About Schmidt

Adapted from Louis Begley’s best selling novel, “About Schmidt” examines an aging man’s ennui whilst seeking to redress the empty vacuum that has become his life. Upon retirement Schmidt discovers that his skills and knowledge are all but redundant as a new breed of company man swiftly supersedes him. At a complete loss, Schmidt decides that one positive action is to prevent the impending nuptials of his only daughter - to a waterbed salesman whom he deeply distrusts and dislikes. Part black humour, part tragi-comedy, “About Schmidt” successes are almost entirely attributable to Jack Nicholson’s winning performance as the embittered and deluded protagonist. One of the most amusing components of the film is Schmidt’s letters of emotional outpouring to a young Tanzanian orphan named Ndugu, whom he sponsors on a whim. These letters reveal Schmidt’s deep-rooted irritation and frustration at the turns his life has taken, his thwarted dreams and suppressed desires. The film is also part road movie as Schmidt embarks upon a trip en route to his daughter’s home - in a monstrous 35-foot Winnebago Adventurer. Whilst “Schmidt” succeeds on many levels, mainly as a fine portrait of a man in crisis, it is also possible to argue that the film fails to sustain its dramaturgical energy and wanes where one expects it to erupt.