Only recently I had the chance to watch "About Schmidt" on cable. A few days ago, I watched it again on DVD and, I'm sure, I'm going to watch it several more times in the future. I think this is one of the best movies in recent years. A sad and marvelous little gem which, surprisingly, comes from a "Hollywood factory". The central idea of this movie somehow brought to my mind "American Beauty", which however is quite different in its development and conclusions. Why did I like it so much? Among other reasons, most certainly because I could relate to it. As a matter of fact, (almost) all should. It could be renamed "About Ordinary Humans". This movie is about "sense of approaching death and facing defeat" (...soon I'll be dead and...no one will remember that I ever lived and feel that I'm missing....) and consequently, "a tardier search of the meaning of life" (the sponsoring of the little Tanzanian boy). We may not like the idea, but we all have a big chance to face that (perhaps some of us already did...). If you think this is not going to happen to you, one of the three: you are still too young, or you are quite an exceptional human being or...you are in for a big surprise! The movie best assets: a strong script, a fine and sensitive direction (both by outstanding Alexander Payne), deeply structured characters but, most of all, a wonderful acting performance by the leading actor and the whole supporting cast. Jack Nickolson, as usual, steals the movie delivering a surprisingly subdued performance (compared to what he had accustomed us in previous movies: this time only a few smiles, no grins, no moving eyebrows...). He does a nice little character study and nails the Warren part with a gutsy performance, reaffirming himself as a wonderful actor. His performance should have been rewarded with an "Oscar for Best Actor". I truly think, in this case, he got robbed...again. A little example: the opening scene shows us Jack/Warren sitting at his clean desk in his almost empty office, staring at the wall-clock waiting to strike 5:00 o'clock, which will mean the end of his professional career and the beginning of a new life. His face looks emotionless, almost like cut in stone but still, you can feel the hurricane of contrasting emotions ravaging his heart. Even better: when he leaves the office, after having paid a totally useless visit to his successor, he spots all his important work papers, representing a lifetime of work, nicely boxed and stacked-up against a garage wall but... dangerously close to the garbage bin. His face expression shows it all but, without a twitch of a nerve. Not many actors can do that. Kathy Bates, in spite of having very limited screen-time, is simply a riot as Roberta, the horny divorcée, mother of the groom and undisputed head of a dysfunctional family. She never goes "over the top" (it would have been easy in that part) instead, she is so real that you can...almost smell her! Her scene with Jack/Warren in the Jacuzzi is priceless. Hope Davis as Jeannie, the mousy and "past prime-time" Warren's daughter, is terrific in her part and proves she can act with her guts. Marriage is her last chance and she is not going to miss it. She is bitter, angry and close to a nervous break-down, but determined to get her little share of happiness at any costs. Dermot Mulroney (quite underrated young actor which should get more and better opportunities), is great as Randall, the dorky water-bed salesman, full of good intentions, but hopelessly "breast-fed into a complete looser" by his own mother. This honest and heartfelt movie is not supposed to "make the audience feel good", so I highly recommend it only to the ones who...don't mind. I rate it 9 out of 10.
Review of About Schmidt
