"About Schmidt" Photo courtesy New Line Pictures The View From Here January 10, 2003 'SCHMIDT' SMITTEN ON NEBRASKA Omaha native Payne's new movie is big on Nicholson and Nebraska By Jim D. Berryman MissingNebraska.com Editor "About Schmidt" gives almost as much screen time to the state of Nebraska as it does to Oscar winning actor Jack Nicholson. And that's a good thing, especially if you like the idea of seeing a variety of Nebraska vistas in a major motion picture. You'll like what you see in the new movie "About Schmidt", which is now playing nationwide. It is written and directed by Omaha native Alexander Payne. The movie soars to great heights in terms of Nebraska scenery, fantastic performances and a story that many Nebraskans will relate to in one way or another. Darn it if I didn't get a bit of a lump in my throat as I saw and heard Nebraska mentioned over and over again, not to mention the often-touching story that transpires over the film’s two hours. The movie opens in Omaha with numerous shots of the skyline of Omaha. The new First National Tower and Woodmen Tower are featured prominently. Nicholson's character works for an insurance company that has offices in the Woodmen Tower. You get a variety of views of the Big O skyline from a variety of different locations. At the screening I attended at the Hoyts Cinema in Branford, Connecticut, I overheard a couple commenting that they didn't know Omaha would have skyscrapers. Without giving too much of the movie away (you must go see it yourself), the movie's story focuses on Jack Nicholson's character named Warren Schmidt. He is a retiring Omaha insurance executive and all of a sudden realizes he has some time on his hands. His daughter, played by Hope Davis, is getting married in Denver and Schmidt sets out across Nebraska in an RV to attend the wedding. This is where the movie really gets good. He begins on an impromptu zig-zag odyssey through the highways and byways of Nebraska. At times, it's almost as if some of Schmidt’s narration is an ad for the Nebraska tourism council. He describes Nebraska towns and tourist attractions as if he were our very own tour guide. Schmidt makes stops in his "hometown" of Holdrege, he stops at a gas station just off I-80 near Grand Island. I have been to the gas station before and remember the exact phone he used to phone his daughter in the scene. It was amazing to see the rugged Nebraska prairie that I had just seen back in November, on the huge silver screen sitting there in Branford, Connecticut. A thrill! In addition to Grand Island and Holdrege, you'll see Broken Bow and other rural Nebraska vistas throughout the movie. There's even a scene where Schmidt decides to go visit his old fraternity at the University Of Kansas in Lawrence...his alma mater. However, if you look closely, you realize that it is not the KU campus, but the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus filling in as “campus stunt double", I guess you could say. On his trip back to Omaha from Denver, Schmidt makes a stop at the Great Platte River Archway in Kearney. Even takes a tour of it and we go along with him. I feel like I've now visited the archway, as you really get a good look at it both inside and outside the building. What makes "About Schmidt" so great for Nebraskans is that director Alex Payne has captured the spirit of the Nebraska plains in this movie. Seems every Nebraskan I know will be able to relate to the character of Warren Schmidt, because we know so many like him in Nebraska. The numerous shots of rural Nebraska are stunning in some scenes. When people around America think of beautiful scenery, most would never consider Nebraska to have such beautiful terrain. Well it does. Alex Payne captures the beauty of desolate central and western Nebraska. And now it is available for the world to see. During the movie, you know exactly where the story is taking place so you are well aware the surroundings are Nebraska. I got a lot out of this movie. Even though incredibly simple, there are so many messages about humankind that you can take away from it. There are some hilarious scenes, but just as many touching. Nicholson is incredible and convincing in the role of Warren Schmidt. At Oscar time, he should be rewarded for this role. In addition, Kathy Bates is wonderful as the Denver mother of Schmidt's daughter's husband. (Even though the scenes are supposed to be Denver, I'm fairly sure they too are Omaha as when the camera panned through a so-called Denver neighborhood, it was full of cars containing Nebraska license plates.) At times the film is slow moving, but if you're from Nebraska even the slow parts are interesting, as you never know what Nebraska vista is going to flash by as Schmidt trudges across the Cornhusker State. Speaking of Cornhusker, as far as I can tell, the Nebraska football team was not mentioned once in the entire movie. Goes to show that there is so much more to Nebraska that Big Red. "About Schmidt" is a great movie and the fact that it is set in Nebraska makes it that much better. We welcome your comments on “About Schmidt”. RELATED LINKS 01-21-03: 'Schmidt' Finally Home: 'About Schmidt' finally opens in Central Nebraska More From AP Feedback