About Schmidt

12/13/20022h 5m

Theatrical Release (US)

~ Schmidt Happens. ~

Overview:

A recently retired man embarks on a journey to his estranged daughter's wedding, only to discover more about himself and life than he ever expected.

Director:

Alexander Payne

Status:

Released

Language:

English

Buget:

$30,000,000.00

Revenue:

$105,834,556.00

Key words:

husband wife relationship
wedding
channel surfing
mullet
spiritual journey
life changing
pioneer village
family gathering

Cast

Jack Nicholson

~ as ~

Warren Schmidt

Kathy Bates

~ as ~

Roberta Hertzel

Hope Davis

~ as ~

Jeannie Schmidt

Dermot Mulroney

~ as ~

Randall Hertzel

June Squibb

~ as ~

Helen Schmidt

Howard Hesseman

~ as ~

Larry Hertzel

Harry Groener

~ as ~

John Rusk

Connie Ray

~ as ~

Vicki Rusk

Len Cariou

~ as ~

Ray Nichols

Mark Venhuizen

~ as ~

Duncan Hertzel

View full cast & crew

Reviews (2)

Wuchak
Written 5 year(s) ago
7
Quietly amusing meditation on one’s life post 9:00-to-5:00 grind

Warren Schmidt (Jack Nicholson) retires from an insurance agency in Omaha and takes a road trip in his new RV, hoping maybe to reconnect with his daughter (Hope Davis) during her wedding in Denver. The distinguishing bracket for the story revolves around Warren honestly writing his new sponsor-child in Tanzania. June Squibb plays his wife, Dermot Mulroney his imminent son-in-law and Kathy Bates the latter’s mother. Howard Hesseman also shows up.

“About Schmidt” (2002) is a coming-of-old-age road flick, far superior to the similar “Everybody’s Fine” (2009) with De Niro. You can’t help but think of Thoreau’s observation “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.” But, unlike the dull De Niro film, this one has a sense of humor amidst the melancholic-but-insightful proceedings.

It’s a lesson on the negative side of giving up your life to the grind for a good paycheck and nice house in the ’burbs. Yet, also, that it’s never too late to live again, as well as realize & perhaps make up for your sincere, but sincerely wrong shortcomings.

The movie runs 2 hours, 5 minutes, and was shot in Nebraska and surrounding points.

GRADE: B
ARGMAN
Written 1 year(s) ago
7
Jack Nicholson proved he's not just an interesting face.