"Jack's Back, and it's 'About' Time"
by Scott Mantz

"About Schmidt"
Jack Nicholson, Hope Davis
Directed by Alexander Payne

Just like starting over! Jack Nicholson takes a deep breath in "About Schmidt"

Dear Dad,

I know it may seem a bit odd to read a film review that literally has your name on it, but to coin the phrase, there's a method to my madness. You see, I saw an incredible movie the other night, and...well, I just couldn't help but think of you while I was watching it. It's called "About Schmidt," and if nothing else, it features an incredible performance from Jack Nicholson that's sure to get plenty of accolades when the upcoming awards season kicks into high gear. More importantly, it raises some interesting questions about life that I'm sure you'll be asking yourself very soon (that is, if you aren't asking them already). Specifically, you may be asking, did I really make a difference?

In "About Schmidt," Nicholson asks himself that very question, but unfortunately, he doesn't like the answer. He plays 66-year-old Warren Schmidt, a former actuary in Omaha, Nebraska, who is having a hard time adjusting to his recent retirement. In an effort to prove that his life had some meaning, he embarks on a personal journey to stop his only daughter (Hope Davis) from marrying some schnook (Dermot Mulroney) who sells waterbeds for a living. If that doesn't work, there's always the connection he made to a 6-year-old African foster child, who he writes to on an almost daily basis.

Now don't get me wrong, Dad. I'm not saying that you and Warren are the same person. If anything, you two have nothing in common...that is, beyond the fact that you're about the same age, you've been married to the same woman for decades, and you worked for the same company for what seems like an eternity. In Warren's case, he realizes almost too late that life is short and he has to make the most of the time he has left. The problem is that he doesn't know where to begin, and after an unfortunate accident, he finds himself so lost that he practically can't even tie his own shoes.

"About Schmidt" was co-written and directed by Alexander Payne, whose last film, 1999's "Election," was a razor sharp satire that ended up being one of the best movies of that year. This time around, Payne takes a more bittersweet, intimate and personal approach, and the result is a dark, brooding film that--while funny at times--walks the fine line between being heartwarming and depressing. It also moves along at a slower pace and requires total commitment from the moviegoer, but as is always the case with movies like these, the more you give yourself over to it, the more you'll get out of it.

I know you've been watching Jack Nicholson movies since I was a kid, but believe me when I tell you that "About Schmidt" may just contain the performance of his career. That's saying a lot, especially since he already has 3 Oscars under his belt (with a 4th undoubtedly on the way), but in this case, he is so powerfully understated that he makes his otherwise sad character teem with sympathy, vulnerability and redemption.

It may be Jack's show, but Hope Davis is equally strong as the only daughter who is torn between devotion and animosity, while Dermot Mulroney is virtually unrecognizable as her charming red-neck husband-to-be. As Mulroney's mother, you can't ask for better than Kathy Bates, who deserves a lot of credit for not only making her otherwise small role stand out, but for showing a more daring side of her than we've ever seen before (and I mean that literally).

Getting back to what I was saying, the answer is yes, Dad, you did make a difference. The fact that I'm sitting here writing this review for you is proof of that, and I never could have made any of the changes I made over the last 11 years without your guidance, support and advice. Even if I didn't always listen to you, it was enough to know that you were there for me, and I know you always will be. So with that, Dad, enjoy "About Schmidt," and of course, let me know what you think of it.

Your son, Scott

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