This movie is
very cheerful and delivers a subtle family comedy for everyone to enjoy. There
are many fun pairings of Lemmon and Matthau to choose from, but my favorite has
always been The Odd
Couple (1968). This 1993 pairing, however, easily falls into my
top three collaborations of the two actors.
This is the
sixth film to star both Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau, and it’s one of the
coolest. Both actors were at their best here, delivering plenty of laughs. What
really got to me was how these men in their 70s behaved like children, playing
tricks on each other and even coming up with some I’d never have thought of.
This romantic comedy also stars Ann-Margret, and her performance was fun to
watch. I don’t recall seeing her in any other movies, so this was a nice
introduction for me.
Grumpy Old Men is
directed by Donald Petrie, the man behind the 1994 movie Richie Rich and,
in my opinion, the worst movie ever—2003’s How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.
The movie’s plot
revolves around two old friends/rivals, Max (Walter Matthau) and John (Jack
Lemmon). Both are retired and have spent the majority of their adult lives
playing tricks on each other.
Things change in
their small town when college professor Ariel Truax (Ann-Margret) moves into a
house across from theirs. Her happy demeanor and joyful outlook make her the
talk of the town, and soon both Max and John take a liking to her. Their
longtime feud reignites as they compete to win her over.
The movie is fun
and funny, earning recognition from the American Film Institute with a
nomination in AFI’s 100 Years... 100 Laughs. The next film Lemmon and
Matthau starred in together after this series (following 1995’s Grumpier
Old Men) was Out to Sea. While it wasn’t well-received by critics, I’ve
seen it, and I can tell you it’s not as bad as they make it out to be. It’s
funny and delightful.
Grumpy Old Men was
followed by Grumpier
Old Men two years later in
1995. This time, another iconic actress, Sophia Loren, was introduced into the
mix with Lemmon and Matthau. However, her acting didn’t shine as brightly as
Ann-Margret’s, in my opinion. The movie received a mildly positive reception from
critics and was a modest box office success.
I need to add again, go see this movie, it is really funny.
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