Nebraska

Payne's latest effort, Nebraska, is familiar territory that screams vintage Payne — a road trip, a disillusioned old man, social barriers, psychological damage and the dark hilarity of it all. Some might call this a retreading of genre elements for Payne, and some might criticise him for delving into the same themes over and over again. On that front, Payne is doing what Woody Allen has been for all these years — taking similar themes and characters and making something new and interesting out of them.

The hint lies in the choice of colour. Nebraska is not merely a black comedy, but one laced with light, with hope, with brightness. Black and White, then. Sometimes they do make 'em like they used to.

For a while, the deliberate pacing made me restless but then slowly, all the pieces fit together like poetry. The film is in black and white, which might be a daunting prospect for some of you. But the minimalism serves these fraught, sad lives well. And a special mention of 84-year-old Oscar-nominated actress June Squibb whose tart tongue is unforgettable. Do see Nebraska. It is a thing of beauty

It's a quietly moving film that'll stay with you. I couldn't shake it off for days.

To make a film whose lead actor is whiskery and doddery and just plain old so engrossing is an art. Alexander Payne brings all his craft to bear upon 'Nebraska', but at no point does he make us aware of it. Which is why the film works so well, in its pristine black and white frames, as it moves and judders and halts and moves again, keeping beautifully in pace with its protagonists' inner lives.

Nebraska is sure to touch the soul of man. It's just unmissable and I mean it.