Any Alexander Payne movie is worth checking out, but what's most impressive to me about this one was that he managed to wrangle a latter day Jack Nicholson performance that wasn't just "Jack being Jack." About Schmidt is the story of a tired old man who embarks on a road trip to his daughter's wedding and faces up to what he has and hasn't done with his life- and there's no hint of the twinkly-eyed, rascally Jack Nicholson here at all. I really believed this guy was an old, washed up every day business man and that's all. It's funny and moving, and Kathy Bates has a scene-stealing role, but this movie is all about Jack and his wonderful, character performance- maybe still the best of his entire career.
Trailer:
