bnorthup
03-18-2003, 01:21 PM
About Schmidt (R)
At the Gaslight
*** 1/2 3.5 Three Stars
Head: Wasting away in Winnebago-ville
By Brent Northup
Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon made old age look like fun. Sean Connery makes it look sexy. But Jack Nicholson, in “About Schmidt” puts the wrinkles and loneliness back into the retirement years – and still makes us laugh at ourselves along the way.
Although the direction is routine rather than inspired, “About Schmidt” reminded me of films like Bergman’s “Wild Strawberries,” a 1957 Swedish examination of growing old, and John Avildsen’s “Save the Tiger,” a stark 1973 tale of the depression forming inside the soul of a businessman, played brilliantly by Jack Lemmon.
In “Schmidt” the gloss surround getting old is removed - there are even two not-very-pretty senior bodies exposed for all to see. There’s no cocoon to put zip back into the zipper of sagging seniors.
Warren Schmidt, a retired insurance executive who just lost his wife, confides to a stranger that he’s lonely and depressed. He lets his senior struggles hang out for all to see.
In the hands of most studios, “Schmidt” would end with a little Viagra-popping waterbed romp and a happy Jack. To its credit, this script chooses integrity over Disney and delivers a relentlessly bleak, but always entertaining solo journey across America in a giant motor home.
Nicholson’s performance is exquisite, although in this particular year he’s destined to finish second in the Oscar race behind Daniel Day-Lewis (“Gangs of New York”). Nicholson finds the right notes in the smallest of moments, including a priceless bathroom scene that may rival the restaurant scene in “Five Easy Pieces” as the funniest Jack moment ever.
The beauty of “About Schmidt” is how the humor never camouflages the pain. Schmidt is a sad fellow whose sense that he wasted his life drains through every scene. His attempt to sabotage his daughter’s marriage to a “nincompoop” is very funny, but beneath the laughter is fear that she will follow his path to unhappiness and unfulfillment.
I’ve often complained that Hollywood never dares to end films well. “Schmidt” is the exception. Undoubtedly because of Nicholson’s box office power, the script stays authentic. My only quibble would be with the last scene which tries to mix tears of despair with tears of joy – and leaves audiences with a bit of a Peggy Lee ending. Is that all there is?
Some of the Helena audience was clearly dismayed by the unexpected and rather sudden ending – a sign that they were waiting for the tattered threads of Schmidt’s life to be reassembled into a nice comfy quilt. Not so this time.
Overall, this is a script of integrity powered by a classic performance by a master.
Oscar note: For the record the Oscar winners Sunday will be “Chicago” for film, Scorsese for direction, Day-Lewis for actor, Kidman for actress, Cooper for Supporting Actor and Zeta-Jones for Supporting Actress. And who should have won? “Hours” for film and direction; Day-Lewis, Kidman, Cooper and Streep,
END
At the Gaslight
*** 1/2 3.5 Three Stars
Head: Wasting away in Winnebago-ville
By Brent Northup
Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon made old age look like fun. Sean Connery makes it look sexy. But Jack Nicholson, in “About Schmidt” puts the wrinkles and loneliness back into the retirement years – and still makes us laugh at ourselves along the way.
Although the direction is routine rather than inspired, “About Schmidt” reminded me of films like Bergman’s “Wild Strawberries,” a 1957 Swedish examination of growing old, and John Avildsen’s “Save the Tiger,” a stark 1973 tale of the depression forming inside the soul of a businessman, played brilliantly by Jack Lemmon.
In “Schmidt” the gloss surround getting old is removed - there are even two not-very-pretty senior bodies exposed for all to see. There’s no cocoon to put zip back into the zipper of sagging seniors.
Warren Schmidt, a retired insurance executive who just lost his wife, confides to a stranger that he’s lonely and depressed. He lets his senior struggles hang out for all to see.
In the hands of most studios, “Schmidt” would end with a little Viagra-popping waterbed romp and a happy Jack. To its credit, this script chooses integrity over Disney and delivers a relentlessly bleak, but always entertaining solo journey across America in a giant motor home.
Nicholson’s performance is exquisite, although in this particular year he’s destined to finish second in the Oscar race behind Daniel Day-Lewis (“Gangs of New York”). Nicholson finds the right notes in the smallest of moments, including a priceless bathroom scene that may rival the restaurant scene in “Five Easy Pieces” as the funniest Jack moment ever.
The beauty of “About Schmidt” is how the humor never camouflages the pain. Schmidt is a sad fellow whose sense that he wasted his life drains through every scene. His attempt to sabotage his daughter’s marriage to a “nincompoop” is very funny, but beneath the laughter is fear that she will follow his path to unhappiness and unfulfillment.
I’ve often complained that Hollywood never dares to end films well. “Schmidt” is the exception. Undoubtedly because of Nicholson’s box office power, the script stays authentic. My only quibble would be with the last scene which tries to mix tears of despair with tears of joy – and leaves audiences with a bit of a Peggy Lee ending. Is that all there is?
Some of the Helena audience was clearly dismayed by the unexpected and rather sudden ending – a sign that they were waiting for the tattered threads of Schmidt’s life to be reassembled into a nice comfy quilt. Not so this time.
Overall, this is a script of integrity powered by a classic performance by a master.
Oscar note: For the record the Oscar winners Sunday will be “Chicago” for film, Scorsese for direction, Day-Lewis for actor, Kidman for actress, Cooper for Supporting Actor and Zeta-Jones for Supporting Actress. And who should have won? “Hours” for film and direction; Day-Lewis, Kidman, Cooper and Streep,
END