I did not find the film particularly sad or depressing. Rather, I enjoyed the sense of the characters/actors of their freedom. Did any of them cry out for a “normal” house, picket fence, set lifestyle?
I can probably somewhat relate based on a couple work leave of absences on extended sailboat cruises aboard a 36’ boat up/down the western Mexican coast. While it takes a strong sense of independence and self management, There is a laid back day-to-day lifestyle that many folks I met along the way were doing full time, similar to “Nomadland”. I was a part timer doing 4 months one year and 2 months another. It doesn’t take long to start to feel like it’s a good lifestyle.