Rating: 
Summary: Jack Nicholson deserves a better script!
Review: Jack Nicholson is an outstanding actor. His performance in this movie continues to exhibit his great ability. This movie is one of those examples as to how even the best of actors can only do so much with the script he is given.
A story should move toward a climax and then finish with a conclusion. This movie just seems to have Jack moving about aimlessly. Although there is the hint of a story line and one might argue a conclusion, the movie just doesn't make the grade. You sit there and keep hoping something will happen to salvage the movie and it doesn't (until the credits are rolling and you get to go home).
If you want to see Jack Nicholson then please see "As good as it gets" or one of his other great performances in which he had better material to work with.
Eight of us saw this movie together and only my wife said that she liked it.
Rating: 
Summary: top Nicholson performance
Review: "About Schmidt" provides Jack Nicholson with a role virtually guaranteed to earn him another Best Actor Oscar to go along with the ones he garnered for "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and "As Good as it Gets." Here he plays a 66-year old man coming to terms with the reality of his own aging and trying to figure out the meaning of the life he has lived. Warren Schmidt, like so many men his age, finds that the end of life is really made up of a series of losses - of careers, of spouses, of the hopes and dreams that come with youth. Upon retirement, Warren feels not only that he has little purpose or direction left in his life, but that the insurance job to which he devoted almost all his time and energy was an empty enterprise, evidenced by the fact that all his old files have been thrown unceremoniously into the company junk pile (a metaphor for himself, perhaps) and that a young upstart has so quickly and so easily taken his place in the corporation. Adding to Warren's misery is the fact that this newcomer treats Warren with the kind of patronizing dismissiveness that reduces the veteran to a complete nonentity. Warren can no longer stand his wife of 42 years, a woman whose every idiosyncrasy drives him to distraction, yet her death early on in the film leaves Warren feeling utterly bereft and desolated. Warren's daughter, whom he loves dearly, keeps a cool distance from the father whom she feels lost interest in her and her life many years back and, hence, no longer has the right to voice objections to the husband she has chosen for herself, a smooth-talking car salesman replete with a pigtail, a bottomless goatee, and a coterie of off-the-wall relatives. "About Schmidt," for much of its length, is structured like a road picture, as Warren takes to the highway in the mobile home he and his wife had bought for his retirement years but which he now travels in alone, stopping off at various locations in Nebraska and Kansas that played an important role in his early life, and ending up in Denver to try and talk some sense into his daughter on the eve of her wedding before she makes what he feels will be a fatal mistake in her life. The best part about the Alexander Payne screenplay (based on the novel by Louis Begley), is that it feels generally spontaneous in nature. The author is not afraid to take detours off the basic path of the story and he doesn't feel obligated to tie up all the loose ends into a nice, bright, prettily wrapped package at the end. Warren comes to some pretty sober realizations about the minimal effect one individual's life can really have on the world around him. Warren discovers that, painful as it may be to acknowledge, we all end up making compromises in this world which come to determine the kinds of lives we end up living. In the end, with few exceptions, most of us achieve a kind of bland mediocrity that fills us with regret only after it is too late to do anything about it. This is the direction Warren sees his daughter's life taking, and he wants desperately to help divert her on to a better path while there is still time. Ultimately, however, he comes to realize that he is no position to affect that kind of radical change in another person's life and so he sadly conforms to the social amenities called for by the occasion and makes a "heartfelt" wedding reception toast to his daughter's happiness. In fact, in the closing scene, he learns that it might be easier to actually leave one's mark on the world by going outside the confines of one's own immediate family and environment. "About Schmidt" is almost brutally frank about such topics as the effects of aging on both the body and the spirit, the loss of love that occurs between husbands and wives after too long a time together, and the regret that comes with a life lived with no real passion or purpose. Yet, the film itself is often slyly witty in tone, even though the humor is, occasionally, a bit more broad than it needs to be (Warren's slapstick struggle with a waterbed is a prime example). Credit for bringing out the script's subtle comic richness goes primarily to Nicholson and the wonderful Kathy Bates, who plays Jeannie's eccentric future mother-in-law and manages to steal every single scene she is in. As director, Payne establishes a reflective, almost melancholy rhythm, one that allows the scenes to play themselves out with little sense of artificiality or hurry. The bleak, Midwest landscape, through which Warren makes his epochal journey, provides an appropriately stark backdrop for this sad little tale, and Rolfe Kent's simple, haunting musical score enhances that feeling. Finally, of course, we have Mr. Nicholson himself. Rarely before has this phenomenal actor seemed so at one with the character he is playing. Stoop-shouldered and jowl-faced, Nicholson literally inhabits this man from first scene to last, making him a completely believable individual whose every action and reaction we can empathize with thoroughly and whom we come to care very deeply about by the end. Nicholson's is a bravura, tour-de-force performance. Unlike most films, "About Schmidt" stays true to the seriousness of its subject, providing us only with a slight ray of hope at the end and some moments of sly humor along the way to help us through its dark, often painful reality.
Rating:
Summary: what about Schmidt??
Review: This movie was very well acted. Jack Nicholson is in nearly every scene, or narrating them.
The previews are slightly misleading, as they seem to indicate alot of humor. There is not much there, as the theme is pretty grim. Things such as aging, death, rejection by family, are some of the things that take place. Anyone expecting a lot of laughs will be surprised and maybe disappointed. But over all I would give it 4 stars. Nicholson and Bates are excellent.
Rating:
Summary: Stranger in a Strange Land
Review: Warren Schmidt (Jack Nicholson) is a stranger. A stranger to his soon to be deceased wife of 42 years, a stranger to his daughter, Jeannie (Hope Davis), a stranger to his co-workers at the Insurance company from which he has just retired; and more importantly he's a stranger to himself. Schmidt is emotionally and physically stopped up and without an outlet from which to vent the most private thoughts and demons that lay within. That is until he decides to sponsor a 6-year-old Tanzanian orphan by sending not only a [$$] check every month but also a litany of all his troubles and concerns. This litany becomes the narration that holds the movie together and allows Schmidt to reveal his innermost observations and take on things.
Alexander Payne, who also directed the quirky and witty "Election," directs here with a jaded, spoiled milk attitude directed at his Midwestern characters that is very much unlike, say the Coen brothers attitude towards the Minnesotans in "Fargo." Payne's mise en scene is cluttered with the detritus of small town life (or what we think of as small town life): open spaces, clean air, and supposedly unsophisticated people with out-of-date clothing. It's a cliché really and beneath Payne's talent.
Jack Nicholson plays Schmidt without any of his usual baggage: snide comments, jocular attitude, arching eyebrows. But after all these years it is difficult to see him in a role that is without irony. We naturally assume he is kidding and as Schmidt we expect him to wink at us to let us know it's all a joke. But he doesn't and it isn't. And therein lays the genius of his performance.
Kathy Bates is particularly strong as a new-age goddess, Roberta Hertzel who "nursed Randall (Dermot Mulroney) until he was five." She's an earth mother, ex-hippie who brings a large dose of life affirming fun to the proceedings.
"About Schmidt" is ultimately about unfulfilled dreams and wasted moments that somehow turn themselves into a lifetime before we know it. Nothing is neatly solved, no major changes are made and Schmidt basically ends as he starts: a man filled with the ghosts of a million regrets.
Rating: 
Summary: A great film.
Review: A Man by the name of Warren Schdimt (Three Time Oscar-Winner:Jack Nicholson), who is 66 year old and now retired from a Successful Insurance Business. Now that is only child (Hope Davis) is getting married to a nerdy salesman (Dermont Mulroney). Then Warren unexpectedly his wife (June Squibb) dies of a brain clout. Warren decides to go to his Daughter's Wedding with his Winnebago from Omaha to Denver. Everything Changes, when he realize that his whole life is Empty and meeting his future uninhited mother-in-law (Oscar-Winner:Kathy Bates). Directed by Alexander Payne (Screenwriter of Citizen Ruth, Election & Jurassic Park 3) made a surprisngly brillant dramatic comedy. Nicholson gives another of his great performances but this one is One of his Best. Bates steals every scenes, she's in. Davis & Mulroney gives fine supporting performances. (This Film recieves Two Oscar Nominations, which is:Jack Nicholson for Best Actor and Kathy Bates for Best Supporting Actress.) DVD`s has an sharp anamorphic Widescreen (1.85:1) transfer and an decent-Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound (Also in DTS). DVD has about 30 Minutes of Deleted Scenes, which some of them are Good Scenes and as well in Funny. This film is Based on a Novel by Louis Bigley, which is adapted by the director & Jim Talyor. Do not miss this memorable, touching, sad, darkly funny film. Grade:A.
Rating:
Summary: "About Schmidt" Delivers Message and Excellent Acting
Review: ... Now, to get to my review - I loved it overall as it entertained me, that is a high criteria for me. I've never seen Jack Nicholson in quite such a role as a "regular Joe" retiree - it's so unlike him yet he performed it as if it were no effort at all! He's the epitome of your gentle, conservative mid-western father/husband from a time when life wasn't so complicated yet typically boring, that is, until his world is turned upside down with two major events that ultimately happen in many folks life at the retirement age. In addition, both Kathy Bates and Howard Hesseman (of WKRP Cincinnati fame) deliver wonderful performances as they truly depicted the typical "Washington Park" Denver liberal free-loving folks that I so truly remember from my days living in Denver. By the way, the entire scenes shot in Denver were highly authentic all the way down to the streets, addresses and attitudes for the area they were in - a rarity in movies for non-typical big cities like Chicago, LA or NYC. The movie is all about transitions in the latter stages of life, what-if's, regrets, loneliness and looking to the future. It's a bleak movie with hints of promise and hope. I took my parents (both retired in past year) to the movie as they rarely go to movies and they seem to have thoroughly enjoyed it - dad mentioned that it was certain thought provoking for him! I chuckle as it's been a while since I've seen more gray hairs in a movie theatre than youngsters romping around with cell phones - it was refreshing! ;) One last piece that I'll not totally divulge - after watching the movie, you may be so compelled to want to give to a wonderful cause in making a different in someone's life! I'm not sure if it's Nicholson's passion but it's one that is noble. I'll add the DVD to my collection and highly recommend it. Oh - why not a 5 star? I reserve those for absolute best of genre in my opinion.
Rating:
Summary: Nicholson Delivers Another Oscar-Caliber Performance
Review: Anyone who is a part of Corporate America can sympathize with Warren Schmidt (Jack Nicholson)- He's dedicated his life to his job, and mere days after retiring, he not only finds all of his files in the company's trash, but finds himself obsolete and unwanted by his former co-workers as well....His feelings of purposelessness and isolation are further compounded by the death of his Wife, and the discovery of her long-ago infidelity with his best friend. Warren decides to hit the road in the mobile home his Wife loved, and head off to help his Daughter with her upcoming wedding. His future In-Laws, headed up by Kathy Bates, are a comedy gold-mine, and Bates provides one of the most jaw-dropping shocks/laughs in recent movie history. At it's heart, About Schmidt is a small film about the human condition, and Nicholson's wonderfully warm and restrained performance is perfect. The narrative device the film uses (Schmidt writing letters to his African Foster-child, Ndugu) allows Nicholson to show both the put-upon outer Schmidt, and the "Mad-as-hell-and-not-gonna-take-it-anymore" inner Warren. It's nice to see Jack in a more restrained role than what he's generally known for. It's a wonderful performance in a film full of wonderful performances.
Rating:
Summary: Laugh, Cry, Love, and Jack Nicholson all tie in
Review: This movie was great Jack was nonstop fun. He made everyone in the theater laugh. The story is a very unusuall one but I mean that in a good way. In this movie he wishes to search for who he truly is. In the end he finds it but in the saddest way possible. The movie had a lot of emotions and portrayed life as it really is.Nothing was held back. This movie reminded me of One hour photo because it is the complete opposite yet they both show two sides of reality in the world we live in. Although I am 17 this movie will appeal to older audiences 40-70 years old. But teens can find a guide in this film that can change their life for ever.
Rating: 
Summary: A Real Downer
Review: I think this was one of the most depressing movies ever made. I saw it with my (senior citizen) husband and 23 year old granddaughter and we ALL came away feeling depressed in general and somewhat puzzled as to the meaning of the last sad scene. Jack Nicholson, as usual, gave a great performance, but things just dragged on and on until the bitter end.
Rating:
Summary: "Is That All there Is?
Review: As an on again, off again, Nicholson fan, I tired quickly of his repetitive "smarmy" outtings, the twinkle in the eye, quick witted, chew up the scenery, all sexual innuendo roles (a la "Five Easy Pieces"). My favorites have run more to the "Chinatown" type, with darker, more serious overtones that make him act, as opposed to letting him be himself.
In "About Schmidt", Payne pushes him to make Schmidt seek the eternal "Why?". Nicholson does an outstanding job as a disconnected soul, trying to assemble the bits and parts of his previous business career and his relationships. Schmidt has always excelled at playing the subordinate, going along to get along. His career and his marriage end almost simultaneously, leaving only a daughter with whom he attempts to establish (too late)a parental and emotional connection.
Payne allows Schmidt to fail, with a penultimate emotional crescendo that keeps the audience guessing whether there is a new Schmidt or the old one will assert itself. The final scene allows the audience to have a partial happy ending, but even in those moments the director keeps the disconnect present.
Payne takes the easy way out to provide some laughs by portraying many of the secondary characters as less than Mensa members. My preference would have been for the same characters to have been Schmidt's societal equals, but with their own flaws.
This movie will not engender any catharsis in the viewer, but might, depending on his or her age, force them into a mid-life like crisis, following Schmidt's path. There are so many nuances to Schmidt that many will want to see the film a second time just to watch him try to cope.
This is a great job by Nicholson.
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