LJane Blackburn

As an older woman who has suffered the inevitable losses in life this movie captivated me completely. Fern has had the life she wanted. She has lived with the love of her life, has enjoyed their home from which she could view the seemingly endless desert, she's done everything she wanted to do but suddenly it all changed. That's how life can be, although when we are younger we think it will never end. In honor of her beloved husband and probably also to avoid completely facing a new life without him, she remains in the same house at the same job. Then more cruel reality hits when recession strikes and her job ends. Courageously she stashes her belongings into storage and embarks on a solo journey to find herself. She's not really starting over, she's finally literally on the road to healing. She roughs it and has many encounters with kind hearted people who have stories to tell, advice to give, and community to share. Much wisdom is spoken and I would have to watch again to take it all in, but one theme told of the meaning of home. It doesn't matter if it's a run down van or a mansion because home is in your heart. Fern turns out to be a survivor, a hard worker, a person who helps others and someone who possesses the ability to derive pleasure from the simple things in life. She finds that she doesn't really need the physical possessions that seem so important to us when we are younger but ironically, she is saddened when some dishes that bring back fond memories of loved ones are broken. She glues the dishes, which is like restoring those beautiful memories. I think Fern finds out what is really important to her in life as she heals and explores her new world. This film will offer little appeal to younger people with limited life experience but it's an inspiration to anyone who's "been there." It ends with Fern confidently continuing her journey. That's not sad but I will confess that I secretly wished that she had learned and experienced enough and would take her man friend up on his offer to move in with his family. What she doesn't seem to know is the reality that the old van won't last forever, her good health will not continue endlessly, and since the family was fond of her, it probably was a smart opportunity that she passed by. Maybe that would have produced a sappy ending, but it would have made me feel better. Instead, I watched her drive off on a road to nowhere and I am led to conclude that she still felt the need to heal, learn, explore, search. I question whether she will ever tie up those loose ends and find the satisfaction she is looking for.