Sundance Film Festival Review: John Magaro Will Break Your Heart in ‘Omaha’

One of the things that the Sundance Film Festival does best is let an ascending actor get a showcase role to bring them to the next level. We have that this year in Omaha, essentially a three-hander where the central role is played by John Magaro, a performer who should be a much bigger star. When people see this movie, he’ll be well on his way. It’s small and simple, to be fair, but very well done, with Magaro delivering a shattering turn.

Omaha is a road trip drama with a slight mystery at its core. We know what our three characters are doing, but the why and the resolution are in question, so much so that one of the protagonists is figuring it out throughout the flick. It lends weight to every interaction and every moment, since we don’t know what the extra weight of it all means. By the time the credits roll, with one exception, your heart will be broken.

Early one morning, a father (Magaro) wakes up his pre teen daughter Ella (Molly Belle Wright) and younger son Charlie (Wyatt Solis), telling them to pack a few important things for a trip with their dog. He doesn’t say where they’re going, but between having to have Ella help give their shoddy station wagon a running start, and the sheriff posting something on their door as they leave, it’s clear that the family is struggling. Conversations reveal that his wife/their mother has passed away, leaving a hole that the trio is only somewhat capable of navigating. Dad is loving and caring, but clearly working something out in his head, having muffled phone conversations when they stop for ice cream and laying awake in hotel rooms, always on the verge of tears.

Ella is more aware of the stakes here than Charlie, noticing an envelop in the glove compartment with their birth certificates and social security cards. She gets out of her father that they’re headed to Omaha. On the way, there are special moments, like when he has them fly a kite, or when they all head to a zoo in Nebraska. However, what waits for them in Omaha is a question mark, though a stop along the way suggests nothing good. When we find out, it’s shattering, in more ways than one.

John Magaro gives a career best performance here, while young Molly Belle Wright is a revelation Wyatt Solis is solid, too, especially for a child actor, but he’s asked to do so much less. Magaro is acting with his eyes and face, giving expressions of grief, pain, and sadness that portend a big decision. He’s never been better, which is saying something, considering how he’s never less than great in anything. It’s an award worthy turn. Wright has to do some very emotional beats, which she handles with aplomb. This young lady is going places, mark my words. The small cast also includes Talia Balsam and Christina Cooper, but it’s almost exclusively about Magaro, Solis, and Wright.

Director Cole Webley and writer Robert Machoian do a real good job with Omaha, save for their final title card, which contextualizes what you’ve just seen into something potentially very different. I don’t even know that it’s bad, it’s just different, unexpected, and throws you. Your milage may vary. Aside from that, Webley captures striking visuals, terrific performances, and never overplays the emotion. Machoian’s script is simple, yet elegant. They even avoid losing me when they make a choice involving the dog that I was not a fan of. I hated it, but here’s the thing…I understood it.

Omaha is a showcase for Magaro and Wright, as well as evidence that Webley is a filmmaker worth paying attention to. The film is among the very best of Sundance this year, separating itself from the pack and being in the upper echelon. The movie is small and simple, but the emotions at the core are massive.

SCORE: ★★★1/2