This is one of those movies that you need to let itself unfold in front of you. An impatient viewer will not appreciate the pacing, but those willing to sit back and allow the characters, the scenery, and the idea of a lifestyle depicted on-screen will be rewarded with the cinematic equivalent of a poem.

Nomadland won three Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress. While some may dispute the first (there’s always plenty of room for disputing Best Picture), it’s hard to complain about the other two.

Chloe Zhao crafts this cinematic poem with care, and the movie rests on Frances McDormand’s very capable shoulders.