MovieChat Forums > About Schmidt (2003) Discussion > Did Anybody Notice this?

Did Anybody Notice this?

posted 14 years ago by wlandolfi-1
9 replies | jump to latest

It is obvious almost from the beginning of ABOUT SCHMIDT that Warren does not think very much of his son-in-law to be Randall. However, in a funny way, I think Warren is not THAT much different from Randall. Why do I say this? In his first letter to Indugu, Warren says how, when he was young, he had a big dream of building his own company and that people would read about him whereas he ended up being a VP of an existing company. Likewise, when we first meet Randall, we see that he sells waterbeds. Now there is nothing wrong with that in itself. However, Randall makes the point to Warren that he won't be selling waterbeds forever but that he "has plans." Hence, the "pyramid scheme." I wonder if Warren unconsciously sees a little bit of Randall in himself and if that is partly why Warren takes a dis-like to him. Would anybody care to comment?

[–] Moviegoer Dan 14 years ago

I'd care to.

As a future father in-law, Warren would certainly want to see his children do better than he did, that's natural for all parents, to see the next generation outdo them. I'd see that he saw in Randall a basically ambitious character, as he himself was, but who couldn't even try to do things in an honest manner, which was at least the way that Warren always tried to do things, even without succeeding much at it. Thus I'd see Warren's seeing his daughter's not doing better than him and likely about to do much worse, marrying a "nincompoop."

MGD

[–] belalugosihouse 13 years ago

Yes, although I can see the OP's point, I think things were very awkward from the begining with Randall, and especially when he saw how Randall's family lived, that clinched it. He wanted more for his baby daughter. When Roberta told hm about the great "physical relationship" they had, he knew this was just wrong--as any father would. It was hilarious when Randall said at the dinner table "it was not a Pyramid Scheme!" LOL. Warren picked up on that as well as everything else.

[–] 13 years ago

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[–] Jamo57 13 years ago

I really like your analysis as written in the first paragraph. Well said! I would just add that Warren did end up leaving a legacy. With Ndugu, hence his emotional breakdown in the last scene.

Let's never come here again because it would never be as much fun.

[–] 13 years ago

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[–] jozielee 13 years ago

All of the comments here are so right on.

However, I would agree that Schmidt didn't want his daughter to marry Randall because Randall is the exact opposite of Schmidt, which is probably why he didn't want his daughter to marry Randall.

Remember when Schmidt was in Randall's room brushing his teeth . . . all the nonsensical awards on the wall, the self help books in the headboard . . . at dinner when Schmidt asked about money he'd invested with Randall, which turned into a pyramid sceme. Randall was a loser in business, but not in friendship. His family adored him. His best man thanked him for always being there for him. The reception hall was full of Randall's friends. Julie had only lived in Denver a few years. What Randall lacked in business acumen he far exceeded in warmth and kindness, which is probably why Julie was attracted to him and would marry him especially because of her father's objection.

I love this movie more everytime I see it. So many funny moments. So much pathos.

[–] wlandolfi-1 13 years ago

Actually, Schmidt's daughter's name is Jeannie and not Julie. That aside, what jozielee mentioned is a good point. I.E. What Randall might have lacked business-wise, he made up in friendship. Another thing I want to mention is that this film is seen totally through Warren Schmidt's eyes. Hence, he saw things the way HE wanted to see them. Randall's family might have been different from Warren but they WERE respectful towards him as was Randall. True, Warren, when giving the speech at the wedding, said how wonderful Randall's family was but that was simply because he was trying to hold back his contempt for them.

[–] mjz688 13 years ago

Some excellent points here -- esp., as just noted, jozielee pointing out that Randall, perceived by Schmidt as the epitome of loserdom, actually had a very rich and rewarding family life and social circle. And another little nugget that had slipped past me: Schmidt early on describing his daughter as having an important job with a big high tech firm in Denver, when in actuality she worked in shipping and receiving ("Put the big bubble wrap on that!") Schmidt's self-loathing was accompanied by a whopping dollop of self-delusion.

[–] johnston.scot 13 years ago

> Schmidt early on describing his daughter as having an important job

It's a constant motif throughout the movie to have Schmidt's voiceover descriptions (as a matter of narrative technique, they're his letters to Ndugu) obviously conflict with what's seen on the screen. It's escpecially common in the narration of his trip: see, in particular, the visit at the college.

I'm not sure I'd describe him as entirely self-deluded: more like somewhere in between deluded and coping ... kind of in the "intentionally fooling himself" area. I think that - if he were pressed on the matter - he would acknowledge that he wasn't being entirely honest.

His toast at the wedding reception - which he clearly knew to be entirely disingenuous - echoes the prior voiceovers.

On Randall: I agree that he was anything but another Schmidt in general. I don't know that I'd say that he had all that rich and rewarding a family life and social circle, though. The movie kind of went out of its way to portray his friends and family as dolts with questionable social skills.