I would have been highly disappointed if I had seen 2002’s About Schmidt in the movie theatre. I like character-driven movies, and while About Schmidt is one of those, I think  I would have needed more patience to get through the first 45 minutes (perhaps longer). But watching it on the comfort of my couch, with little else going on, I went into this movie knowing very little about it and was willing to give whatever the movie offered a chance. As a result, I found the film to be a highly rewarding movie that had me reflecting on my life and those of other important senior figures who have since left me.

Alexander Payne, who also directed and wrote 2004’s highly successful Sideways, wrote a marvel of a story. It follows a man named Warren Schmidt (Jack Nicholson – The Shining, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest). From the day of his retirement to the wedding of his daughter Jeannie (Hope Davis – The Nines, American Splendor) to Randall (Dermot Mulroney – My Best Friend’s Wedding, Young Guns) in Denver, Colorado, we follow Schmidt for two months of his life. These two life-changing events and one or two other significant life-altering events, which I will omit from this review, cause Warren to do a bit of ‘nearing the end of my life’ soul-searching. Rather than bickering with his wife, working on crossword puzzles, watching television, running a single errand to town to fill a day, or doing whatever recent retirees do, Warren’s life takes some turns for which he is ill-prepared.

While it would be uncommon for these life changes to happen in such a short period, it would be possible, which is not overly critical. It is important that we understand that each of these events is real and brings a vast range of emotions. While I would react to these events differently than Warren, the more I got to know his character, the more I understood why he dealt with these events the way he did.

While flipping through the television dial late one night, Warren comes across an infomercial about the sponsorship of an African child for just $.73 a day. A penny watcher, the advertisement draws in his entire life, Warren. He uncharacteristically signs himself up for this, which results in him becoming the foster parent of a 6-year-old Tanzanian boy named Ndugu. In his sponsorship note introducing Warren to Ndugu, we read that the foster parent is encouraged to write a letter when sending the check so the boy receiving the money can get to know his foster parent. Warren uses this as an opportunity to vent and share his deepest feelings with this six-year-old boy who can neither read nor write and will presumably never meet face to face.

I took a lot away from this movie. One of those things was knowing when to speak your mind, when to be your tongue, when it is the time to remain neutral in the situation, and, most importantly, when to pick the correct times to do each. Another theme I took away was how we come to terms with what we have done with our lives as we near the end. This is the movie’s focal point, and Nicholson’s Schmidt brings this to life with both bitter awkwardness and tender, heartfelt moments.

Nicholson was nominated for a Best Actor Academy Award nomination. At the same time, Kathy Bates (Misery, Fried Green Tomatoes) received a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award nomination for her role as Roberta, Randall’s outspoken mother. If you can devote two hours to About Schmidt, it deserves two hours’ attention, and you will leave feeling rewarded. I especially would encourage this movie for people over 35 who are either in the middle of their careers, near the end of them, or who, like Warren Schmidt, have completed their time as a productive member of the workforce.

Plot 8.5/10
Character Development 9.5/10
Character Chemistry 7.5/10
Acting 9/10
Screenplay 9.5/10
Directing 10/10
Cinematography 9/10
Sound 9.5/10
Hook and Reel 7.5/10
Universal Relevance 10/10
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