Rod and I went to go see About Schmidt last night. It was an odd little film.
I can totally see why Jack Nicholson won the Golden Globe for his performance. His character is so not Nicholson... I don't know how to describe it any better than that. There's none of the puffed-up Nicholson pride, no self-satisfied smile, no over-the-top slick oiliness. With that in mind, it's a really inspired performance - because you don't get what you expect to get out of Jack Nicholson - that being, Jack Nicholson.
The thing is, though, it's not a great movie. When he was making his speech having just been given the Best Actor in a Drama award at the Golden Globes, Nicholson said, "I don't know whether to be ashamed or happy, because I thought we made a comedy." If he really thought that, he was wrong. It's not a comedy - it's not really a drama either, but rather a sometimes wry, sometimes bitter look at a man's adjustment to retirement. For me, it seemed like the story was only compelling at all because it was well acted - I was enjoying watching Jack Nicholson act, but I didn't much care for the story itself. I didn't feel emotionally connected to the material in any meaningful way. In some ways, it reminded me of The Royal Tenenbaums - but Schmidt didn't have the biting edge or the visual humor which that had. Over all, I was a bit disappointed.
I will say, however, that Kathy Bates deserves some major props for her role. It's certainly not the most challenging role she's ever played, not the meatiest of scripts and not the deepest of characters. But you have to respect a woman who, at age 54, is willing to do complete nudity because it fits the role, no matter what her shape or size is. Go Kathy.