About Schmidt (2002)
Coming Out at 13 December 2002 in theaters.
Comedy, Drama
About Schmidt is comedy-drama film written and directed by Alexander Payne, produced by Michael Besman, Harry Gittes and Rachael Horovitz, co-written by Jim Taylor with music by Rolfe Kent and starring Jack Nicholson in the title role. The film also stars Hope Davis, Dermot Mulroney and Kathy Bates. It is very loosely based on the 1996 novel of the same title by Louis Begley. About Schmidt was theatrically released on December 13, 2002 by New Line Cinema. The film was both a commercial and a critical success and it earned $105,834,556 on a $30 million budget. About Schmidt was released on DVD and VHS formats. It was released on Blu-ray for the first time on February 3, 2015.
Warren Schmidt is retiring from his position as an actuary with Woodmen of the World, a life insurance company in Omaha, Nebraska. After a retirement dinner, Schmidt finds it hard to adjust to his new life, feeling useless. He sees a television advertisement about a foster program for African children, Plan USA, and decides to sponsor a child. He soon receives an information package with a photo of his foster child, a small Tanzanian boy named Ndugu Umbo, to whom he relates his life in a series of candid, rambling letters.
Schmidt visits his young successor at the life insurance company to offer his help, but the offer is politely declined. As he leaves the building, Schmidt sees the contents and files of his office, the sum of his entire career, set out for garbage collectors.
Director: Alexander Payne
Writers: Louis Begley (novel), Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor
Stars: Jack Nicholson, Hope Davis, Dermot Mulroney, Kathy Bates
Cast:
| Jack Nicholson | … | Warren Schmidt |
| Kathy Bates | … | Roberta Hertzel |
| Hope Davis | … | Jeannie Schmidt |
| Dermot Mulroney | … | Randall Hertzel |
| June Squibb | … | Helen Schmidt |
| Howard Hesseman | … | Larry Hertzel |
| Harry Groener | … | John Rusk |
| Connie Ray | … | Vicki Rusk |
| Len Cariou | … | Ray Nichols |
| Mark Venhuizen | … | Duncan Hertzel |
| Cheryl Hamada | … | Saundra |
| Phil Reeves | … | Minister in Denver |
| Matt Winston | … | Gary Nordin – Warren’s Replacement |
| James M. Connor | … | Randall’s Best Man |
| Jill Anderson | … | Bridesmaid Reading St. Paul |
| Vaughan Wenzel | … | Man Mourning Helen |
| Judith Kathryn Hart | … | Woman Mourning Helen |
| Marilyn Tipp | … | Neighbor Lady |
| Robert Kem | … | Priest in Omaha |
| Melissa Hanna | … | Dairy Queen Employee |
| Tung Ha | … | Frat Kid |
| James J. Crawley | … | Other Frat Kid |
| Mary Beth Nelson | … | Bartender |
| Steve Heller | … | Tire Store Employee |
| Lester Kills Crow | … | Native American Cashier |
| Thomas Michael Belford | … | Funeral Director |
| McKenna Gibson | … | Six-year-old Jeannie |
| Emily McNaughton | … | Twelve-year-old Jeannie |
| Beth Heimann | … | Wedding Singer #1 |
| Linda Wilmot | … | Wedding Singer #2 |
| Chris Huse | … | Chuck Woodard |
| Joe Kunze | … | Partygoer #1 |
| Angela Lansbury | … | Angela Lansbury (voice) |
| Mark J. O’Leary | … | Bartender |
| Robert Kingston Phillips Green | … | Male shopper |
| Lonnie Ray Senstock | … | Bus boy |
| Michael Tolochko | … | Surly Denver Neighbor Taking Trash Out |
Sources: imdb & wikipedia