Movie Description
ABOUT SCHMIDT - In Alexander Payne's ABOUT SCHMIDT, Warren Schmidt (Jack Nicholson) is retiring from a long, dedicated tenure at Woodmen of the World Insurance Company. Though he is proud of this achievement, he finds some difficulty adjusting to life without work. To make matters worse, his loving wife Helen (June Squibb) passes away, leaving him all alone. He turns to his daughter, Jeannie (Hope Davis), for support, but she is busy planning her marriage to Randall (Dermot Mulroney), who Warren just can't stand. He decides to sponsor a Tanzanian child, Ndugu, through a program advertised on television, and sends elaborate letters to the 6-year-old boy along with his $22 monthly checks. Meanwhile, he sets off on a soul-searching voyage across the west in his new RV.
Nicholson's deadpan voice-over narration, especially in his letters to Ndugu, give ABOUT SCHMIDT a solid balance between comedy and drama. The crux of the film is the daughter's wedding in Denver, where Warren is the guest of Randall's outrageous, new-agey mom (Kathy Bates). Though the funny moments make light of Warren's state in life, the overall feel of the film is a bit sad, and its enigmatic ending will keep viewers guessing what will happen to this uniquely knowable character.
I AM SAM - Actor Sean Penn displays another facet of his versatility as the title character of this inspirational tearjerker--a mentally handicapped father fighting for custody of his young daughter (Dakota Fanning). The child welfare board of his native Santa Monica has taken her from him, worried that at eight years old she has already begun to pass him in intellectual development. Sam's argument is that it's not brains but love that counts, and his case is taken by a stressed-out hot shot lawyer named Rita (Michelle Pfeiffer) who has her own problems dealing with her rebellious son. Anchored by his infectious love of the Beatles, the ceaselessly enthusiastic Sam becomes a positive influence on Rita as he raises a lot of questions about what's most important as a parent. Though it's Penn's show, Pfeiffer is so good she practically steals the film from him, and the startlingly precocious Fanning is not far behind. A warm soundtrack of Beatles covers and clever, fast-cut editing help the message of love and forgiveness shine through.
| Credits | | Cast: | Kathy Bates, Michelle Pfeiffer, Sean Penn |
Notes
DVD Features:
Region 1
Keep Case
2 Disc Set
Disc One: ABOUT SCHMIDT
Anamorphic Widescreen - 1.85
Single Side - Dual Layer
Audio:
DTS Surround 5.1 - English
Dolby Digital 5.1 - English
Stereo Surround - English
Additional Release Material:
Deleted Scenes (9)
Woodmen Sequences
Trailers - 1. Original Theatrical Trailer
2. I AM SAM
3. UNCONDITIONAL LOVE
DVD-ROM Features:
Web Links - 1. Childreach.org
Disc Two: I AM SAM
Anamorphic Widescreen - 1.85
Single Side - Dual Layer
Additional Release Material:
Audio Commentary - 1. Jessie Nelson - Director
Featurette - 1. BECOMING SAM
Deleted Scenes
Alternate Scenes
Trailers - 1. Original Theatrical Trailer
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