About Schmidt
Some similarities in this movie happen to reflect on the true lifesurroundings of my own family life. Jack Nicholson's character is recently retired andboth he and his wife celebrated an anniversary spanning 42 years. Same goes formy dad who recently retired after 25 years, and my parents just celebratedtheir 41st anniversary.
But that is where the line draws to an end, and the story of About Schmidtbegins.
About Schmidt will be appreciated and attract a crowd of movie enthusiastswho understand, or at least know of somebody in their life who is going on witha new life's beginning. Not everyone will have the story as Schmidt hassuccumbed to, but to have the open mindedness and courage to go forward andcontinue the search for happiness is ageless.
About Schmidt is a story of a man whose life is anything but understood oreven at times happy. Life events will surface and only then will he be able tofind his true self and the happiness which can come from it.
Warren Schmidt (Jack Nicholson) is recently retired (apprehensibly) from hisposition as vice president of an insurance company. He now has all this freetime which he does not know what to do with. His wife Helen (Judy Squibb) hasplans for them to venture the world in their new super deluxe Winnabago.
But before any of that is to happen, Schmidt must with many reservationsswimming in his head (and those voiced even more loudly), take part in the marriageof his daughter Jeannie (Hope Davis) to Randall (Dermot Mulroney), who Schmidthonestly feels is not the right man for his daughter to marry. Schmidt'sopinion means squat and the marriage will proceed as planned!
One night while flipping through the TV channels Schmidt takes notice of aninfomercial that shows how you can become a foster parent by sponsoring a childin need for only $22.00 a month. Schmidt is interested, and soon receivesconfirmation on his new family member named Ndugh, a 6 year old boy.
First on Schmidt's list is to write a letter to Ndugh which will give alittle personal background on who Ndugh's new foster dad is. Well, the ink runsfast and Schmidt is expressing without scruples, how his personal state of mindand the thoughts digging inside his brain are effecting him. It's veryhumorous, taking into consideration that Schmidt is so full ofbuilt up aggression and pain that he's unaware of the fact he's writing to alittle boy about his problems at that given time. The positiveness of that actionis how Schmidt for the first time in a long time is able to express hisemotions and let them be heard.
Schmidt and Helen soon look ahead to venturing into the wide undiscoveredworld after their daughter's wedding, but the unexpected happens when Helenwithout warning passes away.
Jeannie and her fiance Randall come home for the funeral. It hits Jeanniehard for she always had a good relationship with her mom, unlike the strain thatis a constant pull with her dad. Oddly though, Schmidt is not taking any realhardship from his wife's passing. In a way he's become freer, more open to thepossibilities of different emotions and the outlook of his life. Schmidtmisses his wife, for she has always been the backbone and the strength of thefamily, but their marriage was always missing something.
Schmidt decides to take the big house on wheels and visit his old childhoodhaunts. With his daughter's wedding soon approaching Schmidt takes shelter atthe home of Randall's mother's house where Randall's mom Roberta (Kathy Bates)makes it perfectly clear her intentions on how the family is going to be afterthe wedding, and also shares her open-minded thoughts on any potential offersthat Schmidt could take her up on.
Schmidt's life is becoming clearer and more profound, while his search for meaningin his life is shown with more emotion and proudness than he had ever imagined it would... So much so that it has awakened his soul!
Jack Nicholson is one of the finest and most capable actors of hisgeneration. His performances live within him and he directs all that talent so naturallyand with perfection, as only Jack can do. He's a classic and his uniqueability of bringing such emotion and depth to his character is immenselyentertaining and a gift to the audience.
Kathy Bates is an extremely brilliant actress who puts so much talent andpassion in her work. (OK, the hype and the buzz over the hot tub scene wasnothing to obsess over, and have freaky twitches about) Kathy Bates did what anytrue performer would do in giving the character the life and believability to therole which only made it more heartfelt and typical of the character'spersonality. Kathy Bates is a lady who graces the screen with astonishingly beautifultalent!
The supporting cast brought so much strength and emotion to each of theirroles with honesty and insight. Lessons of life each had to learn by, accept, orchoose to dismiss, gave them the creditability and substance they needed to makethis movie start and finish strong, without leaving gaps in the middle.
About Schmidt weighs heavy dramatically, although there are moments wherecorners open up and give light and humor and alleve the pressure of sadness andregrets.
About Schmidt is about life; not always pretty, not always happy, but it'swhat you do with it and how it makes you feel doing it, that is important,special, and yours to treasure.