IMDb > About Schmidt (2002)
About Schmidt
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About Schmidt (2002) More at IMDbPro »

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About Schmidt (2002) -- Warren Schmidt is a man in his 60's. While trying to run his daughter's life, he realizes that he wasted his.
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Overview

User Rating:
7.3/10   50,585 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 10% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Alexander Payne
Writers (WGA):
Louis Begley (novel)
Alexander Payne (screenplay) ...
more
Contact:
View company contact information for About Schmidt on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
20 December 2002 (USA) more
Genre:
Comedy | Drama more
Tagline:
Schmidt Happens
Plot:
Warren Schmidt is a man in his 60's. While trying to run his daughter's life, he realizes that he wasted his. full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 19 wins & 29 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(59 articles)
De Niro to the 7th? (Oscar's Male Hierarchy)
 (From FilmExperience. 6 November 2009, 3:46 AM, PST)

Clooney will likely have Descendants
 (From Corona's Coming Attractions. 3 November 2009, 7:58 AM, PST)

User Comments:
simply beautiful more (576 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Jack Nicholson ... Warren Schmidt

Kathy Bates ... Roberta Hertzel

Hope Davis ... Jeannie Schmidt

Dermot Mulroney ... Randall Hertzel
June Squibb ... Helen Schmidt

Howard Hesseman ... Larry Hertzel
Harry Groener ... John Rusk
Connie Ray ... Vicki Rusk

Len Cariou ... Ray Nichols
Mark Venhuizen ... Duncan Hertzel
Cheryl Hamada ... Saundra

Phil Reeves ... Minister in Denver

Matt Winston ... Gary Nordin - Warren's Replacement

James M. Connor ... Randall's Best Man (as James Micheal Connor)
Jill Anderson ... Bridesmaid Reading St. Paul
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

MPAA:
Rated R for some language and brief nudity.
Runtime:
125 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS
Filming Locations:
Boulder, Colorado, USA more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Listed on a cinema marquee: (Left) Closed for repairs / (Right) Sideways (2004), the next movie directed by Alexander Payne. more
Goofs:
Errors in geography: When Warren is in Colorado, there are Nebraska license plates on cars parked in driveways. more
Quotes:
Warren Schmidt: Relatively soon, I will die. Maybe in 20 years, maybe tomorrow, it doesn't matter. Once I am dead and everyone who knew me dies too, it will be as though I never existed. What difference has my life made to anyone. None that I can think of. None at all. more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing (2004) more
Soundtrack:
Wedding Song (There Is Love) more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
70 out of 81 people found the following comment useful.
simply beautiful, 24 November 2004
8/10
Author: f-main from UK

I was dubious when my 65 year old father picked this DVD up from the shelf at Blockbuster. "Great choice dad!", secretly wondering why I let him pick 2 films out of the 3 in the special offer they had going. You see, my father has a penchant for Woody Allen and anybody who has a rather dry sense of humour, this includes Nicholson.

We sat down tonight, and the first thing that hit me was the way that the film was shot. It is shot using rather blue and green hues, so the film is rather subdued. Secondly, the music stands out. Instead of using a typical 'boohoo' orchestra, the film uses beautiful wandering piano and marimba sounds.

The characters, I could easily relate to. Helen, the faithful wife who is excited about getting to spend a new chapter of her life with her husband. The husband, who obeys his wife but secretly resents it. A sudden change which causes a rethink in everything he has done up until that point.

At first, this appeared to be a comedy, but it was soon revealed to be a beautifully poignant film. Throughout, it questions mortality, what you can achieve in life, and how to cope with loss, or change. I don't think I have ever cried as much in 2 hours as I did during this film, and yet at the same time laughed so hard that my sides were splitting.

I would thoroughly recommend anybody to watch this film. It will stay with you for a long time.

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Message Boards

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