Omaha begins with a father, two children, a dog and a car that seems to be running on worry. Cole Webley’s tender debut turns a road trip through the American West into a moving mystery about family, loss and the things parents try to hide from their children.
Film details
- Title: Omaha
- Premiere date in the Netherlands: 25 June 2026
- Director: Cole Webley
- Runtime: 85 minutes
- Genre: Drama
- Country: United States
- Language: English
- Subtitles: Dutch
- Age rating: All ages
- Cast: John Magaro, Molly Belle Wright, Wyatt Solis and Talia Balsam
- Where to watch in Rotterdam: KINO, LantarenVenster
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What’s the vibe?
A father wakes his two children, Ella and Charlie, before dawn, squeezes them and the family dog into a barely functioning car and leaves home just before an eviction notice lands at the door. He says they are going on a trip. He does not say where. Or why. Always a comforting start, obviously.
Set in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, Omaha follows the family as they travel across the American West. To the children, the journey first feels like an adventure: motel pools, roadside games, endless highways and the strange magic of going somewhere new. But Ella slowly begins to sense that something is wrong, and that her father is hiding more than he can admit.
The film keeps its tension small and close. There are no big speeches, no dramatic explanations every five minutes, no emotional neon signs. Instead, the story unfolds through glances, quiet routines and the uneasy space inside a car where a child begins to understand adult fear.
Trailer
Check out the trailer below.
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Why you might like it
- Eyes: Wide western landscapes, dawn light, lonely highways and small roadside details that make the journey feel both beautiful and fragile.
- Heart: John Magaro brings a bruised restraint to the father, while Molly Belle Wright gives the film much of its emotional clarity as Ella.
- Mind: Omaha asks how much children notice when adults think they are protecting them by staying silent.
Critical reception
Omaha has been warmly received by critics. Rotten Tomatoes currently lists the film at 91% from 80 critic reviews, with an 83% audience score from more than 50 ratings. The site describes it as a poignant coming-of-age drama centred on a father hiding the truth about a seemingly spontaneous road trip.
Metacritic’s listed reviews are also positive, with IndieWire, RogerEbert.com and The Travers Take each giving the film a score of 75. Critics have praised John Magaro’s performance, the young cast and the way the film stays close to the children’s perspective.
The Guardian called Omaha a lean but affecting family drama, praising its visual sense and the performances of Molly Belle Wright and Wyatt Solis. Some reviewers have been more reserved about the final act, saying the film’s ending arrives more abruptly than the careful build-up deserves.
On the awards side, Omaha premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize. It later won the Jury Prize at the Deauville Film Festival and the Grand Jury Prize at the Dallas International Film Festival.
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Scene to watch for
Watch the early car scenes, especially before the children fully understand what is happening. The film does something quietly painful there: it lets the road trip feel exciting and wrong at the same time. Ella’s face tells you when the adventure starts becoming a question.
Recommended pairing
This is a quiet film, so give it a quiet frame. A simple meal beforehand and a calm drink afterwards will suit it better than a noisy night out.
After the screening, take a walk through the city or along the water. Omaha leaves a soft ache, and it helps to have a bit of space before returning to normal life, bills, notifications and all the other cheerful little reminders that adulthood is a scam with better shoes.
Need-to-knows
Omaha is Cole Webley’s feature-film debut. The screenplay was written by Robert Machoian, known for The Killing of Two Lovers, which gives a useful hint about the film’s restrained, emotionally loaded style. The story is set during the 2008 financial crisis, but it is not a lecture about economics. The crisis sits in the background as pressure, shaping what the father does and what the children slowly begin to understand.
