Grumpy Old Men

If you don't love this movie, you don't love life. Simple.

From director Donald Petrie (Ri¢hie Ri¢h, Miss Congeniality) this isn't one of the funniest films I've seen, and to be honest I think only the two leading actors make it worth watching. Basically John Gustafson (Jack Lemmon) and Max Goldman (Walter Matthau) are two old guys that are neighbours, and continuously argue and insult each other, and have done so far over 50 years. And when new neighbour Ariel Truax (Ann-Margret) moves in, both men are attracted to her and their bickering only gets worse as they try and get her attention or affection. Also starring Batman's Burgess Meredith as Grandpa Gustafson, Daryl Hannah as Melanie, Kevin Pollak as Jacob Goldman, Ossie Davis as Chuck, Buck Henry as Elliot Snyder and Mike as Christopher McDonald. There are some quite amusing slapstick moments, quite a good happy ending, and some outtakes in the end credits, but I don't think I would watch this a second time. A sequel, Grumpier Old Men, followed in 1995. Okay!

John Gustafson (Jack Lemmon) and Max Goldman (Walter Matthau) are neighbors living in snowy Minnesota who have been fighting with each other for several years.Then a lovely widow called Ariel Truax (Ann-Margret) moves to the street.That means competition between John and Max.Grumpy Old Men from 1993 is great fun for seniors and juniors.I'm only 18 but I'm getting older all the time.Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau were great together.Unfortunately Walter died to a heart attack last July at the age of 79.There are also some other great actors in the movie, including Ossie Davis, Daryl Hannah and Kevin Pollak.Burgess Meredith (1909-1997) is brilliant playing Lemmon's father in the movie.Grumpy Old Men is a heart warming comedy with lots of terrific scenes with Lemmon and Matthau.Don't miss the bloopers during credits.And don't miss this movie.

This is a good movie because it is a feel good movie. We see the characters and we don't feel that bad about ourselves. Another Lemmon and Matthau film, where this time they are two old guys in Minnesota. Content, until a woman (Ann-Margaret) is the apple of they're eyes. Great fun, especially from Burgess Meredith, who is hilarious as Lemmon's dirty talking father who is even funnier in the out-takes. A

Mine may be the sole dissenting voice, but I found this a rather pathetic movie. It is basically the story of old geezers (sometimes foul mouthed ones) who argue, insult each other, and talk a lot about sex. It could have been a really cute, hilarious, touching, and sentimental tale but alas, for the most part, it's not. Frankly, I felt as though this film and its sequel were beneath the dignity of its three talented and now, sadly, deceased stars...Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, & Burgess Meredith, especially the amazing Lemmon. The story revolves around two neighbours, John & Gus, who have been feuding since childhood. Their quarrels escalate when an attractive widow, Ariel, moves next door and the pair vie for her affections. I couldn't help asking myself...what woman in her right mind would be attracted to either one of these cranky old idiots? Are there no more likely eligible men in the neighbourhood? The quarrelsome duo are played by those two comedic pros, Jack Lemmon (John) and Walter Matthau (Gus). However, this is not another version of their wonderful old comedy, The Odd Couple. Not much here is all that amusing, clever, or touching, and those instances which are have been ruined (at least for me) by a sort of pervading dirty atmosphere. Ariel is portrayed adequately enough by Ann-Margaret, but it's just not a very compelling role. By far the most obnoxious of all is Burgess Meredith as the dirty talking reprobate, Grandpa Gustafson (John's father). I will kindly refrain from getting nasty here about his role (as I would certainly be inclined to do) as unfortunately this actor has since passed away. Suffice it to say, I find foul mouthed old gaffers neither particularly amusing nor endearing. Yes, there's ice fishing, a few funny pranks, and a touching genuine underlying affection & friendship between this pair of coots, but it's basically a great movie only if you like dirty jokes revolving around old gents. If you do, you'll love the movie...simple as that. Obviously, many would agree as it seems relatively popular and I notice has received a reasonable rating here. They even went on to make a sequel (horrors!) called Grumpier Old Men, which I wisely decided to forgo. Pity I hadn't been smart enough to forgo the original as well. Actually, it was presented as viewing entertainment at someone else's home and I wanted to be polite; otherwise I would certainly have turned it off long before the end. We should all remember these three wonderful actors fondly, but at least for myself, best to forget these particular roles.

This is an instant classic and a very recognizable film of the two, that if you ask someone about them, they will always mention this. A grreat and memorable role of the two, and and very hilarious, you'll want to see it again. They are a bunch of bumbling and feuding neighbors, who are in love with the same woman. Every scene with them in this one is unforgettable and outrageously funny. Especially the scenes with Matthau, with the fishing pole that sinks into the ice, he screams loud. An unforgettable scream and very funny too. He does the same when Ann Margaret drops the big fish before he can get a shot of it, and again when he discovers the dried fish that Jack Lemmon put in his car without him noticing it, and I like his line there, "ya shmuck!" That was funny. Boy those two are really funny, but at the same time they know how to make dramatic scenes that are almost teary, and sometimes serious and heart-warming ones, but they still become funny at the end and seem to keep it like that. Recommended to all fans of the two.

I don't know why, but I recently had Grumpy Old Men stuck in my head, I saw it when I was 8 years old with my grandparents, but I figured that I should watch it again before I would comment on it, since your opinion changes when you grow up. So, I rented both Grumpy Old Men and Grumpier Old Men and I was excited to see a decent rating on IMDb, and I love Walter Matthau, so this was a film to look forward too. Well, I finished it this morning and I have to say that it had it's good laughs along with a very heart warming story for the holidays. John and Max are two former friends turned enemies and have been feuding for a long time, we don't really know why at the beginning of the film. When they see a new neighbor moving in on the street, a very attractive older woman named Ariel. Now the boys have something new to fight over and are competing for her love. But it almost drives them crazy how much they keep playing tricks on each other and can they realize that it's finally time to grow up and act their ages or will they stay as grumpy old men? This was a very charming and lovely movie that could melt anyone's heart and make them laugh at the same time. I really do miss the comedies like this since a lot of films are more aimed for a younger generation, I may be 21, but I need the grown up comedies just as well as the one's for today, we need a balance, you know? But I would highly recommend Grumpy Old Men for a little laugh and a good film to watch for an afternoon. 7/10

This movie is clearly not for anyone with an ounce of self-respect. Grumpy Old Men is funny to the types of people who know nothing about the world, yet think they know everything about the world. Also, people who think that it's funny for old men to call each other names involving bad words will think that this movie is hilarious. Since I fit in none of these categories I absolutely hated this film. Grumpy Old Men made me laugh a total of zero times, when I was seriously trying to find something funny about the film. There was nothing memorable about this piece of cow sh*t. The setting was boring, and the jokes were 10 times worse.

It is sad to watch this wonderful film and realize that most of the actors in it are dead. Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, Burgess Meredith, Ozzie Davis...all fine men whose loss to movie goers is felt- at least by this one. Ann-Margret, Darryl Hannah, Kevin Pollak, while still among us, are also perfect for their parts. Every time I watch "Grumpy Old Men" I sense the camaraderie and fun the cast and crew must have had in making it. It is a family reunion, and the audience is the more fortunate for being invited. Thank you all for braving the Minnesota winter to remind us of snow angels and tea tree oil; of old friends and Thanksgivings shared; of warmth in the deepest cold.

The simplest problem with Grumpy Old Men is that it isn't very funny. It mostly plays off of the animus between Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau's characters. Objectively it isn't executed very well, but if you don't happen to be a fan of Lemmon this film's problems only double.