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About Schmidt

About Schmidt

Schmidt Happens.

2002125 minRMidcredits score: 86th percentile of all films
Director
Alexander Payne
Starring
Jack Nicholson, Kathy Bates, Hope Davis, Dermot Mulroney

A recently retired man embarks on a journey to his estranged daughter's wedding, only to discover more about himself and life than he ever expected.

Where to watch

Where can I watch About Schmidt?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists About Schmidt streaming on Howdy via Prime Video and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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via Prime Video

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about About Schmidt?

About Schmidt earns 11 badges, led by Standout acting and Awards magnet.

Show 3 more
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Content
  • Cast

Reception

Is About Schmidt worth watching?

About Schmidt's Midcredits score is the 86th percentile of all films, from 200K ratings across 6 sources. 73% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

86th percentile

Better received than 86% of films

88th percentile among Drama84th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)86th
Approval (how many liked it)82nd

72 /100

86th percentile of all films

89th percentile among Drama86th percentile among 2000s

Critics 85 · Audience 71

Critics liked it more than audiences did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.1 — solid but not unanimous.

73% liked it

82nd percentile of all films

84th percentile among Drama80th percentile among 2000s
73% rated it 7–1027% rated it 1–6

Critics 86% · Audience 74%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 2 Oscar noms · 25 wins / 68 noms overall

  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Actor in a Leading Role
  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Actress in a Supporting Role

95th percentile

200K ratings across platforms

96th percentile among Drama91st percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 7% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$30M
Opening weekend$282K
Domestic gross$65M
Worldwide gross$106M

Returned 3.5× its budget — 97th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Nicholson's performance is the film's anchor, and the tone is a somber tragicomedy.

Fans praised

  • Nicholson's multi-layered, Oscar-worthy lead turn
  • blends comedy and drama with emotional honesty
  • sharp character study of aging and regret

Detractors panned

  • boring, depressing, and overrated
  • slow pacing and heavy going
  • uneven tone and some false notes

What stands out

ActingDivisive90

Nicholson's career-best, restrained work; Bates steals scenes

CharactersDivisive80

real-feeling people, from Schmidt's resentment to daughter's estrangement

Emotional impactDivisive80

heart-wrenching for many, depressing for some

Atmosphere75

quietly melancholic Midwestern tone

OriginalityDivisive70

fresh take on retirement and regret, but familiar ingredients

Humor65

dark comic moments, from absurd to poignant

Plot and storyDivisive60

conventional journey of self-discovery, some find aimless

Pacing40

slow, some found it a drag

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 27 points higher than women.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 19 points higher than users.

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 13 points higher than US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 5 points apart

Watch experience

What is About Schmidt like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Food for thought: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something to think about afterwards.

It is gentle, takes its time and leaves you thinking. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Food for thought.

Moods
BittersweetMelancholicContemplativeAbsurd
Heaviest: throughout
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Wry · 7% of films: Amused and slightly dry about it.Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats Warren's quiet desperation and absurd encounters with a wry, observant eye that never mocks him.
The rideThe film sustains a quiet melancholic and bittersweet register from start to finish, punctuated by moments of absurdity around the in-laws.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically, following Warren from retirement through his cross-country trip to the wedding and his return home.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

The answer rests on this: Thought-provokingHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's quiet reflection on aging and legacy lingers, while the final revelation of Ndugu's drawing offers a hopeful sense of purpose.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).RebirthHealing
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13% (this title): Redemption 3% · Healing 5% (this title) · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Rebirth: A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed. · Healing: Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).

13% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeWarren's retirement and his wife's death leave him adrift; his RV journey to his daughter's wedding becomes a road trip of self-discovery and eventual healing.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfPurposeSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% (this title) · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% (this title) · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Purpose · 9% of filmsFamily bondsMortality · 2% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores a retired man's search for meaning and connection in the face of aging, loss, and familial estrangement.
StanceThe film questions what gives a life meaning without settling on an easy answer, anchored wholly in Warren's quiet crisis.

The world

ContemporaryRuralIn transitDomesticSuburbanRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · Rolfe Kent
SettingOmaha to Denver via RV road trip through the American Midwest and Great Plains
MusicA gentle, contemplative score that mirrors Warren's reflective journey.

Content guide

Is About Schmidt okay for kids?

R

About Schmidt is rated R: “Rated R for some language and brief nudity” (MPAA). As of September 28, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at minimal (6/100), sexual content at moderate (46/100), language at moderate (49/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (33/100) and frightening material at mild (16/100). Overall it is heavier than 2% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 15 other countries
  • UK15
  • Germany6
  • FranceU
  • Ireland15
  • JapanG
  • South Korea12
  • Brazil12
  • Austria6
  • Czechia12+
  • DenmarkA
  • ItalyT
  • NetherlandsAL
  • PortugalM/12
  • SpainAPTA
  • Sweden7
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 21% of all filmsHeavier than 2% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
None / Minimal
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 2%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 45%
Profanity
Moderate
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 21%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 25%
Frightening / Intense
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 8%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Nothing here is extreme. The strongest element is language, heavier than 21% of R-rated films.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does About Schmidt have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in About Schmidt?

Cast

2 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor; Jack Nicholson won the Globe for this film.

Jack Nicholson
as Warren Schmidt
Globe win: Golden Globe — Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - DramaTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Kathy Bates
as Roberta Hertzel
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Hope Davis
as Jeannie Schmidt
Dermot Mulroney
as Randall Hertzel
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
June Squibb
as Helen Schmidt
Howard Hesseman
as Larry Hertzel
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Harry Groener
as John Rusk
Connie Ray
as Vicki Rusk
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Len Cariou
as Ray Nichols
Mark Venhuizen
as Duncan Hertzel
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like About Schmidt?

Movies like About Schmidt include Nothing in Common (1986), The Descendants (2011) and Downsizing (2017). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films by Alexander Payne, and most are films set in the American Midwest.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

7 of these 12 share its world: suburban middle class. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with About Schmidt?

1.8K other films share the rarest tag below, follows: aging hero. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.