Sundance 2025: Omaha Review

This will be one of many reviews during this year’s Sundance Film Festival, to keep up with our latest coverage, click here.

Omaha tells the story of a recently-widowed father (Magaro) and recent widow who, after a sudden family tragedy, unexpectedly wakes up his two children, Ella (Wright) and Charlie (Soilis), before taking them on a cross country road trip to Omaha, Nebraska in the hopes of giving them a better life. However, little did they know, their adventure would unfold in ways that are utterly heartbreaking. As they experience the kind of world that they have never seen before, over the course of their family road trip, Ella perceives that not everything may be what it seems.

One thing Sundance does very well is to present these small, slice of life films that tend to find an audience who resonate with them, and Omaha is a film that fits solidly on that list. It delivers a wonderful story that is tragic, grounded and incredibly moving. Led by Magaro, and his great performance as the patriarch, he could emerge as an early contender this award season. Meanwhile, Wright and Soilis, as Ella and Charlie, each hold up well alongside Magaro, offering up solid performances in their own right. Leaning heavily on their perspective, as audiences get to experience the story through their eyes, similar to that of Sean Baker’s The Florida Project, it is detrimental that their performances feel authentic and Wright and Soilis succeeded. Featuring some of the most genuine heartbreaking moments in recent memory, the film chooses not to play them broad. Much of its emotional catharsis is understated. Depicting the Midwest in a poignant way, the film feels incredibly lived in and should be applauded for how methodic it immerses audiences within its period and setting within its short running time, clocking in at just 83 minutes. All of this ultimately adds up to a gut punch that will feel all the more impactful and one that will be hard to forget anytime soon.

In the end, while Omaha may be a simple film narratively, it is one that is so effective in its messaging. It is an important film and through its naturalistic approach, audiences are sure to resonate with some aspect of this road trip, only making the overall ride feel that much more emotional. A story about the sad economic inequalities people can be born into and the steps they have to take to simply survive, the film is essential viewing for audiences to see how hard life can be for the less fortunate. All in all, just a beautiful and profound piece of filmmaking.

still courtesy of Sundance

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Brett Schutt

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