About Schmidt

Name: About Schmidt
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Released: December 13, 2002
Duration: 125 min
Rating: 85
Cast: Dermot Mulroney, Hope Davis, Jack Nicholson

2002

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 40 Critics

See All

USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 129 Ratings

See All

7.5

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

7.5	Your Score
7.5	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 129 Ratings

Would you like to write a review?

There is a 75 character minimum for reviews. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box. Please do not use ALL CAPS. There is no linking or other HTML allowed. Your review may be edited for content. 0/5000

Check box if your review contains spoilers

Please enter your birth date to watch this video:

You are not allowed to view this material at this time.

About Schmidt

Movie Details & Credits

New Line Cinema | Release Date: December 13, 2002

Starring: Dermot Mulroney, Hope Davis, Jack Nicholson

Summary: Warren Schmidt (Nicholson) has arrived at several of life's crossraods all at the same time. With no job, no wife, and no family, he is desperate to find something meaningful in his thoroughly unimpressive life. He sets out on a journey of self-discovery, exploring his roots across Nebraska in a 35-foot motor home. (New Line Productions)

Director: Alexander Payne

Genre(s): Drama, Comedy

Rating: R

Runtime: 125 min

See All Details and Credits

Awards & Rankings

11	#11 Best Movie of 2002
55	#55 Most Discussed Movie of 2002
57	#57 Most Shared Movie of 2002

Watch Now

Buy On

Stream On

Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

100

New York Daily News - Jami Bernard

Payne achieves an impressive control over the look and tone, so that, melancholy as the movie is, it comes off as both comedy and comment on the human condition. Read full review

100

Newsweek - David Ansen

This powerfully contained, painfully funny performance has to rank with the greatest work Nicholson's ever done -- This road movie gives you emotional whiplash, and you’ll be glad you went along for the ride. Read full review

100

Charlotte Observer - Lawrence Toppman

A dark comedy that's as emotionally honest as any picture of 2002. Read full review

Film Threat - Darrin Keene

This is where Payne shines. Schmidt’s Winnebago journey through America’s heartland is more like a personal voyage into his Heart of Darkness. Read full review

Village Voice - J. Hoberman

One may not realize how truly sad this movie is until the forlorn final moments, when Payne resists an inspirational closer, and, with exquisite tact, averts his eyes. Read full review

Christian Science Monitor - David Sterritt

Nicholson makes the movie so poignant that it's hard to resist, but I wonder if Payne and Taylor are rejecting the skeptical attitudes of their other films to become more popular, hoping a softer emotional tone will help this picture win the Oscars that have eluded their more tough-minded works. Read full review

Salon - Charles Taylor

Had Payne the grace or generosity to present the vulgarity and naiveté and tackiness of these characters as something vital and endearing and delightful, the movie might have been explosively funny. Read full review

SEE ALL 40 REVIEWS

Write a Review

User Reviews

john24

Jun 25, 2012

Really good .

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

SimonS.

Dec 5, 2007

Great, touching movie. I'm now a huge fan of Alexander Payne. Election is also great and of course Sideways. Even his short in Paris J'taime was soo well done.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

anothercoolguy

Jun 10, 2012

This is a great movie, i loved jack nicholsonÂ´s performance as i always do, it is very sentimental and good, one of my favorite movies from nicholson, i really recomend it

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

D-Slice

Dec 24, 2010

I think to fully appreciate About Schmidt we have to first view it as a drama, then as a comedy. It excels at both heartbreak and humor, but when you get down to it, you are given a great theme (not given away too easily as to be a cliche; some of the humor is, though), compelling andI think to fully appreciate About Schmidt we have to first view it as a drama, then as a comedy. It excels at both heartbreak and humor, but when you get down to it, you are given a great theme (not given away too easily as to be a cliche; some of the humor is, though), compelling and interesting characters acted pitch perfectly and a quite original plot line. Awesome screenplay and an awesome movie overall.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

FranzHcritic

Aug 12, 2014

Of retirement, of loss, of soul-searching. Of life. Alexander Payne creates the most natural films films can produce. This, is what should have been Jack Nicholson's most deserving Oscar. He pulls himself away from his cocky, intimidating and sometimes arrogant charm that he has added to soOf retirement, of loss, of soul-searching. Of life. Alexander Payne creates the most natural films films can produce. This, is what should have been Jack Nicholson's most deserving Oscar. He pulls himself away from his cocky, intimidating and sometimes arrogant charm that he has added to so many of his movies, and has given us a truly human role: a man with limits, faults, and weakness'. Kathy Bates makes you want to piss your pants, so to speak. The film is great. Jack Nicholson: so amazing it's surreal.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

CalibMcBolts

May 30, 2016

The way it is presented is the main flaw with this film. Everywhere you look this movie is labeled as a ''comedy'' which is awfully misconceiving. Sure ''About Schmidt'' as funny moments and is sometimes full of light hearted fun, but that isnt the main theme of the movie, it really isnt.The way it is presented is the main flaw with this film. Everywhere you look this movie is labeled as a ''comedy'' which is awfully misconceiving. Sure ''About Schmidt'' as funny moments and is sometimes full of light hearted fun, but that isnt the main theme of the movie, it really isnt. Because of how this movie is labeled people expected a comedy, starring old man Jack Nicholson, who wouldn't want to see that, i sure would, but instead they got an incredibly powerful, emotional character study on a broken man's life. It's an incredible movie, i will say that, but because it's billed as a comedy, audiences probably left the theatre upset and disappointed, hence the ''low'' score on each movie site i looked at, which is a shame, because "About Schmidt'' is truly an incredible film.
Jack Nicholson proves us yet again that he truly is one of the best actors to have ever lived, even as an old man he still shines with this brilliantly nuanced and subtle performance.
The story is touching, the detail is impeccable, the score is truly affecting, and the cinematography is seamless. There really isnt alot to complain about it, except the marketing flaws and maybe the slow pace this movie has, which bothered a lot of people, but not me, i thought it was perfect for a movie about an old man, just like i think the slow-pace in a movie like ''The Straight Story'' where the pace of the movie is truly as fast as Mr. Straight's lawn mower. Which was perfect.

All in all ''About Schmidt'' is a beautiful character study with yet another great performance by late and great Jack Nicholson… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

MIkeG.

Dec 7, 2005

This is a movie that failed to mix the funny scenes and the serious scenes well. The funny scenes were certainly funny, and Nichollson's delivery is certainly dead on. But the supposedly poignant scenes are greatly blunted by the way this movie is paced. Is Payne making fun of these This is a movie that failed to mix the funny scenes and the serious scenes well. The funny scenes were certainly funny, and Nichollson's delivery is certainly dead on. But the supposedly poignant scenes are greatly blunted by the way this movie is paced. Is Payne making fun of these characters or does he want you to embrace them? It's unclear, and the result is a film that left me feeling dissatisfied with the results, unconcerned about what would happen to any of the characters, and not invested in the performances. The movie also really doesn't have an ending for Schmidt - he's just kind of an afterthought that gets lost in the Davis/Mulroney storyline.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

SEE ALL 16 REVIEWS