About Schmidt

So last night I went to go see About Schmidt. I was seriously considering 'Gangs' but for some reason that movie looks good but completely whatevery. So I went and seen the Schmidt in one of this older theaters uptown. The seats were a little small and the rows were too close together for a big legged gork like me. And the seats in this theater were the kind that you could rock back and forth. The dude in front of me from the get-go starts rocking in his chair like he's on a friggin porch with a glass of lemonade or whatever. I wanted to tell him to please stop rocking but I couldn't bring myself to do it. So after a while, I like get my knees up there and sort of jam them in- catching him mid-rock to let him know not to rock. He starts pushing back to get his space back but I kept my knees there for a few seconds to let him know not to rock and I would no longer tolerate the rocking.. After I moved my knees and I gave him the space back he didn't rock anymore. It was like one of those unspoken mini-war type situations- like an armrest fight on a plane. Maybe I gotta start to learn how to just talk to people... but whatever. He dint rock no mo.

Anyway, I wasn't all that psyched about seeing Jack Nicholson all Oscar buzzy role all like look at what a great actor he is! all like let's kiss his ass because he's so great! isn't he great?! let's all sing his praises and look at his 'body' of work and how he's the coolest! and how he's a legend and an american icon legend king! and how he banged tons of chicks cause he's a sunglass wearing superstud with a big wang. It just gets to be a bit much with this guy every time a movie of his (that's supposed to be good) comes out. But whatever..

This Schmidt movie is made by the guy who made the excellent 'Election' even though I didn't even realize it until after the movie ended which was kind of cool sort of. Jacky Christ Superstar played Warren Schmidt who is a guy who is retiring and we get an all too closeup glimpse of his current, past, and future life and it all ain't that great. You understand this guy from the get-go which is always cool to see. We watch him get clobbered with wouldacouldashoulda regrets as his whole life implodes on him. But it's a clobbering that is tough to see. Like a dope on a rope kind of clobbering (except for the occassional attempt to fight back now and then in little flurries which usually makes things worse.)

This flick is a bigtime bummer on some levels and some of his qualities can hit home which doubly sucks. For a while while watching it I was like, why do I need to be bummed out right now? I could be watching Leo get cracked on the head and Daniel Day Dickhead calling him out and then they go at it wham wham let's organize and have it out in ol' new york, ya irish fuckface! But instead I'm watching a movie. About a guy. Who is a sad sad man.

But the movie pulls off a really nice trick. It's funny. At times really funny and it's very coolio that they were able to find so much funny in this slow paced sadness all mopey mopey. Some of the funniest lines of the year are in this flick. The pace is slow but it works and it's got a good cast with kathy bates, and delmont macroony (or something like that. I recognized that guy from somewhere.) and a cool side part by Dr. Johnny Fever. A few times while watching this movie I kept slipping out of it a little. Weary of the slow pace and sadness in it but somehow it kept yanking me back in with the funny and the good characters and that it was different and somehow refreshing throughout. The score was good too.

Three Good Things About this Movie

- Jacky Nicholson for all his superstariness convinced me he was small man Warren Schmidt by minute 2.
- Kathy Bates is always friggin great and you get happy every time she's on screen.
- Jacky's wife was a woman his age. Even though it was of course necessary- it was different to see one of these oldster superstars not all about the 30 year old hot wife or girlfriend.... like Helen Hunt or something...

Three Bad Things About this Movie

- It fell into sitcomdom a bunch of times all schticky.
- In retrospect you'll remember the sad stuff alot more than the funny stuff.
- I stepped in gum as I was walking out.

Ok anyway, this movie is a really subtley strong movie. It's a good mid-western slice of lifey type quirky flick (even though some mid-westerners might be like wtf with the midwestern vibe) Anyway when you walk out you'll be sorta bummed out -but you'll appreciate that you were bummed out in a most excellent real way. And you'll appreciate Jack for being an incredible actor. His range is so great and his bravery in choosing a role like this simply proves that he is....Whoa! Wait a sec! Screw that! F Jack Nicholson!

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