My main takeaway from Nebraska is this: Characters. Characters. Characters. This is a small story, but with big universally relatable themes. In reading the script, I was especially struck by David's nuanced transformation. Doing what he does for his father in Act Three, enabling Woody to have this one shining moment, is such a small, but poignant expression of affection for the old man. Yes, Woody is a screw-up. A deeply flawed man. But also an individual desperate to find some meaning in his life which is winding toward its latter days. The fact David provides a shred of significance to Woody's experience is just a great cinematic moment. When a movie enters into the lives of characters to such depth, unfurling their specific and unique personality traits and quirks, as Nebraska does, it can transform a small story into something with big meaning. That's what I want to strive for in my stories. Nebraska inspires me to do that.