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Travis Willock reviews
New Line Home Entertainment
- Cert: R
- Cat.no: N6319
- Running time: 124 minutes
- Year: 2002
- Pressing: 2003
- Region(s): 1, NTSC
- Chapters: 26
- Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1
- Languages: English
- Subtitles: English, Spanish
- Widescreen: 1.85:1
- 16:9-Enhanced: Yes
- Macrovision: No
- Disc Format: DVD 5
- Price: $29.98
- Extras:Deleted Scenes, Theatrical Trailer, Woodmen Tower Sequences
Director:
- Alexander Payne
Screenplay:
- Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor
Cast:
- Warren Schmidt: Jack Nicholsen
Genie: Hope Davis
Randal: Dermot Mulroney
Roberta: Kathy Bates
About Schmidtjust might be the most depressing comedy in Americanhistory. It’s a satirical look at growing old in America and thetriteness of everyday life mixed with the feeling that you’reinsignificant; that once you die it will be as if if you’ve neverexisted. If that deep well of info turns you off about this movie don’tlet it-this is some of the most fun you’ll have watching a movie whilealso getting something out of the experience.
The title speaks for itself. This film is all about Schmidt – WarrenSchmidt (Jack Nicholson) to be precise. Warren is retiring from his place ofemployment, Woodmen of the World Insurance, after many years. He’s notlooking forward to it because he knows he’ll no longer have a purpose.
Upon watching a commercial on starving African children he decides tomake a difference in someone’s life. He writes a letter to Ndugu whobecomes his confessor. He finally lets it all out about how much hecan’t stand the little things his wife does (“sometimes I wake up andwonder, who is this old woman living in my house”) or about how hisdaughter is getting married to a waterbed salesman. Really, this is acomedy.
After his wife dies suddenly, Warren decides to hit the road to arriveat his daughter Genie’s new family early before the wedding. Geniedoesn’t want him there too early so he decides to clear his thoughts onthe open road and finally concludes with the family his daughter isabout to become apart of.
Jack Nicholson plays the part of Warren to a tee (he was after allnominated for an Oscar for this peformance) . Every second of the filmyou feel for this guy and the things he has to put up with. All alongyou can really connect to him and see yourself in this situation.Alexander Payne’s wonderful satirical sense of humor comes across sowell, even from the opening sequence to Warren stockpiling frozen foodsin a mobile home. This is a unique look at old age and a fun time. Itmay sound serious but it’s all around smart comedy.
New Line shines again with a great transfer. ‘Schmidt’ is presented inanamorphic 1.85:1 widescreen. Anyone who has seen Alexander Payne’sfilms (‘Election’) knows that he likes to film things as they are withno color enhancement. While the film may look visually boring thetransfer is still great. Blacks are solid and the subdued blues show nocolor bleeding. My only complaint is that at times compression artifactscan be noticed on objects in the background and sometimes it’sdistracting. All in all this is a great transfer.
You can always count on New Line to include a DTS track (wait a minutethere wasn’t one forTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)and any otheroption you would want. Dolby 2.0, 5.1 and a 5.1 DTS track round it out.The film is very dialouge based so neither track will push anything tothe limit but it sounds fine.
This is where the DVD loses some momentum. About a year ago New Linewould pack any release to the brim with extras, often making new titlesPlatinum Series. Times have changed for some reason and they are nowVERY selective on extras. This film was a decent hit and it’sdisappointing to not see an audio commentary or interviews.
- Deleted Scenes: 9 total, anamorphic 1.85:1. All are decent, more ofPayne’s satire loaded in heaps. Watchable.
- Woodmen Tower Sequences: These are a series of different takes on theopening sequence. All are boring with the exception of one that issimilar to ‘Metropolis’. Non-anamorphic widescreen.
- Trailers: The theatrical trailers for ‘About Schmidt’, ‘I am Sam’ ,and ‘Unconditional Love’ are presented here, all in anamorphic 1.85:1widescreen.
About a year ago this DVD would have been packed with extras – evenAll About the Benjaminsand ‘Life as a House’ got better supplements than this. Truly disappointing.
Packaging is amaray showing the film’s simple theatrical poster for thecover. There are 26 chapter stops and menus are animated.
All in all, ‘About Schmidt’ is an excellent film that is definitelyworth a watch. While it is a great film this could definitely be a rentas second viewings may not be as enjoyable.
PICTURE QUALITY
SOUND QUALITY
EXTRAS
OVERALLEmailTravis Willock
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.