About Schmidt (2002)

Jack Nicholson Movie #2

Synopsis: Hilarity ensues when socially-inept widower takes cross-country jaunt through some of America’s greyest scenery. 

Blurb from the VHS Jacket: “WARREN SCHMIDT is about to experience a bittersweet slice of life. Newly retired, he and his wife Helen have big plans to see America – but an unexpected twist changes everything. Now Schmidt is determined to stop his daughter’s wedding to an underachieving waterbed salesman.”

What Did I Learn?: Guys, if an attractive lady allows you to cry on her shoulder, she is NOT sending you an invitation to kiss her on the mouth. 

You Might Like This Movie If: You want to learn about livin' in the O!

 

Really?: 1) So, does the sun ever shine in Nebraska? (see: “Synopsis”) 2) So, Warren seriously thinks he can talk his daughter out of marrying that goofball the day before her wedding? I realize he’s not exactly a people-person, but that seems incredibly out of touch. 3) Does it ever occur to Warren to fix his car? I can only imagine what the mobile home’s gas mileage might be. 

Rating: About Schmidt is a surprisingly funny black comedy, and an interesting companion movie to Five Easy Pieces (at one time, the film had a now-deleted scene of Warren ordering breakfast that was an obvious homage to his much-earlier film) in the sense that both deal with failures who experience comic misadventures as they get ready to deal with family issues. I liked About Schmidt, but it tends to drag in places. 8/10 stars. 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0257360/?ref_=rvi_tt