THE STORY – After a family tragedy, siblings Ella and Charlie are unexpectedly woken up by their dad and taken on a journey across the country, experiencing a world they’ve never seen before. As their adventure unfolds, Ella begins to understand that things might not be what they seem.
THE CAST – John Magaro, Molly Belle Wright & Wyatt Solis
THE TEAM – Cole Webley (Director) & Robert Machoian (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 83 Minutes
It’s every child’s dream to be suddenly woken up from a deep sleep, comfortable in their bed, by a parent who whisks them away on a fun adventure. Commercials have been made where parents surprise their unsuspecting children with a grand trip to Disney World at the last minute. An enormous gesture towards securing positive childhood memories, this kind of scenario is depicted in television and on film, giving real-life parents ideas of proving their worth to those they brought into this world.
“Omaha” is not the kind of Disney-fied wonderment that commercials have brainwashed kids into thinking could happen to them. The parent in this film, played to depressing levels by John Magaro (“Past Lives“), wakes his daughter Ella (Molly Belle Wright) and son Charlie (Wyatt Solis) from a slumber they’ll soon forget. Packing their belongings and loyal dog into the family’s car before the sun has a chance to fully rise, the family of three set out on a road trip for unspecified reasons.
Before they can reach the next state’s border, Ella, ever inquisitive, repeatedly asks her father where they’re going. On the other hand, Charlie simply has the time of his life, is happy to be with his family, and is dancing to any song on the radio with maniacal glee. This family has been tortured by loss recently, as depicted squarely on the children’s father’s face for most of the drive.
What isn’t apparent until midway through “Omaha” is that Nebraska is the family’s destination. Along the way, Magaro’s character makes some startlingly poor decisions, including dropping off the family dog at a shelter and attempting to purchase groceries for which he seemingly doesn’t have enough money. Why is he taking his children across the country in a hurry? What is he running from, or worse, what does he hope to find when they reach Omaha?
“Omaha” is a frustrating movie that sheds light on a real problem in the United States. This film dives deep into the psyche of a man who believes he is out of options. It is a reverse “Little Miss Sunshine” that implores its viewer to despise the man at the center of the premise while feeling immense sympathy for the kids he’s affecting with every mile driven. This family is in absolute disarray and puts a perspective on antiquated laws in a true-to-life scenario.
John Magaro gives a uniquely quiet and devastating performance as a man agonizing over to relinquish his parental rights to provide his children with a better life. Through the murky cloud of judgment and hopelessness, Wright stands out with electric energy that gives way to painful sorrow as the climax approaches a deafening degree. The two contrasting characters make for a family drama unseen in film before.
It’s difficult to recommend a film like “Omaha” without providing context behind what makes the story ring true to an audience who has most likely never been in the same situation as Magaro’s character. His performance is captivating but ever-defeating to the point of no return. In it comes one man’s plight to do what he believes is right, though misguided as it might seem. Trauma begets trauma.
