[.ca] About Schmidt (Widescreen)

Amazon.ca:
Chaque apparition de Jack Nicholson au grand écran est un plaisir. Mais lorsqu'il porte carrément un film sur ses épaules, comme c'est le cas dans About Schmidt, d'Alexander Payne, il s'agit d'un véritable bonheur. Après de longues années de bons et loyaux services dans une compagnie d'assurances, Warren Schmidt prend sa retraite et se retrouve déprimé par ce vide soudain. Rien ne s'arrangera lorsque sa fille lui annoncera son mariage avec un raté et que sa femme mourra après 42 ans de vie commune. Monsieur Schmidt entreprendra alors un long voyage en véhicule récréatif de luxe et parrainera un enfant africain pour tenter de trouver un sens à son existence. Maniant habilement la tragicomédie, Alexander Payne présente un point de vue particulièrement touchant sur la vieillesse. Car même s'il se sert de ses personnages avec beaucoup d'ironie pour faire rire, il les regarde également avec une grande tendresse. Il offre aussi à Nicholson un rôle à la hauteur de son talent, en vieux grincheux égoïste et malheureux, et lui permet de se mesurer à d'excellents comédiens, dont Kathy Bates, désopilante en vieille hippie. Parfois acide, souvent hilarant, About Schmidt est une comédie douce-amère au scénario riche et au rythme enlevé, qui permet encore une réflexion sur la difficulté de se définir lorsqu'on tombe à la retraite dans notre société conditionnée par le travail. --Helen Faradji

what?!:
what is wrong with these reviewers? one person says that it's funny, the next person says that it's depressing. one of the top reviewers said that it's a film meant only for jack nicholson fans, yet i couldn't disagree any more. my guess is this. the family goes to blockbuster to rent a movie, and they see "about schmidt." though the movie is found in the drama section, the view of the majority is that it's another one of the infamous "crazy person" nicholson roles, making for a "blisteringly funny" comedy .. or at least a good show. then, what do you know? the movie turns out to be a bummer. however, it's only because the expectation was not met. this is not a film for jack nicholson fans. one reviewer made this comment: "By far the tiredest, lamest movie I have ever seen. I've never been Jack's biggest fan, but this is sooooooo bad. I can't believe he did this. Go get Anger Management instead." see what i am saying?! this reviewer wanted the crazy, psycho, FUNNY jack nicholson. when he or she met a retired, secluded, and very off base man trying to find meaning in life, they gave up on the film. it's obvious that they wanted something more along the lines of adam sandler's work (with the exception of punch-drunk love) than a serious film. now, on to other things. one reviewer stated that jack nicholson ends up playing the same role over and over again, the (and i quote) "crusty curmudgeon with a heart of gold." how off target could one be? one gets the feeling in this movie that jack is heartless - he has little passion for his marriage, he wants to keep his own daughter from marrying, and the only thing he seems to do right in the entire movie is send money to a starving kid in a third world country. sounds like a pure heart of gold to me... not.really. so, if you've made it this far in my review, you may be asking yourself what one is to make of this movie, and i will gladly tell you. depressing, yes. long-winded, most definitely. however, that's not why i'm giving this movie 5 stars. if one can look past their short attention span and stick with the movie, one will find that this movie is extremely rewarding. the message of the film was one of... don't let the smallest things go unnoticed in your life, for even they hold rewards. at the very end of the movie, nicholson finds himself face to face with the "painting" of two people holding hands. my interpretation of this is that nicholson is a rich man if only for the fact that he touched someone who was in need. walking away from this movie, i am keeping with me the thought that every little detail of our sometimes miserable life is extremely important. this movie almost got a 4 star rating for its drawn-out length and for the fact that it's very depressing if not viewed with an attentive spirit. however, i gave this movie 5 stars because it has left me with a desire to make more of myself as a human being. through the almost destructible solemnity of this film, i came out with a greater appreciation and understanding for every single thing that i do. and that is what filmmaking is truly about.

a thought provoking and enriching experience (4.5/5):
i loved this movie.it's touching,funny and ironic.the title character played by Jack Nicholson is so likable,you can't help but root for him.and Nicholson really tones down his bigger than life "Jack" persona.there's no over the top scenery chewing here.his performance is very subtle and understated,and doesn't overshadow the supporting cast.the basic gist of the story is that Warren Schmidt has just retired,and ends up on a cross country journey that changes his life.along the way he discovers himself and meets some interesting characters,which provide some comic relief.there is strong supporting cast here,including Kathy Bates(Misery)Hope Davis,Dermot Mulroney and Howard Hesseman.not to sound maudlin,but this was a very and thought provoking and enriching experience.for me,About Schmidt is a well deserved 4.5/5

One of the best movies of all time:
"About Schmidt" is, simply put, a milestone in American cinema. Coming off "Election," which was quite possibly the funniest movie of all time, director Alexander Payne delivered another classic here, but one of a different stripe. With Jack Nicholson delivering a performance that's somehow both low-key and passionate, this character study relentlessly examines the darker side of human existence, plumbing the depths of despair and hopelessness. However, the central character isn't a serial killer, a sex offender, or some similar paragon of depravity. Instead, he's a quiet, 66-year-old newly retired actuary from Nebraska named Warren Schmidt. That's what really makes this movie so depressing: someday, maybe not too far off, any of us could wind up like this movie's antihero, retired, widowed, and feeling useless. Alexander Payne's portrait of Midwestern suburban life is almost unrelentingly bleak, following its main character around and focusing on all the tiny indignities that steadily pile up on him. The relentlessly self-analytical Warren has examined his life in search of some higher purpose, and he's come up lacking. Looking back he can see only missed opportunities and pointless toil, and looking ahead he only glimpses loneliness and impending death. He has only two things left that give his life any semblance of meaning: his attempts to prevent his beloved daughter from marrying a mulleted, fu-manchued waterbed salesman named Randall; and Ndugu, the Tanzanian orphan whom he starts supporting financially early in the movie. Warren's letters to Ndugu serve as a perfect framing device, providing a window to the internal conflicts that roil beneath his quiet exterior. Since the monstrous shadow of "Election" looms over this movie for its entire two hours, comparisons are all but inevitable, and I might as well make mine now. Both movies are allegorical tales set in white-bread Nebraska locales, but "Election" is a screwball comedy anchored by a serious plot, while "About Schmidt" is a dark tale of quiet desparation and self-reflection with some offbeat humor mixed in. It's a good thing there are some laughs here too, or I might have wound up trying to hang myself with my belt after I first saw the movie. Most of the humor to be found come from Dermot Mulroney's clueless Randall and, of course, Kathy Bates as Randall's mildly deranged motormouth of a mother. Bates practically steals the show during her limited screen time, as her character's sincerity, her brutal honesty, and above all her tendency to reveal excessive details provides a much-needed counterpoint to Nicholson's reserve and bitterness. While I'll be the first to admit that "About Schmidt" isn't an easy movie to watch, it's not supposed to be. What makes this such a rewarding movie is the challenge of watching such a thoroughly unremarkable man for two hours, following along with his path through despair, self-discovery, and ultimately a measure of redemption. Sure, Warren Schmidt's just a retired geezer from Nebraska, but his sufferings are more universal than they may appear at first. Warren's experiences make for such fascinating viewing precisely because there are so many people like him out there.

God, what a depressing movie:
What a depressing and movie. I kept watching it hoping that at some pivotal point in the movie Schmidt would have some revelation and find some purpose. Well it kind of comes at the very end but is still real lame with the reading of a letter from a Sister at his sponsored childs home. The movie drags on for over 2 hours showing a depressing man leading a boring, depressing life. There is no character development, and at the end of the movie you wondered what the purpose of the whole film was. I can never decide if it was supposed to be a comedy or a drama. The few funny moments are overshadowed by the dark and depressing tone of the whole movie.

Devastatingly Sad and Darkly Humorous:
Many critics unfairly compare "About Schmidt" to Alexander Payne's previous film "Election." Both movies are completely different and appeal to different people and tastes. "Schmidt" is more grown-up, more human, and less accessible and commercial. It is Payne's masterpiece. Jack Nicholson, in one of his all-time best performances, plays a recent retiree who goes through an end-of-life crisis. His wife dies and his daughter is marrying an idiot, played with comedic brilliance by Dermot Mulroney. He hops in his Winnebago and drives across the United States to have his say. Nicholson is a tired old man who doesn't want to give up on life quite yet, and in a last show of defiance and nonconformity, he tries to stop the wedding. "Schmidt," to some, is an unrelenting Prozac festival. But if you have a taste for black comedy, and enjoy watching ordinary people fail miserably and make jackasses out of themselves, as well as appreciate good drama, "Schmidt" is your type of movie. It's true, most of the film is sad. But there are moments -- especially when Nicholson shows up at Kathy Bates's house and has to endure her completely dysfunctional brood -- of comedic genius. If that's not enough to convince you, watch it for Nicholson's performance alone. Oftentimes in his long spanning career, Nicholson has resorted to playing mockeries of his public persona -- flashing those eyebrows and exploding that smile of his. But in "Schmidt" he appropriately plays the role of an old defeated man. You won't even know it's him. He seems to have aged an additional 67 years just to play this role, and it's inspiring. It's also a lesson that, no matter how old you are, there's no reason to give up on your hopes and dreams -- just make sure you're not trying to topple the Berlin Wall alone. Sad and funny. Bitter and cynical. "About Schmidt" has it all, including some of the most unforgettable elderly characters ever portrayed on screen.