Re: "About Schmidt" - a Redefinition? And a Sequel? -- Rhinotainment

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Date Posted: 01:41:31 10/26/03 Sun
Author: Silk
Subject: Re: "About Schmidt" - a Redefinition? And a Sequel?

Saw this a couple of nights ago. Was a good movie, with a high rating of the "Dont Fuck Up" factor.

That's where you have the inner-narrative in your head going over and over, Don't-Fuck-Up-Don't-Fuck-Up-Don't-Fuck-Up whenever the main character's in a questionable situation. (In About Schimdt that was prevalent when Nicholson kissed Harry Groener's wife. Then that inner-narrative started spieling, Nooo...why'd you do that...?)

The next day, I actually checked The Unknown Critics to re-read Rhino's review and nowhere whatsoever was there a warning of KATHY BATES' NUDITY! I don't need to be seeing that sort of stuff at my age.

No wonder Schmidt ran from the hot-tub!

Anyway, I was wondering...at the end Schimidt's narrative is telling , Ndugo, about how worthless his life is, how there's no real legacy he leaves behind...

Then Schmidt stops, as if struck by an epiphany.

End Credits.

Originally, I took that to mean that Schmidt realized that Ndugo was the worthwhile thing he was doing with his life.

But today, it occurred to me maybe that's not what it meant. Schmidt had just read the letter from the Sister stationed in Ndugo's village, telling him that Ndugo couldn't read, etc., but she read them to him and he looked forward to each of his letters.

What occurred to me was maybe Schmidt was realizing his life was ultra-worthless because his blitherings were essentially falling on deaf-ears. Obviously, Ndugo doesn't understand any of his complaints, and you'd assume that considering her stilted English, the Sister doesn't have the required grasp of the language to understand either.

So maybe following the End Credits, Schmidt went out and shot himself, or something like that, because there really was nothing he was leaving behind, not even his whining.

Anyway, what I really want to see is the sequel. The opening scene could see a fully-grown Ndugo arrive on Schmidt's doorstep...

You were touched by the life of Warren Schmidt in About Schmidt Now in About Schmidt II it's twenty years later, and Warren Schmidt is in for a surprise...
Schmidt answers the door. A handsome young black man stands there. It's Ndugo - although obviously Schmidt doesn't recognize him all ground up..

Ndugo: Hey, man! I could handle the poverty, the lack of food, the lack of clean drinking water and lack of hygiene. I could handle the absence of your everyday medical amenities and the high mortality rate. But the one thing I couldn't handle were your letters, man!
Schmidt {comes to the realization}: Ndugo...?

Starring Eddie Murphy as Ndugo:
Ndugo:You totally fucked-up my life, dude! A kid doesn't need to be growing up with that sort of shit, man!

And in his comeback to acting, Arnold Schwarzenegger as Warren Schmidt:
Schmidt: Aye deedn't mean to fork-ep your laife.
Ndugo: I'm just fucking with you, man. Heh-heh-heh.

About Ndugo
About Schimdt 2
Coming Soon!

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Replies:

What? You didn't like Kathy Bates saggy boobies? -- The Rhino, 14:14:25 11/13/03 Thu