about
You're reading a really old version of matt-thornton's website. For example, if you're looking at the movie reviews... you'll notice that none of them are of recent films. Indeed, I leave them here for posterity's sake, but I doubt very much that they'll get updated anytime soon. So have a giggle.
You might, if you're lucky, find something recent from Matt at his blog matt's debates. Kernow bys vyken.
About Schmidt
the one line review:
Schmidt happens, the Schmidt hits the fan... blah.
the overview
This film was nothing like I expected. It's another late-Jack Nicholson-career films, that draws on his charm as the sulky older man dealing with life's inevitabilities. It's frankly bloody depressing, and really quite boring.
the plot:
Walter Schmidt (Nicholson) retires from an insurance firm, only to be replaced by some young upstart who thinks he know's everything. He settles into a meaningless retired life, alongside his wife of 42 years and children he never speaks to. Then his wife dies and he starts to take a look at life.
the verdict:
This film has the aura of trying to make a point, you really feel like there's one in there, and it tries to break free, but you never really see it. Nicholson does well, as usual, but that's all it is. It's another usual Nicholson-esque film, that drags along and doesn't really do a lot. After 45 minutes you're wondering if the film is ever going to get going, and a full hour later you're thankful that it's just finished. Disappointingly boring, it's tedious at best. Some people reckon this poignant, and charming and blah blah, that it teaches you something about the meaning of life and what it is to see your life as a failure. Bollocks. Ignore them, they're obviously all failures themselves.
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