MovieChat Forums > About Schmidt (2003) Discussion > did anyone else HATE the last minute?

did anyone else HATE the last minute?

posted 15 years ago by Krak-the-Quacktastic-Cracker
74 replies | jump to latest

This was one of those movies that I liked throughout the entire film, until the very very end. I was excited during the last scene at what I thought was going to be a great ending. In my opinion, the movie should have ended after Schmidt's voice over saying that he had made no difference to anyone's life. This would have been perfect because obviously he makes a huge difference in the little boy's life whom he was talking (or writing) to. However, then he opens the letter from the nun, and I just wanted to puke because of how corny it was. I think it would have been a lot better if they left that part out, to me this was oversimplifying things; dumbing it down for the audience. Maybe even if they just showed him opening the letter, but noo...

[–] PotassiumMan 11 years ago

The final minute of this film was not what I thought it would be, but I far from hated it. And the OP thought it was corny? Seriously?

[–] nihilister 11 years ago

The ending was wonderful beyond description...So good to know that anyone can make a difference in this s.ithole called life. I don't get what you didn't like about it.

[–] 11 years ago

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[–] 11 years ago

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[–] johnnyg2005 11 years ago

The ending IS the film. If you don't get the ending you don't get the film's message. The written contents of the letter are not the thing, and I fail to see why people are getting so tied up with it - the letter hasn't even been written by the child. The real thing is the drawing, and the fact that someone with whom Schmidt has a tenuous link at best has attempted to communicate with him from afar, and has struck a chord within him. You can narrow it down even further to the smiles of the 2 characters in the drawing, which transcend the written word. Excellent film, and beautifully underplayed by Nicholson.

[–] 11 years ago

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[–] transmentalist 10 years ago

the letter hasn't even been written by the child. The real thing is the drawing, and the fact that someone with whom Schmidt has a tenuous link at best has attempted to communicate with him from afar, and has struck a chord within him. You can narrow it down even further to the smiles of the 2 characters in the drawing, which transcend the written word.

Great way to sum it up

I actually never thought of it that way, but I think you're right: it's the picture that brings it all home for him

It's an incredibly hopeful ending to what was otherwise shaping up to be a cynical, depressing flick

[–] Quicksilver1900 11 years ago

If you go to www.charitywatch.org you can see what percentage of contributions go to the recipients of a charity, and how much goes to the administrators.

[–] MrCharmingMan 11 years ago

The ending was the best part of the movie.

The whole movie was unattractive shallow selfish people that you pretty much could not stand.

The fact that we see someone was actually getting his letters and that they were reading them and wishing him well really brought it home for me.

I almost began to tear up when Jack started crying it was a very powerful moving scene and the best scene of the movie. I don't know how you could enjoy such ugly people with ugly personalities but not enjoy the ending?

[–] kmorrison1 10 years ago

I thought it made the film.

[–] Quicksilver1900 10 years ago

I thought the letter from the French nun was great, and very authentic. She was simple, practical and kind.

[–] koffice-979-41630 10 years ago

Yeah, it should have been a scam, great cynical movie, but the end was bs.

[–] Edward_de_Vere 9 years ago

I initially disliked the final scene as a fake happy ending that seemed out of place - sappy and sentimental in an otherwise darkly comic, cynical film.

However, on later viewings, I actually didn't find it so out of place. It's clear that Ndugu is the only thing in Warren's life, his sole emotionally meaningful connection. He has no strong family ties, no close friendships, just a semi-anonymous penpal sending him drawings. It didn't seem like such of a cheap "happy ending" after all.

[–] DontDisturbMyParadise 8 years ago

I thought the ending was great. It fitted right in. It was a simple movie, about ordinary human beings. No glitz glamour, etc. just everyday struggles.
He changed a young boys life. Not in a big way. But the boy acknowledged Schmidt in the picture saying he was always by his side.
A simple thought about someone can do wonders for some people. Even in a drawing.

[–] brendanchenowith 8 years ago

Last night I saw it for the first time in years and was unsettled by the ending - it looked like "slap this on after a test screening". At first I thought it should be like the ending of Monseur Hire in which he started off and ended up as nothing. When Schmidt walked back into his house, it would have been okay with me (and it would have been like this in Paris) if it faded out right then and there.

Thinking of it now, about 15 hours later, Schmidt could walk in the house, and go through his mail and see the letter from Ndugu, open it, and start to read it as it fades out. That way, we wouldn't have had the very difficult to watch footage of Schmidt crying.

I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked.