MovieChat Forums > About Schmidt (2003) Discussion > The film is slow for about 15 minutes th...

The film is slow for about 15 minutes then becomes amazing

posted 11 years ago by PotassiumMan
4 replies | jump to latest

The film doesn't seem remarkable at all in the beginning. Then all of a sudden in that scene where Warren begins writing his first letter to Ndugu, it just takes off and never looks back. Its one of the most fascinating and poignant films I have ever seen. Many hilarious and moving scenes. Throughout the film, I thought that Warren Schmidt was a guy I'd like to get to know personally, even though by the film's end, we feel like we know him through and through.

I don't know how in the world this film lost to Chicago, good God, for Best Picture. Yes I know, it was how Oscar voters went that year. Doesn't explain their logic, if there was any.

[–] Edward_de_Vere 11 years ago

It's sad that Nicholson gets an Academy Award for As Good as It Gets, an entertaining but basically shallow film where he's just playing his typical wiseass "Jack" persona. Meanwhile, he barely gets noticed in amazing performances such as About Schmidt or The Pledge (in the latter, he also plays a retiree with no sense of purpose, albeit in a much more dangerous way).

You're right in that the movie became interesting (and funny) as soon as Warren writes his first letter to Ndugu. I love how he starts calmly and matter-of-factly, and then gets increasingly enraged writing about his wife, his job, and everything else that's gotten his goat over the years. Having to scribble out "that cocky bastard" in the letter was a nice touch too.

[–] tjc_2005 10 years ago

He did get a Golden Globe though...

[–] HarryRidgway 11 years ago

I thought it was a good build up that I had no problems with. It showed the absolute dullness that Schmidt had to endure. But you are right, once he writes that letter to Ndugu, it really takes off.

And I agree with you about the academy. This was a much better film than Chicago and it should have been nominated. I still can't decide which should have won though...

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Last seen films:

About Schmidt. 9.9/10
High Noon. 7/10
Seven Psychopaths. 8.5/10

[–] 11 years ago

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