Directed by Alexander Payne

Warren Schmidt (Nicholson) is 66 and retires from his position as Assistant Vice President and Actuary with Woodmen of the World Insurance Company. Sound impressive but in reality a pretty humdrum position. The film opens with him sitting at his cleared and bare desk watching the clock count down the final seconds to 5pm whereupon he gathers his coat, turns off the light and departs. We soon meet Helen (Squibb), his hen-pecking, neurotic and we suspect long suffering, wife of 42 years. His farewell dinner is a painful affair for him as he has been replaced by a brash MBA hotshot and the platitudes of the farewell speeches are clearly a turn off. As a surprise on his first day of retirement, Helen serves breakfast in their new and massive Winnebago camper-van. Helen is ebullient and sees a whole new life for them both “out there” but Warren does not appear at all enthusiastic. It transpires that their daughter Jeannie (Davis) is soon to be to be married. This is another event for which Warren has a total lack of enthusiasm, in fact is completely opposed to, as Randall (Mulroney) the prospective husband, a waterbed salesman, is a total nerd. Tragedy and an unpleasant revelation from the past soon overtake Warren and he leaves for interstate in the Winnebago to attend the wedding. His loneliness and the emptiness of his life become obvious and we learn a great deal about him through the letters he is writing to a newly sponsored 6 year old foster son in Tanzania. Warren wanders around the countryside on the way to the wedding and there are several sadly amusing and poignant occasions along the way. The groom’s family live up to his expectations and the wedding goes ahead as planned.

This is a powerful but pretty bleak offering dealing with an all too common issue - that of ageing, reaching retirement and wondering where life went, and what contributions might have been made to the general good along the way. The sterility and downright ugliness of Omaha’s urban landscape reinforces this depressing sense of gloom. Notwithstanding the generally introspective mood there are a number of warm moments and flashes of real humour. Jack Nicholson’s performance is masterful and his characterisation of an emotionally worn out man is complete, deliberate and compelling. It earned him an Academy Award nomination in 2002. Kathy Bates also received a nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Randall’s mother. Nicholson added a Golden Globe award to his collection for his effort and there was a Best Screenplay Golden Globe for the writers, Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor.

THE EXTRAS

Not a great deal but what is there is worthwhile. There is an interesting selection of deleted scenes with illuminating background information, the usual theatrical trailer and 5 short films, all shot to a strict set of criteria, featuring the Woodmen Tower which seems to be the “standout” building in Omaha where the film commences.

Hearing subtitles for the hearing impaired and Greek subtitles are provided.

CONCLUSION

Warren Schmidt (Nicholson) is 66 and retires from his position as Assistant Vice President and Actuary with Woodmen of the World Insurance Company. Sound impressive but in reality a pretty humdrum position. This is a powerful but pretty bleak offering dealing with an all too common issue - that of ageing, reaching retirement and wondering where life went, and what contributions might have been made to the general good along the way.