criterionforum.org

is this any good? i was thinking of picking it up on dvd.

If you wanna see Kathy Bates naked then go ahead.

I disliked About Schmidt intensely when I saw it in the theater. Fool that I am, I walked into the theater expecting to see the latest comedy from the people who brought me Election, since that's how the marketing geniuses at Fox sold the movie. By the time I gave up trying to figure out what in the world was funny about this situation and accepted the fact that it was a drama, it was too late. The movie had lost me. I always intended to revisit it with proper expectations, but never got around to it.

I've only seen it once as well, but I did enjoy it quite a bit. I agree though, don't go in looking for laughs. I don't have much to say, since it's been a long time since I've watched it, but I remember being very moved at the end and tearing up. It's definitely worth checking out.

I know that's not very helpful, but I had to write something positive after the previous 2 posts.

Not anywhere near as enjoyable as, say, AS GOOD AS IT GETS. It's a time-passer. Don't buy it expecting too much.

I thought it was great. Have watched it about three times. The letters to Ngudu are hilarious. I think it was quite funny at times but, all in all, as comedic as--say--Love Liza. Good performance from Nicholson, though admittedly there's little for him to do other than exist on the screen with a taciturn somewhat washed out Nebraska landscape on his face. This one grows on me with each subsequent viewing. We netflixed it in the US and when I bought it on dvd here in Hungary the wife asked "why? it wasn't that good." She too got hooked on a second look. Yup, just wanted to put in a positive penny.

I'm with skuhn8. On top of that, I don't get the negative comparison to Election, it's the exact same ironic formula.

Kudos to Kathy Bates for exhibiting the (theoretical) balls of Dick Tracy by walking right onscreen naked as a goldfish like it was nothing whatsoever. I like seeing people doing protocol-jolting shit like this.

I agree with Skuhn and Mr. Banana on this one. I think it's a very funny movie, but in a very low-key and rather dark way -- certainly not in the satiric way that Election is (though I like both movies). As a couple people have pointed out, what makes this one really work are the game performances of Bates and especially Nicholson. I'm not sure that it would have worked quite as well with different actors, since Nicholson's character could very easily have been interpreted by another actor as self-pitying. Anyway, I think it's worth a rental or, if the DVD is only a couple bucks more, a purchase. It definitely grows on you.

tryavna is right about the casting of Nicholson, particularly in a deleted scene that riffs on his iconic Five Easy Pieces confrontation with the waitress. I was expecting nothing from this film, yet it stuck with me in surprising ways. It's definitely worth a rental if you're curious (why do people feel they have to blind-buy things?)

Yup, it's a fun scene and I'm glad it's on the disc as an outtake. I'm also glad that it's not in the film as it would have been way too much.

tryana wrote:I think it's a very funny movie, but in a very low-key and rather dark way -- certainly not in the satiric way that Election is (though I like both movies).

I think you're right -- the humor is very understated. However, when I saw this in the theater, that didn't seem to be the prevailing feeling. The audience laughed throughout it as if it was the latest Will Ferrell comedy or something, seemingly oblivious to its bleakness. People seemed to think just the name "Ndugu" was uproarious. There was even laughter during the narration of the final letter. Perhaps most puzzling of all, many people laughed long and loud at the scene where Schmidt sobs in front of the mirror while smearing his wife's facial cream on his face. It would definitely be a different experience watching it again alone.

Bleak and brilliant. Payne's most underrated movie.

I think it's actually my favourite film by Payne (though it only marginally beats both Election and Sideways). Jack was great, as was Bates, but I also have to say McDermott was wonderful as well. I also thought it was quite funny, even though, as stated before, the humour is understated. It's black and for the most part quite bleak, but I catch myself returning to it quite often, moreso than Election and Sideways.

I liked the movie right away when I saw it in the theater. Watched it twice on DVD since then. I think it's a nice little quirky film. I've run into some who really didn't like it and I was puzzled by that. Seemed like a good time to me.

Count me in as another fan. Great, great movie - so smart and sensitive. Sharp writing, excellent performances all around. Bitter humor, very much my type. I think it's one of the funniest films ever, I cracked up so much despite the very somber atmosphere.

Payne has such an incredible way with characters, they are so alive, vivid, breathing, real.

Michael wrote: Payne has such an incredible way with characters, they are so alive, vivid, breathing, real.

...or until Sandler gets a hold of it.

I do love this film, it's great in many respects - Jack acting against everything everyone has ever assumed about him and some wonderfully bland cinematography that suits the character and the stale, lifeless America that seniors are given for a reward of lifelong service.

My one big beef with the film was the conventionally cliche Mickey Mouse type of soundtrack... the music was terrible and bordered on sabotaging everything else that was done so well in the film.

I also used to have a neighbour named Schmidt. He had a sign on his door that said "Schmidt House" and a cabinet literally full of WD-40 for his arthritis. He also used to let squirrels and chipmunks room freely in his home as "guests". He was funny.