by Tracey McKinney
Jack Nicholson is Warren Schmidt. Warren Schmidt is a lack-luster, life-long insurance company actuary who, after a seemingly forced retirement, has a hard time adjusting to a life of leisure. Schmidt’s transition to this new lifestyle is further complicated when he comes home from Dairy Queen to find his wife of forty-two years lying dead over the Dust Buster.
The arrival of his daughter, Jeanie (Hope Davis), renews his desire to improve their relationship, which she resists. He struggles awhile on his own before packing up the Winnebago and embarking on a journey of self-exploration that culminates in an early arrival at his daughter’s wedding.
Jack Nicholson is great in this movie, but if you go in expecting that old bawdy Nicholson with powerfully delivered lines like “You can’t handle the truth!” and “Heeeeere’s Johnny!” then you will probably come away disappointed.
A humorous and endearing aspect of this story is the correspondence that occurs between Nicholson and his ‘foster’ son, Ndugu, a six-year-old Tanzanian, whom he sponsors through one of those Sally Struthers child outreach networks. Throughout the film, Schmidt uses these letters as both diary and sounding board and eventually finds the resolution he is looking for through his interaction with a boy he’s never met.
Another component that adds to the overall appeal of this film is the late arrival of the soon-to-be mother-in-law character played brilliantly by Kathy Bates. Schmidt’s initial reservations about his daughter’s betrothed (a swarthy, mulletted waterbed salesman played by Dermott Mulroney) are further reinforced upon meeting the woman who spawned him.
In a moment of unsolicited self-disclosure, Bates confides to a cornered, writhing Nicholson, “I’ve always been a highly orgasmic woman. I had my first orgasm when I was six years old, in ballet class.”
The contrast between Schmidt’s docile, reserved character and the over-sexed, crude, foul-mouthed Bates is classic. The epitome of this is the hot tub scene where Bates strolls out and removes her robe, exposing herself, in the full flesh, to a visibly shaken Schmidt.
I liked this scene for two reasons. First of all, it was funny as hell, and it added a lot to the movie. Secondly, Kathy Bates knows she’s no sexpot. At the very least, she’s what might be diplomatically referred to as a Reubenesque woman.
It was a pretty bold move, and I, for one, would like to see more naked actors in movies who make us feel better about our own naked bodies. This was definitely a start.
Whether she’s Dolores Claiborne, the Unsinkable Molly Brown, or that crazy broad in “Misery,” Kathy Bates just really adds something special to the movies she’s in.
“About Schmidt” was nominated for five Golden Globe Awards. Jack Nicholson won Best Actor in a Drama for his role as Warren Schmidt. It also won Best Original Screenplay.
I’d recommend this movie to anyone with an open mind and a strong appreciation for movies from a variety of different genres. If you’re the type who likes your humor spoon-fed, or don’t like to think about the plot or dig too deeply for meaning, this is probably not the film for you.