A Documentary That Captures the Weight of a Moment

Read Time:4 Minute, 59 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
My Omaha
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Genre: Documentary
Year Released: 2025
Runtime: 1h 25m
Director(s): Nick Beaulieu
Where To Watch: shown at the 2025 Slamdance Film Festival

RAVING REVIEW: Some films don’t just tell a story—they hold up a mirror, forcing us to examine our lives, relationships, and the ever-widening ideological divides in our society. MY OMAHA does just that, blending a deeply personal journey with a larger, urgent social commentary. Director Nick Beaulieu crafts a documentary that isn’t just about activism and political conflict but also about what it means to navigate those tensions within our closest relationships. It’s a film that doesn’t flinch when emotions run high, embracing both the personal and political with an unfiltered lens.

Beaulieu’s journey back to Omaha begins as a mission to document the growing racial justice movement, but it quickly becomes much more than that. Fresh out of journalism school, he returns to his hometown to understand the cultural shifts happening in his city, particularly in North Omaha, where activism is gaining momentum. But there’s another reason for his homecoming—his father, Randy, is a staunch conservative and Trump supporter, and their already-strained relationship is tested even further in the wake of the 2016 election. When Randy is diagnosed with stage-4 cancer, the need to reconnect takes on an even greater urgency.

The film captures the stark contrast between Beaulieu’s upbringing in Omaha’s predominantly white suburbs and the activism he encounters in North Omaha. One of the most impactful figures in his journey is Leo Louis II, a dedicated community leader, and the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation president. Through his work, Beaulieu gains a deeper perspective on the struggles facing Omaha’s Black residents and the ongoing fight for racial justice. The film makes it clear that these issues aren’t just abstract political debates—they shape lives, communities, and the very fabric of the city.

How it balances the personal with the broader social context sets MY OMAHA apart. Beaulieu doesn’t just observe activism from behind the camera and turns the lens inward, capturing tense and emotionally raw conversations with his father. Their discussions aren’t neatly scripted moments of reconciliation. Instead, they are filled with frustration, silence, and sometimes unwillingness to budge. Yet, in those moments, the film finds its core, showing that understanding doesn’t always come easily, but the effort still matters.

There’s a raw authenticity in the way MY OMAHA presents its subjects. The documentary doesn’t attempt to craft heroes or villains—it allows people to be flawed, complex, and sometimes contradictory. The activists Beaulieu follows are passionate and determined, but the film doesn’t portray activism as a neatly packaged movement with easy victories. The work is ongoing, the challenges persistent, and the tensions within communities are real. Similarly, Randy isn’t reduced to a caricature of conservatism. Instead, the film gives him space to be a father, a man of faith, and someone facing his mortality. This was probably the hardest part for me; I’ve been lucky enough to have parents who ‘fight the good fight’ instead of listening to hate-filled propaganda. I’ve recently cut ties with an almost decade-long friendship because of their ingrained inability to see the damage their siding with hate does. I can’t imagine how hard it would be to do that with a parent!

From a cinematic standpoint, MY OMAHA takes a naturalistic approach, making viewers feel like they are eavesdropping on real, unscripted moments. The cinematography doesn’t overly stylize the setting but instead embraces the city’s visual contrasts—the quiet stillness of suburban streets juxtaposed against the energy of protests and community gatherings. These visual choices enhance the documentary’s grounded storytelling, making the stakes feel immediate and personal.

MY OMAHA resonates because of its emotional honesty. It captures something deeply relevant about the current political landscape—the difficulty of having conversations across ideological lines and the struggle to maintain personal relationships in an era of intense division. It doesn’t push a neat resolution or a forced moment of clarity. Instead, it acknowledges that understanding is messy, dialogue is complicated, and personal and societal change takes time.

In the end, MY OMAHA is about the attempt—the willingness to engage, listen, and push past the surface of arguments and political labels. Beaulieu doesn’t offer answers but provides an invitation for self-reflection. As the credits roll, one thing becomes clear: the conversations that feel the hardest to have are often the ones we need the most.

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[photo courtesy of KARTEMQUIN FILMS, KNEE KNOCKER PRODUCTIONS]

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