Grumpy Old Men(1993) #2

Director:Howard Deutch

Grumpy Old Men was a perfect title for this movie. I really appreciated the performances by Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau, their ability to capture the humor in old age was, in my opinion spot on. The whole movie represents that epitome of what kind of person you become when you start getting up there in your years. It's a very simple plot revolving around the everyday lives of two old men, but the director still manages to make it so much more than that. It's slapstick humor is very light-hearted. I absolutely loved the sly comments they made towards one another, "Eat my shorts", some of us haven't heard that since middle school. The movie makes me feel that your never to old for immaturity. We never really grow up, there forever remains a kid inside of us. The two men fight over a woman and compare who has gone through the worst illnesses as an achievement. The stereotypes in the movie made it seem more realistic as well. The whole thing about tv dinners, lottery tickets and poor driving are thrown into the mix that we assume of the older generation. The woman in the movie becomes the object of their affection because she makes them feel young again. She shows the kid in her on the outside which in turn she brings out in the two old men. There were some really great shots in this movie, I loved the shot outside through the window of Jack Lemmon playing chess. I felt like it really captured how alone and bored he is with is life. Also, the shot when the two old men are outside by their car, they are both facing the camera and you can see one of them over the other's shoulder, I just thought it was a very cool angle. My second favorite thing was the set designs. I loved that old fisherman feel that they brought to the film. The set design in the little shop owned by Chuck was my absolute favorite. It was very homey and appealing. And finally, I I loved the character of Burgess Meredith who played Jack Lemmon's he had such vulgar opinions about things and coming from an 93-year old man was hilarious. Overall, the movie has its very bittersweet moments all the way to the ending.