the margins of America from a decade ago. This sobering story is based on a book by Jessica Bruder that chronicled true experiences of her life on the road, a transient lifestyle that has become a reality for a growing number of older people. This is especially true for some of the most financially vulnerable among us as wandering the highways and backroads of the nation might be the only alternative left for those cannot find stable employment or afford a permanent residence any longer.
In the film, Frances McDormand portrays a widow permanently separated from her employer, after the US Gypsum plant closes down in a remote Nevada town. The story centers around Fern (McDormand) who is left entirely on her own since the passing of her husband, who had also worked at the plant. Without a wide array of new employment opportunities during a recession, she sells her belongings and buys a used van to travel around the western states while seeking seasonal employment.
It soon becomes apparent that this is not a lifestyle that she’s well prepared for. Although she finds various jobs during her travels with an Amazon Fulfillment Center, a food processing plant, and as a host at a campground at Badlands National Park in South Dakota, there are times when she is still struggling to survive. There isn’t always enough food, warmth, safety, or funds for repairs when her van breaks down. Fern has to learn some lessons in preparedness and self-sufficiency from other nomads as well as finding companionship to ameliorate the loneliness of life on the road – especially during the bleak winter season.
Joining the desert rendezvous for van dwellers at Quartzsite, Arizona is a pivotal point for Fern – not just for the community it provides and learning survival skills to continue on her journeys, but also to learn more about her herself and to repair damaged family relationships. Nomadland is a memorable study of human fragility and mortality that was well-deserving of the three Academy Awards it won. The film won for Best Director Chloe Zhao), Best Actress (Frances McDormand), and Best Picture Of 2020.
The stories of Nomadland correspond well with an article in Fortune magazine from October 18th titled “Van Life Gone Wrong: Nomadic Lifestyle Tips.” In this account a young woman named Natasha Scott decided to pursue what is known in social media as #vanlife. While stories on YouTube and Tik Tok continuously present the fun, adventurous side of living in a van or some other converted vehicle, the realities and hardships that Scott had to deal with were similar to those portrayed in Nomadland.
Scott explained the hardships caused by high gas prices, the van often needing repairs, and loneliness on the road. She also talked about the need to find and pay for accommodations on a limited income when it became too hot at night or she felt unsafe sleeping in the van. There were other issues trying to find bathrooms and showers.
Poor dietary habits such as eating convenience store fare also became an unsatisfactory aspect of van life. Scott said that after several weeks the novelty had worn off and her way of life was more like “glorified homelessness.” She has since left van life and is going back to school to pursue further education and more stable employment.
Thus, anyone seriously contemplating living the van life should really watch Nomadland first before buying into all of the social media hype and sugarcoating that encourages people to embark on this journey. As the Fortune article pointed out in bold print: “Lifestyle content isn’t everything it seems to be when you’re actually living it.”
For more about Natasha Scott’s story checkout: https:fortune.com/2022/10/18/van-life-gone-wrong-nomadic-lifestyle-tips-natasha-scott/amp/ Nomadland is available through Netflix.
