Rating: 
Summary: BORING!!!!!!!!!!
Review: This was the most boring, pathetic excuse for a movie I've ever seen in my life. It's a total rip-off. How dare they expect people to pay money for this? Do yourself a favor and save your money - you can be more entertained by staring a blank screen.
Rating: 
Summary: Payne and Nicholson fail to click
Review: Although I love a few a Nicholson'sperformances I don't automaticallylike every thing he does. But I thought this was worth getting becauseI loved Alexander Payne's "Election"and wanted to see how Nicholsonwould work with this, maybe, greatnew director. A smart director whoreally works well with actors. Andit doesn't really work. Won't gointo plot. No need here. But Nicholsontones it down and creates a quietcharacter. Does it well, seems real,but the guy is boring. His wife isboring. Not entertainly boring, justboring. Scenes are boring. Nicholsonhas an interesting look as he gets older, but he wasn't the right actorfor this. Maybe nobody was. Paynefails with just about every actor.Finding a purpose when you getolder and trying to help familyis a good subject. If the peoplehas something worth saving. Andthen Payne goes a phonies it upby having Nicholson sponsor a third-world child and do manyvery detailed, self-involvedvoice-over letters to a sixyear old! No adult would do thisand it's just used as a silly plot point. And the ending triesto make great meaning of this.Just a phony ending to a charactertrying to deal with the realissue of growing older. There'sno real feel for this worthwhilesubject here. Everyone just going though the motions. I notice thatPayne also uses very much thesame type of soundtrack music thathe used in "Election." It seemsa failure of imagination. He maybe a one-note director. I hope not.The best scene was a funny switchon Nicholson's diner bit in "FiveEasy Pieces." And it was cut fromthe regular movie. And the criticsloved this movie. Loved it. It'sjust fair. Trust nobody. Movies,in general, are still as phonyas they been for the last twentyyears. No exception here.
Rating: 
Summary: A great film, if you can take it
Review: I really like this movie.Many found it depressing.I can see why this movie would be off-putting to some.After all, it invloves a 66 year old recently retired guy from Omaha (Nicholson), whose wife dies, and who, from this point on, spends his time pondering about the worth of his life. And in the end, there's no big revelation, no big "moment" in which everything is layed out on the table, and you go "ahh, I see".BUT,BUT,BUT, if you have an open mind, and don't mind seeing a movie which doesn't strain too far from reality, then see this film.Personally, I find it a bit appalling that how everytime a small, low budget film with a simple plot is released, it is automatically labeled depressing.Oh well, how can you change that?I loved the supporting cast, particularly Hope Davis as Schmidt's daughter.She was so cold and contemptuous in her small role, and she played it off so well.Kathy Bates offers some great,warm-hearted laughs through her role as the rather nutsy mother of Schmidt's daughter's fiance (Dermot Mulroney). Jack Nicholson was excellent.I don't care what anyone says, he blew my mind.His acting was so real,so powerful, so undeniably affecting. This movie, despite being at it's core very sad and world weary, there are many flat out hilarious parts that will get you to laugh out loud, I guarantee it. So, if you want to see a film with great acting, which actually makes you think, see About Schmidt.
Rating:
Summary: very good, a good look at how hum drum things can get
Review: not an uplifting film, so rent it when you are ready for a kind of "grey" film
nicholson is good at portraying this atmosphere, a couple of good twist and turns, and excellent story line
Rating:
Summary: Retiree faced with multiple crises questions meaning of life
Review: Jack Nicholson is brilliant as ever as an "average guy" who suddenly faces multiple major crises: After some 40 years of service to an insurance giant, his final day at work is ticking away (literally). Now retired, a life of leasure and fun should begin. WRONG! Within weeks his wife of 42 years dies suddenly, leaving him to "look forward" to their only daughter's wedding to a total loser. "Schmidt" manages to face everything with dignity and without causing any trouble. Still, the man who tried to do everything in his life right, by the book, and with all consideration for everyone else, feels unwanted, unloved, as though his life didn't matter at all, he had lived for absolutely no purpose. If this had been "it", the story would be quite depressing. Fortunately there is a bittersweet "point" to it all. As Schmidt embarks on "married life after retirement", a TV ad asking for people to "sponsor a needy child" in a developing country, catches his attention. Schmidt responds to the call for help, and begins a "diary-like" correspondance with his foster son, a 6 year old orphan in Africa, whose photo he received from the relief organization. As though writing regular entries into a journal, Schmidt tells this boy all of his troubles, along with sharing fond memories and things happening at the time. The therapeutic values of this letter writing becomes evident in the final scene, which is heartbreaking. "About Schmidt" is not fast-paced, but the DVD version explains that many scenes were shortened or cut entirely for time. All of the remaining scenes are somehow relevant to the story. The final "message" is worth following the at times dragging storyline. Nicholson (of course) and Kathy Bates in the small role as the "mother-in-law" are wonderful. Their teaming alone is worth watching this film. A sure 4-star!****
Rating:
Summary: One of my favorites
Review: After retiring, Schmidt finally has an opportunity to ask himself "what is the point of my life?" I really liked Jack Nicholson in this movie. Reminds me a bit of Gene Hackman's character in "Royal Tenenbaums". I like movies that explore the human condition and can make me laugh. This movie does both.
Rating: 
Summary: Jack is good but the movie is not
Review: I have always enjoyed the acting of Jack Nicholson however this is the first movie he has done that was not up to his normal mark. I was let down and overall felt this was not a good investment. Jack was back in style with Anger Management and did outstandingly well.
Rating:
Summary: A PRETTY WATCHABLE MOVIE, DON'T LET THE REVIEWS DETRACT YOU
Review: Great cinematography, couple of stellar yet subtle performances by Nicholson and Bates, and a very fluid Kubrick-like screenplay: what more can you ask for! The script could be argued to be fairly flat, which I'd say IS the point, but the movie stood my test of repeat viewing. About Schmidt is a depressing, cynical, condescending look at a retired person's life in the western world. The idea I guess was to depict the hapless introspection that an old man, Schmidt, finds himself in when he cannot handle a sorrow spree (retirement, wife's demise, discovery of wife's old affair with best friend) and his emotions are so bottled up that it looks like he's ready to explode at any minute. He begins to evaluate and undo everything he may have done wrong, things that were wrongly done to him, what he has accomplished, who he has lived for etc. The end result is a somewhat relaxed film, intentionally perhaps as things take their time to unfurl as in real life, but it is an intriguingly enjoyable experience. The furore over having both Nicholson and Bates in the buff -- frankly I figure the movie could really do without both of those occasions, they barely added anything to the script (no pun intended.) The DVD could surely have been better. There are long strings of text as preambles to the outtakes that we have to wade through before viewing them. So we're forced to read that material and we're forced to think about Schmidt's dilemma, not all bad, but it is so utterly depressing in the process that on balance we are not stimulated or entertained and if we don't have either of those we are not pleased with the experience. But that's no reason to skip the movie itself. Give it a try, it just might leave you introspective.
Rating:
Summary: It could have been better.
Review: Wow. I don't even know where to start. Jack is one of my all time favorite actors. He was great in "As Good As It Gets," "Batman," "One Flew Over a Cuckoo's Nest," and many others...and suddenly, he embarked upon this.
A total waste of his acting abilities.
"About Schmidt" fails to please. I was unprepared for the hippie version of Kathy Bates after her dynamic performance as the mastermind killer/lunatic in "Misery." However, since she is such a versatile actor and quite good at what she does, I can't say it was all that bad. I think I could have gone without the hot tub scene; it seemed irrelevant to the storyline.
The movie is saved by the cynicism that we all love and enjoy about Jack. It's good for a few laughs, but nothing else beyond that.
Rating: 
Summary: one of my fav jack films
Review: i actually was skeptical about renting this one but i took it since i was due a free rental at the local blockbuster. it has been a long time since i've seen anything done by mr. nicholson which moved me this much & kept a smile on my face. in the end, i returned the disc to blockbuster & i was sad that i had to give it back. this one is definately going in my collection. for starters, you've already got a winner with the heartfelt story & simply wonderful performances all around by virtually everyone involved. the story paints a touching portrait of a recently retired gentleman who has basically lost touch with everything around him & seeks to feel welcomed or needed by someone. we are shown almost immediately in the opening of the film that mr. schmidt is a rich man becaus of the enormous heart he carries around. within the first ten minutes or so, we see him writing a letter to a sponsored child in tanzania & enclosing a check for the needy child. through this letter, we realize that he feels empty & out of place. many of us will relate to his feelings of loneliness when we watch this montage. after the first thirty minutes, warren schmidt loses his wife & is pretty much left to take care of himself. with a daughter of the verge of getting married, mr. schmidt makes a journey out to see her in hopes of interrupting or placing a halt to the marriage. along the way, he finds out a lot about himself which has either been placed to the side over time or never fully realized in the first place. when he finally does meet the groom's mother, things really take an outrageous turn & you'll be laughing your head off when you hear the hilarious dialogue from none other thna the absolutely wonderful kathy bates. while some might call this film a satire, i say it's a down to earth, slice of life film with elements of satire much like american beauty although a bit more moral perhaps. i can see myself revisiting about schmidt from time to time & i could probably leanr something new each time i watch. this is definately a film to be remembered & a modern day classic to be cherished. in my opinion, this may be one of the best jack nicholson films i've ever had the pleasure of seeing.
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