The Popkorn Junkie :: About Schmidt

I am about to make a very bold statement -- this may have been the best year for movies ever, or since I can remember. Never have I given such a string of films a four pop review; film after film after film impresses me in a whole new way and is going to make it extremely difficult on me come time to choose my Top 10 for the year. I might just have to do a Top 50. "About Schmidt" is no exception to this, a miraculous new film from the writer and director of the brilliant "Election", which starred Matthew Broderick and Reese Witherspoon and, along with "Rushmore", were my two favorite films from 1998. And, as much as it pains me to say this, and as much as it completely caught me off guard, this has, thus far, been my favorite film of 2002. Wow, I said it. And, in my opinion, it should win Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Picture at the 2002/2003 Academy Awards. It was just that damn good.

Jack Nicholson stars, in his best performance to date, as Warren Schmidt, a man who has lived his entire life with the same kind of desperation and nothingness that drives most middle aged and elderly men to suicide. He lives with his wife, Helen (June Squibb). well that is until she drops dead right in front of him. Alas, Schmidt has been having reservations about their marriage before her death, when he thinks, "Who is this old woman living here with me?" So, with his wife dead and absolutely nothing to loose, Schmidt jumps in his 45 foot Winnebego and travels cross-country to find his daughter and meet the man she intends to marry and he impending mother-in-law.

Schmidt's daughter is played by Hope Davis, her fiancé is Dermot Mulroney, and his mother is Kathy Bates, in her best performance to date and the most entertaining in the entire film. While staying there, Schmidt tries to find something he has never known -- happiness and meaning to his life. Eventually, Schmidt, after seeing an advertisement on television, adopts a 6-year old Tanzanian boy named Ndugu. He starts pouring his heart out in letters to the boy, giving him some satisfaction, while knowing all the while that the boy will probably not be able to understand a word of it. It is merely Schmidt's way of venting, and making himself feel better. While Schmidt is desperately boring and sluggish, Kathy Bates' character embraces life with a vicious hug and is an exact contrast, and their moments together on screen are priceless. Schmidt kind of reminded me of Kevin Spacey's character in "American Beauty", without the extremes towards the end. No hope is ever really given for Schmidt, however. It is apparent he has wasted most of his life and can only hope to salvage what is left in his post-retirement years.

Jack Nicholson is amazing. He ditches all of his old shticks and habits and portrays Schmidt with the kind of attitude and charisma that he has never used before -- none. Jack Nicholson would have you believe he is the perfect uneventful bore, and unless we knew better from films such as "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and "Batman", we might fall for it. He certainly deserves the Best Actor Oscar, and I don't really see how he can't receive it. And, Kathy Bates, should definitely be one of the leading contenders for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar. To do otherwise would be a severe travesty of monumental proportions.

Director Alexander Payne has crafted a moving and emotional journey of one man to discover himself and why he is still on this planet. In some aspects, Schmidt could be Matthew Broderick's character from "Election", later on down the road. After taking four years off since "Election", Payne has really hit the nail on the head with this film, and he certainly deserves recognition. I recommend this film for everyone, though everyone will not enjoy it. I don't care if you hate it, you should still see it so that it might encourage you to live your life before it passes you by. I laughed, I cried, and I walked out raving about this one-of-a-kind motion picture that will undoubtedly top my end of the year list. See it, and it just might top yours also.

-- Billy Ray ( 4 pops out of 4 pops )

Talk about this film with other Popkorn Junkies

Other Junkie's opinions.....

Liz ( 3 1/2 out of 4 pops )

Have you ever heard the name Ndugu? After seeing this movie, you will never be able to hear it again without chuckling. Save the Children, death, marriage. It's all sad, in a way. And it's all hilarious, in the hands of Jack Nicholson and the makers of "Election." Warren Schmidt is a guy dealing with retirement, with mediocrity. He's just finished his career in the insurance biz, questions his love for his wife, loathes his imminently laughable future son-in-law, and finds himself living alone and then traveling in the Winnebago that he never wanted in the first place. All the while, he composed artfully inappropriate letters to dear little Ndugu, his six-year-old foster child. The ride is glorious. Nicholson is a genius. You will leave this film in envy of every little bit of it -- every nuance, every silly haircut, every guffaw, every tear, every person in Schmidt's life.

Mike ( 4 out of 4 pops )

In this year of so many well made films and lots of terrific acting , Jack Nicholson turns in yet another original and moving performance and makes "About Schmidt" one great film not to be missed. This film is certainly not the comedy that the previews lead you to believe, but it is also not the tragic downer that many critics have characterized it as being. Instead, it is a most moving and effective story of an aging man who realizes that he has not done anything in his life that really mattered or made a difference, and he hope to rectify this by doing something that will finally make a difference in someone's life. And yet, there are also lots of scenes and dialogue which will make you smile or laugh while you simultaneously feel for this sad man. Kathy Bates puts in a most engaging supporting performance but all the actors in this film do a fine job. But I can't say enough of Nicholson's perfect performance in this movie. As often as we have seen him in so many diverse roles, he somehow finds a way to make this character an original and somebody we have not seen him play before. I would also like to give kudos to the super musical score supporting the story.

Matt ( 3 1/2 out of 4 pops )

I'm a huge Jack Nicholson fan, so it was great the see The Master on screen again, but this isn't a great movie just because of Jack--though nobody could've played the part better than him. This is the most unpredictable comedy I've ever seen since...well, I don't recall ever seeing a comedy nearly as unpredictable as this one. Even with a lot of the good comedies I've seen, I was able to predict when the jokes would come and/or what the punch line would be. This movie goes against all the audience's expectations. Some don't consider the movie to be a comedy, and I respect that view. The premise involves a 66-year-old retiree who lost his wife and is pretty much aimless about where his life is going. It can be classified as a slice-of-life drama in which many funny things happen along the way. The movie never goes just for laughs. The humor comes out naturally. It's an eccentric comedy, much like Alexander Payne's previous film "Election," but not eccentric to the point where the audience can't relate. Not eccentric to the point where the characters are virtually cartoons. The Randall character could've easily been written as an over-the-top, obnoxious creep, but even he has a certain likability to him and is completely believable. Since the truth is stranger than fiction, you can't automatically dismiss characters because they're offbeat. The performances are all brilliant. Jack's Golden Globe was very well-deserved as every nuance of Warren Schmidt comes out in his performance. He also proves his excellence in both drama and comedy. As a matter of fact, he's better than some comic actors I know. He never plays the scenes strictly for laughs, and the way you know exactly how he's feeling (via his facial expressions) before he blurts out a hysterical line reminds me of Carol O'Connor's portrayal of Archie Bunker. The best comic actors know how to communicate the comedy through their faces, and not waiting to deliver the magic one-liner. As I mentioned before, the film is very unpredictable. When you expect something tragic to happen, something funny happens. When you expect something funny to happen, something touching or truthful happens. "Election" was good, but didn't send me into a frenzy of praise, but judging by "About Schmidt" I can regard Alexander Payne as one of the great new up-and-coming directors. This movie is hilarious, tragic, touching and filled with great performances. I couldn't ask for much more!