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Order this DVD from Amazon.com
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About
Schmidt
(New Line Home Entertainment)
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| DVD
Release Date:
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June
3, 2003
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Length:
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124 mins.
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| Rated:
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R
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| Format:
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Widescreen (1.85:1)
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Audio:
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Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound - Englishj, DTS Surround Sound
- English
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| Subtitles:
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Spanish, Closed-Captioned
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| Extras:
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Deleted
Scenes, Woodmen Sequences - Original "Short Films" of
Opening Film Sequences, Original Theatrical Trailer, Trailers, DVD-ROM
- Link to Original Website, Link to ChildReach.org
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About Schmidt was one of my favorite
movies of 2002, so it was with great pleasure that I watched and
reviewed the DVD. Jack Nicholson plays Warren Schmidt, a retiring
insurance executive who reflects upon his long life now that he has
some newly found spare time. Schmidt finds himself in a variety of
adventures, including a cross-country trip in his new Winnebago,
visiting his childhood home, dropping in on his alma mater and hot-tubbing
with a naked Kathy Bates. He eventually finds his way to Denver,
Colorado to attend his daughter's impending marriage to a fellow named
Randall Hertzel (Dermot Mulroney), a waterbed salesman who gives new
meaning to the words "mullet" and "handlebar
mustache". Throughout the movie, we learn of Schmidt's personal
thoughts and dilemmas on a variety of issues, including his job, his
wife of more than 40 years and his dreams. We learn about these
thoughts through a number of letters Schmidt narrates to a six-year
old refugee named Ndugu.
In About Schmidt we get to see Jack Nicholson at his best - perhaps
his best performance of the last ten years. But it is not only Jack at
his best - the entire cast is perfect. The story is a great mix of humor,
sadness, shock and tragedy. It is a movie that young people can watch
and make sure they do not make the mistakes that were made by Warren
R. Schmidt. It is a movie that old people can watch and repair the
errors of their life before they kick the bucket. It is a real
thought-provoking movie that will be a favorite in most people's
collections. And it is based on those facts that I would highly
recommend adding this DVD to your dusty shelf. It is such a good movie
it would be a crime not to own it.
The extras on the DVD are not anything earth shattering. There are
nine deleted scenes that are okay but nothing that changed the course
of the movie by being taken out. The extras also include About
Schmidt's theatrical trailer as well as the trailers for "I Am
Sam" and a movie called "Unconditional Love". Also
included are a series of five short films titled The Woodmen Tower
Sequences which are more or less just five different versions of the
introduction of the movie. There is no commentary on the DVD.
The deleted scenes and the short films are introduced by written text,
which I found a bit disappointing. I would have rather heard what the
director, actors or anyone had to say about the movie. In fact, I was
dying to hear what anyone had to say about the movie, particularly the
Kathy Bates nude scene. That scene has haunted me for many months. I
was also hoping to hear a bit of commentary from Jack, like perhaps
his views on joining some other Hollywood heavyweights including the
likes of Kevin Costner and Mel Gibson, in finally showing his big,
flabby, pasty-white ass on the big screen. Unfortunately, there is not
a single word of commentary accompanying this DVD.
Nevertheless, I strongly recommend taking a gander at About Schmidt.
It was definitely one of my favorites from last year and a movie I am
going to enjoy owning and watching again the day I retire.
| The Movie: |
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9/10 |
| The
Extras: |
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5/10 |
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did you think?
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About Schmidt
Brendan Cullin - Senior
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