The Director's Series: Alexander Payne, No. 1


Throughout 2025 I'm turning my focus to Directors. They help craft the vision on screen that makes a movie work. This year I'm looking at five favorite films from 18 directors I admire and 10 films directed by different women that I have enjoyed. Join me Fridays and Saturdays throughout 2025 as we take this journey.

About Schmidt (2002)
Starring: Jack Nicholson, June Squibb, Hope Davis, and Kathy Bates
Director: Alexander Payne
About: Nicholson has given a lot of great performances. He's one of the most decorated American actors. You could easily think of a lot of films and great roles when his name is mentioned. But, since I saw this film, it is Schmidt that I think of. It's not the Nicholson we typically think of, but it's a beautiful and raw performance. It's another film that has such a great blend of humor and drama. I really laugh at a lot of sequences, but it's also deeply moving. And man, the way Payne delivers that ending, it hits hard. This is one of my favorite films of all time and a beautiful example of the way Payne can deliver a story.

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