Rated: R for some language and brief nudity
Genre: Dramadey -- Both a drama with some elements of black comedy
RATING:
About Schmidt is arguably the crowning achievement of Jack Nicholson's illustrious career in movies. When you even hear his name, it is hard for anyone to think of him from anything other than One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest or even as his typical "I'm-a-man-who-happens-to-be-completely-insane-and-yet-they-still-put-me-in-movies" turn as Jack Torrence in The Shining.
All work and no play make Jack someone I would be afraid to work with in Hollywood.
So, it is safe to say that Jack Nicholson is pretty much regarded as Hollywood royalty for his quirky, sometimes even overly sadistic roles in movies over the years. However, About Schmidt is truly a film that not only reminds you of what an incredible actor he is, but also gives you a taste of just how versatile this man can really be.
The film, beautifully directed by one of the masters of off-beat dramadies Alexander Payne (Sideways, Election), is a journey with Warren R. Schmidt, a recently retired Vice President of an Insurance firm in the always bleak and overcast Omaha, Nebraska. Needless to say, Warren was not entirely ready to begin this new chapter in his life. Slowly he learns just how empty his life really is without having somewhere to go day to day. However, he soons finds solace while watching a infomercial for a feed-the-children type organization: Childreach, adopting a young African child. As he begins to write letters to his adopted child, Warren finally begins to lash out about how unhappy he is with his entire life, including his wife...
"Who is this old woman sleeping in my bed?"
...and how he is trying to deal with his little girl, Jeannie, getting married to...
THIS GUY.
Slowly but surely, things begin to go from bad to worse for Warren as his wife unexpectedly dies one day when he is out getting a Blizzard from Dairy Queen. After this point, and after unsuccessfully trying to get his daughter to stay home to take care of him, Warren is left alone to fend for himself. After two weeks of the old bachelor life, Warren has had enough. He wakes in the middle of the night, packs up the new Winnebago purchased for the golden years of his life, and sets out to reclaim his life.
Along the way, he visits his childhood home, sadly now turned into a tire store, his old college, and basically seeing the world around him. This, in itself, is the whole point of About Schmidt. It is entirely about Warren's journey, a man who was not ready to enter this period of life left wondering what he has done with his existence over these many years.
The main goal of his journey is to reach Denver, where his daughter is soon to be married to a Handlebar Mustache. When he finally does, he is subjected to the Mustache's wonderfully dysfunctional family including his mother, played exceptionally by Kathy Bates, her divorced husband and his Asian mail-ordered bride.
Oh yeah and this happens...
The above can never be unseen.
Yeah...that's a big ol' Kathy Bates in a hot tub. I would post the actual scene leading up to this involving what must be documented proof of one of the LARGEST weight gains an actress has done for a movie, but I don't want to scare any one away after my first review due to some big, Kathy Bates' funbags. But, this should give you an idea...
Almost a screen shot from the movie, except Kathy Bates is not that hairy.
But, after being subjected to Kathy Bates' boobs and an awkward encounter in a hot tub, Warren must deal with the wedding that is soon to take place. After all is said and done, Warren finally realizes that he has to let his little Jeannie go, even if it is with people he doesn't entirely approve of.
After returning home, he receives a letter from his adopted African child, accompanied by a crudely painted stick figure of Warren holding the hand of a small stick figure of the African child. Warren bursts into tears, realizing that after a lifetime of disappointment and apparent failure, he was still able to make a difference in someone's life.
Sometimes this is all you need.
As I said earlier, this is Jack Nicholson's movie. Following him along on this depressing journey is hard at times, but his incredible portrayal as a very small, very quiet and very sad man is worth seeing. Alexander Payne successfully did what he does best - make a movie that is both depressing and scathingly funny at the same time. It is truly a very poignant and well-done look into something you don't see a lot in movies, the journey's even the older generations still have to make. We are never completely set in life, and new curve balls can constantly be thrown. This is what makes it so worth living though. Even in the end, it can be worth something. About Schmidt may not be something you'll want to watch again and again, but it is something to check out at least once, if, for anything, Jack Nicholson.
Netflix availability: DVD only.
Who to watch with?: This is definitely either a "by yourself" on a lazy Sunday type of movie, and even a "with a friend or significant other". I wouldn't suggest watching it with your family because the extreme dysfunction portrayed in this movie is sometimes a little too real to handle. There's no reason to rub it in any more.
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