About Schmidt (2002) ***1/2 [Payne Train Pt. 3]

I'm pretty sure that I had seen parts of About Schmidt (2002) before but I don't recall ever having seen the film in its entirety. While I enjoyed it quite a bit—as I make my way through his filmography for the first time (I had only seen Election (1999) (review) previously)—it's my least favorite Alexander Payne feature so far. There are undoubtedly indelible moments, Jack Nicholson is really good, and especially too is Kathy Bates. But it also feels the most emotionally manipulative and lackluster (which befits the subject matter)—opting for a more dramatic and less comedic approach than either Election or Citizen Ruth (1996) (review). It reminded me of Charlie Kaufman without the bite, devoid of the satire of Payne's first two films.

Alexander Payne Feature Films Ranked