Customer Reviews

About Schmidt (Widescreen)

5 star:		(83)
4 star:		(49)
3 star:		(26)
2 star:		(27)
1 star:		(40)

 

 

"About Schmidt" is, simply put, a milestone in American cinema. Coming off "Election," which was quite possibly the funniest movie of all time, director Alexander Payne delivered another classic here, but one of a different stripe. With Jack Nicholson delivering a performance that's somehow both low-key and passionate, this character study relentlessly examines the darker side of human existence, plumbing the depths of despair and hopelessness. However, the central character isn't a serial killer, a sex offender, or some similar paragon of depravity. Instead, he's a quiet, 66-year-old newly retired actuary from Nebraska named Warren Schmidt. That's what really makes this movie so depressing: someday, maybe not too far off, any of us could wind up like this movie's antihero, retired, widowed, and feeling useless.

Alexander Payne's portrait of Midwestern suburban life is almost unrelentingly bleak, following its main character around and focusing on all the tiny indignities that steadily pile up on him. The relentlessly self-analytical Warren has examined his life in search of some higher purpose, and he's come up lacking. Looking back he can see only missed opportunities and pointless toil, and looking ahead he only glimpses loneliness and impending death. He has only two things left that give his life any semblance of meaning: his attempts to prevent his beloved daughter from marrying a mulleted, fu-manchued waterbed salesman named Randall; and Ndugu, the Tanzanian orphan whom he starts supporting financially early in the movie. Warren's letters to Ndugu serve as a perfect framing device, providing a window to the internal conflicts that roil beneath his quiet exterior.

Since the monstrous shadow of "Election" looms over this movie for its entire two hours, comparisons are all but inevitable, and I might as well make mine now. Both movies are allegorical tales set in white-bread Nebraska locales, but "Election" is a screwball comedy anchored by a serious plot, while "About Schmidt" is a dark tale of quiet desparation and self-reflection with some offbeat humor mixed in. It's a good thing there are some laughs here too, or I might have wound up trying to hang myself with my belt after I first saw the movie. Most of the humor to be found come from Dermot Mulroney's clueless Randall and, of course, Kathy Bates as Randall's mildly deranged motormouth of a mother. Bates practically steals the show during her limited screen time, as her character's sincerity, her brutal honesty, and above all her tendency to reveal excessive details provides a much-needed counterpoint to Nicholson's reserve and bitterness.

While I'll be the first to admit that "About Schmidt" isn't an easy movie to watch, it's not supposed to be. What makes this such a rewarding movie is the challenge of watching such a thoroughly unremarkable man for two hours, following along with his path through despair, self-discovery, and ultimately a measure of redemption. Sure, Warren Schmidt's just a retired geezer from Nebraska, but his sufferings are more universal than they may appear at first. Warren's experiences make for such fascinating viewing precisely because there are so many people like him out there.

i loved this movie.it's touching,funny and ironic.the title character
played by Jack Nicholson is so likable,you can't help but root for
him.and Nicholson really tones down his bigger than life "Jack"
persona.there's no over the top scenery chewing here.his performance is
very subtle and understated,and doesn't overshadow the supporting
cast.the basic gist of the story is that Warren Schmidt has just
retired,and ends up on a cross country journey that changes his
life.along the way he discovers himself and meets some interesting
characters,which provide some comic relief.there is strong supporting
cast here,including Kathy Bates(Misery)Hope Davis,Dermot Mulroney and
Howard Hesseman.not to sound maudlin,but this was a very and thought
provoking and enriching experience.for me,About Schmidt is a well
deserved 4.5/5

Many critics unfairly compare "About Schmidt" to Alexander Payne's previous film "Election." Both movies are completely different and appeal to different people and tastes. "Schmidt" is more grown-up, more human, and less accessible and commercial. It is Payne's masterpiece.

Jack Nicholson, in one of his all-time best performances, plays a recent retiree who goes through an end-of-life crisis. His wife dies and his daughter is marrying an idiot, played with comedic brilliance by Dermot Mulroney. He hops in his Winnebago and drives across the United States to have his say. Nicholson is a tired old man who doesn't want to give up on life quite yet, and in a last show of defiance and nonconformity, he tries to stop the wedding.

"Schmidt," to some, is an unrelenting Prozac festival. But if you have a taste for black comedy, and enjoy watching ordinary people fail miserably and make jackasses out of themselves, as well as appreciate good drama, "Schmidt" is your type of movie. It's true, most of the film is sad. But there are moments -- especially when Nicholson shows up at Kathy Bates's house and has to endure her completely dysfunctional brood -- of comedic genius.

If that's not enough to convince you, watch it for Nicholson's performance alone. Oftentimes in his long spanning career, Nicholson has resorted to playing mockeries of his public persona -- flashing those eyebrows and exploding that smile of his. But in "Schmidt" he appropriately plays the role of an old defeated man. You won't even know it's him. He seems to have aged an additional 67 years just to play this role, and it's inspiring. It's also a lesson that, no matter how old you are, there's no reason to give up on your hopes and dreams -- just make sure you're not trying to topple the Berlin Wall alone.

Sad and funny. Bitter and cynical. "About Schmidt" has it all, including some of the most unforgettable elderly characters ever portrayed on screen.

what is wrong with these reviewers? one person says that it's funny, the next person says that it's depressing. one of the top reviewers said that it's a film meant only for jack nicholson fans, yet i couldn't disagree any more.

my guess is this. the family goes to blockbuster to rent a movie, and they see "about schmidt." though the movie is found in the drama section, the view of the majority is that it's another one of the infamous "crazy person" nicholson roles, making for a "blisteringly funny" comedy .. or at least a good show. then, what do you know? the movie turns out to be a bummer. however, it's only because the expectation was not met.

this is not a film for jack nicholson fans. one reviewer made this comment: "By far the tiredest, lamest movie I have ever seen. I've never been Jack's biggest fan, but this is sooooooo bad. I can't believe he did this. Go get Anger Management instead." see what i am saying?! this reviewer wanted the crazy, psycho, FUNNY jack nicholson. when he or she met a retired, secluded, and very off base man trying to find meaning in life, they gave up on the film. it's obvious that they wanted something more along the lines of adam sandler's work (with the exception of punch-drunk love) than a serious film.

now, on to other things. one reviewer stated that jack nicholson ends up playing the same role over and over again, the (and i quote) "crusty curmudgeon with a heart of gold." how off target could one be? one gets the feeling in this movie that jack is heartless - he has little passion for his marriage, he wants to keep his own daughter from marrying, and the only thing he seems to do right in the entire movie is send money to a starving kid in a third world country. sounds like a pure heart of gold to me... not.really.

so, if you've made it this far in my review, you may be asking yourself what one is to make of this movie, and i will gladly tell you.

depressing, yes. long-winded, most definitely. however, that's not why i'm giving this movie 5 stars. if one can look past their short attention span and stick with the movie, one will find that this movie is extremely rewarding. the message of the film was one of... don't let the smallest things go unnoticed in your life, for even they hold rewards. at the very end of the movie, nicholson finds himself face to face with the "painting" of two people holding hands. my interpretation of this is that nicholson is a rich man if only for the fact that he touched someone who was in need. walking away from this movie, i am keeping with me the thought that every little detail of our sometimes miserable life is extremely important.

this movie almost got a 4 star rating for its drawn-out length and for the fact that it's very depressing if not viewed with an attentive spirit. however, i gave this movie 5 stars because it has left me with a desire to make more of myself as a human being. through the almost destructible solemnity of this film, i came out with a greater appreciation and understanding for every single thing that i do. and that is what filmmaking is truly about.

What a depressing and movie. I kept watching it hoping that at some pivotal point in the movie Schmidt would have some revelation and find some purpose. Well it kind of comes at the very end but is still real lame with the reading of a letter from a Sister at his sponsored childs home. The movie drags on for over 2 hours showing a depressing man leading a boring, depressing life. There is no character development, and at the end of the movie you wondered what the purpose of the whole film was. I can never decide if it was supposed to be a comedy or a drama. The few funny moments are overshadowed by the dark and depressing tone of the whole movie.

Jack Nicholson is Warren R. Schmidt, an Omaha insurance executive being forcibly retired at the too-early age of 66. He has lived to see his work literally binned by his firm. His daughter Jeannie rarely visits. His wife has become an unpleasant stranger. He has some twenty years, give or take, left to live.

(Social commentary everywhere. Sixty-six is not what it used to be: Schmidt is entirely too lively and rugged to be permanently benched.)

The formulae of literature classes suddenly spring to mind. Schmidt is an honest-to-god Everyman: an Everyman who missed every flight to Hollywood. He presents as if bleached, as if a personification of a second-greatest generation, a sum of values, not features. He is The Minimalist Midwesterner: thrift, privacy, and industry incarnate. His plight is memorable; critically, he is not. Schmidt is such an intensely private character that not even the audience will know him entirely.

The film begins as a subtle, well-executed comedy of insulted dignity, as Schmidt tries to find a way to occupy his hours. He tries and fails to slip back to the office. His wife has splurged on a luxury Winnebago and threatens "lots of good times ahead".

Schmidt retreats to the television, clicks through channels, and sees a beseeching ad for "Childreach", a charity devoted to children in the Third World. An announcer warns that, "no, pity and guilt won't help", and Schmidt calls in his pledge.

A form letter arrives with a boldface name, and Schmidt, eyebrows raised, is delivered of a son, six-year old Ndugu of Tanzania. Some $22 is expected of him per month, and the charity suggests a task: Schmidt should write the boy a letter of introduction with a few particulars about his own life in America.

Schmidt pulls out a legal pad and begins to compose the majority of the film's script, an epistolary narrative of one-sidedness. Schmidt takes to self-absorption with seriousness and therapeutic result. It is through the letters that the film shifts gears, with comedy gradually decelerating into genuine pathos.

His first letter to Ndugu complains about his wife, a banal asterisk of a woman, as matronly as Schmidt is stoically handsome. Before they can take a single "adventure" trip, she fatally strokes out while a passive-aggressive Schmidt "dillydallies" over errands. He finds her pitched forward on the carpet, as her vacuum-cleaner weeps gently on.

Ever the actuary, Schmidt recalculates his life expectancy in light of his solitude. The future looks bleaker and shorter. He buries his wife, as his daughter will later discover, in the second-cheapest coffin available: thrift.

The orphaned Schmidt clings tighter to his imaginary companion Ndugu, and he sets out in his Ark-sized trailer to rescue his daughter for the foolishness of her impending marriage, only weeks away. Her fiancé sports a mullet. His opening salvo to Schmidt involved a transparent sales pitch with the reassuring tag, "this isn't a pyramid scheme." The fiancé truly isn't good enough.

Schmidt's first sign of life comes when he winningly decides to accept "you sad, sad man" as a sexual overture from a married woman he meets on his journey. Her screams of rejection prompt a dark night of the soul.

When Schmidt finally reaches Denver for the wedding, he joins his future in-laws, including the mother of Jeannie's fiancé (Kathy Bates). Cultures collide. Schmidt recoils from a ghastly brush with incest inflicted by Bates through her detailed revelations of Jeannie's sex life. Apparently, "the kids" will hold their marriage together with their "what goes on under the sheets."

Kathy Bates bursts out of her role as a clapped-out old hippie, weirdly blowing her timing in a number of lines. It becomes abruptly clear that she is a great dramatist, not a comedian, and that she cannot be shoe-horned into someone else's film: her presence and talent register too profoundly. Her infamous nude scene, as she joins Schmidt in a creepily snug hot-tub, is more unkind than clever, and is directed more like a stunt (Extreme Nudity) than a dramatic scene. She thrills momentarily as she flings down a chicken bone in disgust when her ex-husband, a pompous Toastmaster type, delivers a welcoming oration to Schmidt.

At last, Schmidt receives a response from Tanzania, and its lessons come with the force of a body blow. A Belgian nun has finally, kindly replied, explaining in a short note penned in creaky English that Ndugu is yet too young to read or write, but that she has shared the letters' contents. Schmidt's money has provided medication to save Ndugu's eyesight. Her gentleness, foreign to the rest of the film, has the same effect as violence, exploding like a bomb against Schmidt's identity, his delusions and pride.

In exchange for Ndugu's vision, Schmidt finally experiences insight. No more letters to be written with the demented obliviousness of a senile grandfather: "I bet you're eager to cash this cheque and get yourself something to eat."

Schmidt, citizen of the First-World, needs tiny Ndugu more than he is needed. The tactful Sister is somewhat puzzled by Schmidt's avalanche of confessional correspondence. At best, Ndugu has been given a précis of the contents. Now Schmidt is more alone than ever. But wait: the boy has enclosed a drawing of two stick figures, one small, one large, holding hands, conjoined against a rainbow. Ndugu, the Earth's true future, will see, and Schmidt has found ties that bind.

I had forgotten how good the movie About Schmidt was. Jack Nicholson is arguably at his finest in this movie, although cookoo's nest, shining, as good as it gets, chinatown, ahhh, most all nicholson movies rock. The editing, directing, and writing in About Schmidt are all good. The story line is good, and the letters he writes to the little black sponsered kid, Ndugu, are awesome, thought provoking. There's a little part in his letter that many people do not catch, he is writing about his daughter's fiance, "He's just not up to snuff if you ask me" and as he's writing this, the camera cuts to the fiance and he's wearing a little pin on his shirt that says, 'ask me.' The movie is heartwarming and sardonic at the same time. The only downside is Kathy Bates naked. After that though, it's smooth sailing once more. Get a great script and an average cast, and Nicholson will buttress them all on his consummate back.

Put Warren Schmidt in the upper tier of great Nicholson characters. This is as probing and complex a character study that Jack has taken on in some years and it's a welcomed sight. There are many great moments in this touching and sincere film that others have mistakenly written off as mean spirited. Only Jack can make Schmidt's life contradictions unique... he gawfs at the expense of a housekeeper, makes his wife cash in her stock to pay for half a motor home, yet opens his wallet (and his heart) to an impovershed foster child.From anyone else it would have come off as trivial and forced. Kathy Bates is wonderful in the limited screen time and she has some of the film's best lines. ABOUT SCHMIDT is one of 2003's top films.

Where's the 0 stars rating?

By far the tiredest, lamest movie I have ever seen. I've never been Jack's biggest fan, but this is sooooooo bad. I can't believe he did this. Go get Anger Management instead.

Story: Old guy retires, he hates his weird wife who smells funny and makes him pee sitting down, and he's secretly pleased when she dies. So he buys an RV and drives around the country. He tries to get with some married lady at an RV park, but he gets slapped and kicked out. Spends the whole movie writing letters about his sad lame life to a boy he sponsored through Save the Children. That's the entire story. Just makes you wanna run right out and buy a copy, huh?

Just so you know it's not just me, my husband and brother-in-law saw it with me and hated it every bit as much.

Since other reviews have told the plot, I'm not going to bother...I'm not sure what I was expecting when I sat down to see this movie, but I know I didn't expect it to be quite so good.

I had recently lost my father and this movie seemed to hit all the darkly humorous points of losing someone close to you, that most would regard as taboo. At this point in my life, I definitely related, understood, and had seen first-hand some of the outrageous and necessary reactions that come from death (and retirement).

Kathy Bates, as always, was phenomenal. Jack Nicholson, great. Dermott Mulroney was grotesquely funny.

It's hard to say what exactly makes this movie so wonderful. It's not necessarily a movie based on what is physically going on, but more on emotional reactions and psychological evolution.