2002, R, 125 minutes

As a huge fan of Alexander Payne's debut film, Election, perhaps my expectations for About Schmidt were a little inflated. This isn't to say his follow-up effort is by any means a bad movie; in fact, parts of it are quite excellent, but in the end it doesn't come together as well as I would have hoped. Offering a unique combination of humor and genuine emotion, the problem is the film simply doesn't know if it wants to be a comedy or a drama and tries to be both. Still, it's an accomplished mess.

About Schmidt may star a man in his 60's who portrays a character recently entering the stage of retirement, but in truth the film is speaking to people much younger than Jack Nicholson, specifically those who are graduating from college and just beginning to walk down the paths their lives will eventually take. And while the film isn't nearly as satisfying as it could have been, the message it offers is a good one that hopefully won't be lost on the individuals who watch it. Warren Schmidt is a fairly typical man - he had a good, respectable job, a nice house, a dedicated wife, lovely daughter, and always enough money to get by comfortably. But when he realizes his life has passed by before his eyes and he doesn't have much time left, he also realizes the insignificance of the role he played. The point of the movie is to not only appreciate what you have, but to understand there is more to life than just getting by. If you never take chances, you'll end up regretting it when it's already too late to make a real difference.

What's slightly odd about this film is the humor and how it interacts with the dramatic aspects of the story. Schmidt may not be the most likeable guy, but we are certainly sympathetic to his situation and can understand the somber attitude of his character. However, some of the humor actually detracts from our feelings for him and our investment in the story. While the use of wit and sarcasm is effective and sometimes extremely funny, there are moments of gag humor that don't quite gel with everything else and throw the entire picture out of balance. As a result, by the time the film concluded I wasn't really sure if I was supposed to cry out of depression or laugh at the absurdity of this man's life and his attempt to find redemption.

The story-line involving his daughter (Hope Davis) and her fiancé (Dermot Mulroney) is interesting as Schmidt doesn't want her to make the same mistakes he did, but the plot fails to examine this connection as deeply as it could have. On the other hand - and perhaps this was the intention of the filmmakers - this lack of exploration does make for an appropriate parallel to Schmidt's entire life, but it still left me wanting more... just like him.

Merely a very good film and not a great one, I definitely recommend About Schmidt for the wonderful performance from Jack Nicholson, the clever moments of witty comedy, and finally for its message of looking beyond the status-quo when determining what it takes to have a successful and meaningful life. Younger audiences probably won't enjoy it as much as older folks who might be able to relate to our hero, but I do think they should at least watch it and try to learn its lessons.