About Schmidt
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Movie Reviews of About Schmidt
Movie Review: Another Excellent Character Study By Our Mr. Nicholson!
Summary: 5 Stars
Lately Jack Nicholson seems to be developing a penchant for examining and exploring what the process of growing older means, and what the pitfalls and life-experiences associated with the process are likely to be. A few years ago, in a film noire about a retiring police detective entitled "The Pledge", Nicholson played an obsessive career detective whose life was his job, and his inability to let go leads to dismal results all around in a cycle of self-destructive behavior that is both tragic and yet avoidable, were he only to change his perceptions and let go of his obsessions. Here Nicholson take son the role of feckless Warren Schmidt, a self-absorbed executive of an insurance firm who plans to reach for the gusto of retirement and yet has such unrealistic ideas about what it portends that he has no clue what lies before him.As quickly as he retires, the cycle of unintended events and circumstances begin to rip all of his facile and delusional ideas about his world and his place in it to shreds. His wife dies, and in so doing leads him to discoveries about her, his best friend, who had been "servicing" the wife in intimate ways for some time, and hiss daughter, all of which force him into a sort of self-examination about himself and all his assumptions that he otherwise might never have recognized. Still, the process as presented here is both tragic and very funny, and he attempts to make some sense out of this madcap set of circumstance, trying to use his old methods of perception that just help at all.
And whether it is in coping with the loss of his wife's death, the realization that he had been systematically cuckolded by his best friend, or the belated recognition that his relationship with his daughter is perfunctory at best, Nicholson uses all of his cinematic presence to enchant us with his responses. Perhaps the most hilarious scenes involve Nicholson trying to understand and cope in some fashion with Kathy bates, playing his new son-in-law to be's mother, an unattached, free-thinking, sensuous, and horny earth Mother of a woman who wants to get down and dirty in the hot tub with the now free and footloose Warren. Needless to say, Ms. Bates comes as close as anyone can to stealing the scenes away from our boy Jack.
In its essence, like the character Nicholson plays in "The Pledge", this is an extended character study which here meaningfully and quite much more humorously examines the life that up until now Schmidt has so scrupulously avoided doing. In this voyage toward the possibility of discovery and growth, Schmidt is not faring so well. Yet the end leaves one hope, and the film is an evocative and thought-provoking way of stirring us into a little look into our own presumptions and way of living. This is a film I can heartily recommend, especially for viewers old enough to see the possibilities our poor Mr. Schmidt is trying so desperately to avert his eyes from. Enjoy!
Movie Review: Very moving if you are in the right state of mind
Summary: 5 Stars
Which I was. I'm only 32, and lately I've been working almost all of the time, but I find myself occasionally trying to figure out where/how I fit into modern society. The answers don't get easier as one gets older. Doors that were open in the past aren't necessarily open now. People that were at once receptive might no longer seem to care. And you might find yourself truly alone in the world. More alone than you were the day you were born (at least then you had your mother near). While it seems hopelessly "modern" and self-absorbed, you can't but help think about these kinds of things because sometimes your mind puts those ideas and feelings into your head and you can't ignore them. I guess that's why some people turn to vices, because you can't run from yourself. Anyway, to watch this character wait until he's 66--when he is truly and finally alone in the world--to deal with these emotions is a pretty rough ride. The movie was promoted as something of a comedy--and it does have a sharp sense of humor throughout--but ultimately it is quite sad in its reality. It's not exactly bleak, as some say, but its truth hurts.
Jack Nicholson almost looks and sounds like a totally different person in this movie. I think a big part of that is due to his weight gain. I don't know if he put on the pounds for that role, or if that's how he is now (he looked thinner in previews for "Anger Management"), but he's practically unrecognizable. He doesn't even resort to any usual Jack tricks or traits. It's a very controlled performance, but not to the point to reducing the character to a deadened automaton. I was afraid at the beginning that he was going to do just that, but at the movie unfolds so does his character's conscience. It's really a perfect piece of acting, though you have to put aside the fact that Jack Nicholson himself--the most celebrated actor of his generation, who is STILL the epitome of cool, and who dates twentysomething Hollywood actresses while he's in his 60s--probably doesn't have to deal with feelings of being ordinary and disposable. Not that he doesn't have his problems, but I doubt that he has ever felt like this character these past 35 years. But put that aside and I think you'll find an interesting character inside what many people in the real world consider a dull straight white male.
As for the rest of the cast, most of it is very good except for Dermot Mulroney. He is a caricature and nothing more. Kathy Bates is a hoot in a small yet significant role.
Take a lesson from this ordinary man. Take stock now, but keep moving forward with your life. Unless you're Jack Nicholson, more and more opportunities escape you year after year. Keep your list of regrets as short as you can.
Movie Review: A subtle,poignant film
Summary: 5 Stars
About Schmidt is not a film for everyone.It's a film that involves some thinking on your part, and its portrayl of the everyday life of a recently retired suburban man comes off as pretty bleak and hopeless.Jack Nicholson plays Warren Schmidt, the man above.Following his retirement, he begins to feel as though his entire life has been meaningless."When I die,what will prove that I ever existed?" He's bored with his wife, his daughter(Hope Davis) is about to marry dim witted, but well-meaning water bed salesman out in Denver called Randall Hurtzel(Dermot Mulroney, unrecognizable).He has nothing to do, and nothing to look forward to.So he starts writing letters and sending out monthly donations to a starving six year old boy, through one of those help-a-kid funds you see on tv.Out of nowhere, his wife dies, leaving Schmidt more alone then he could have ever dreamed to be.He begins to realize how little he appreciated his wife when he still had her, and what a great woman she truly was.Warren decides to take a road trip in his trailer all the way to Denver, in time for his daughter's wedding.He has a few lightly humorous encounters on the way.Upon arriving to his daughter's fiancee's family home, he is overwhelmed by their low-class,over the top crazy antics.Greeted by Randal's nutsy mother(played with rich humor and gusto by Kathy Bates).There are some truly laugh-out loud,unforgettable moments during Schmidt's stay.Warren is deeply concerned with her daughter's choice in marrying this guy, but despite Schmidt's frim protests, his daughter refuses to change her mind.Following the wedding, Warren heads back home, and film draws to its very subtle,but touching conclusion .I can see why someone would call this film depressing-its strarkly realistic in depicting the monotony of being an old and lonely man.But if you really look at this film, you can see that by the end, our man has found some small redemption,has laid down a little bit of proof, that yes, he once existed.Once you think about it, this facet of the movie becomes clear.
Jack Nicholson is brilliant in a wonderfully subdued performance.He isn't just portraying Schmidt, he really is this man.He's bitter, and alone, and realistically flawed, but in the end, entirely human, totally believable and undeniable tender.He gets excellent support from the ENTIRE cast.Every single person in this film is pitch perfect, from Hope Davis who plays Schmidt's cold and contemptuous daughter, to Kathy Bates, totally winning in a brashly humorous role.
About Schmidt takes a while to understand because it doesn't give away all its meanings.But About Schmidt is a film with great meaning, and the subtle details it provides throughout make it a worthwile experience.
Movie Review: A Masterpiece from a Masterful Actor
Summary: 5 Stars
Why Jack Nicholson didn't earn the Best Actor Award from the Academy of Arts and Sciences last year, I will never understand. Because my secretary wanted me to share with her the movie "About Schmidt", I watched it again tonight from a totally different perspective. "About Schmidt" is a perfect film. It has no flaws. It is a masterpiece. It will depress you if you are feeling old...will invigorate you if you are young. If you have even an ounce of compassion and love, it will make you cry. (I cried more this time than the first). Yes...Jack was nominated for Best Actor and the film was nominated for Best Picture of 2002. In a league of his own, Jack Nicholson has never been more "human" than in "About Schmidt".
It is a story of life...aging...the meaning of life when you are young...when you grow old. It is a story of loneliness...coping with it...and understanding that "your" life goes beyond "your" life. I'm not making sense, huh?
My dearest friend Darlene (who is on this e-mail trail with all of us) would appreciate this film more than I. The two of us conjoined (what a great word for Darlene and I), when age first set in. We were in our glory years (40ish), and we spent moments together that no one in the universe could replicate. Jack Nicholson proved me wrong. He sent me back in time and challenged me to grasp the meaning of life. As he states so solemnly in this classic..."Appreciate what you have while you have it."
This movie is great therapy for troubled couples. It is a masterpiece for the young and old. You can look back, ahead...even at your current existence and come to the realization that "About Schmidt" is "About You".
Watch this flick with a box of Kleenex. Jack will make you laugh...make you cry. He is masterful in this masterpiece.
You will never forget six-year-old Ndugu Umbo from Tanzania.
You will never forget the hot tub scene when he goes to his daughter's wedding.
You will never forget the scene where his wife of 42-years is vacuuming their home.
In short...you will neve forget "About Schmidt". It is a perfect movie filled with life's thread. It takes you on a path (young or old), where you have been, want to be, will be, and hopefully should be, to enjoy the total experience of life---as we know it.
If there's one movie review you've read from me...please watch "About Schmidt". Why JN didn't win the Academy Award I'll never know. This guy is awesome.
Movie Review: A Superb Movie Experience
Summary: 5 Stars
About Schmidt resonates with the great craftsmanship of first person fiction/character studies, the first person in this case being Warren R. Schmidt - an upper-middle class average Joe who at his retirement is told that the superficialities of life mean nothing when stacked up against having a fine career, loving family, and lasting friendships. As the film progresses all of these meaningful aspects of life are proved to be sour- his career as Insurance-Actuary Vice President at Woodmen of the World Insurance Company is filled by a twenty-something kid; his wife is a sweet old lady who over 42 years of marriage has worn Warren down to a nub (i.e. sitting down on the seat to take a squirt); his daughter, marrying a man who is a bonafide dimwit with a mullet, looks at her father with greater resentment than respect; and the friend who told Warren of his knowledge of retired life had an affair with his wife. But in a way, Warren knows this from the start, as after the speech he goes to the bar and has the strongest drink on the house. Right from the start we know this isn't a pretty picture of life, and yet one of the most amazing things about this film is that it's a comedy.Jack Nicholson, one of the great actors from my view, takes on the challenge of a role like Warren Schmidt, an old, downtrodden man and gives him all the perfect touches, even just in the eyes, face and eyebrows we know how Warren feels from scene to scene. This is his best role in over twenty years and it is deserved of his recent Oscar nomination.
Of course, this is not to downplay the other elements that make this a awesome pic- Alexander Payne, along with his co-writer Jim Taylor (of Election fame), set up a tragi-comedic landscape in middle America, getting as much realism as satire of the common-folk, and bringing on laughter when we think it's too serious to be funny. They also know Nicholson can be good, but can only be as good as the supporting cast, and surround him with key players such as Dermot Mulrooney as Randal, Hope Davis as his daughter, and in a brilliant showcase, Kathy Bates as the matriarchal in-law with a penchant for terribly uncomforable moments.
Possibly the most crucial part of the film comes in Warren writing letters to a little Tanzanian boy named Ndugu who serves as Warren's confesor of sorts, leading up to the emotional peak of the film which I wont reveal here, but does confirm that a little spark of genuine compassion is revealed to Warren and it is well deserved. Nicholson's fourth best performance to date, a winner in this wintry movie season.