User reviews

"Grumpy Old Men" is a 1993 Donald Petrie film about two feuding old men (Lemmon, Matthau) who step up their game to woo their new neighbor (Ann-Margret). Let me start off by saying that I love both Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon and I have heard of how the two of them are often paired together on film. This is the first film I've seen with the both of them in it and I can tell why they were paired together here. The chemistry between Matthau and Lemmon is really noticeable throughout this film - they really love working with each other. Everyone else's performances were also very well done. The movie was also pretty funny overall, but what surprised me the most was that this film featured some very touching and heartwarming scenes within it. Honestly, I can say that this movie surprised me all together. I thought I was only going to get a 90 minute film of two old men swearing at each other. What I got was that, but with very great acting, subplot development, tonal diversity, and more. "Grumpy Old Men" is a film that I watched with a genuine smile on my face.

After a hiatus of over a decade Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau came gloriously back in parts to suit their senior citizen status in Grumpy Old Men. They may move a little slower, but their comic timing hasn't slowed up one bit.

The setting is a small town in Minnesota where these two old neighbors and widowers have this rivalry going back for years. Next to the ice fishing which they and apparently everyone else enjoys during the winter, their favorite pastime is cracking wise and playing jokes to one up the other. One thing that has slowed up is their libidos.

But that's about to change when Ann-Margret moves across the street. The sight of a pretty woman right on the block is all these two old geezers need to get into action.

As for Ann-Margret she's a free spirit of sorts who's flattered with the attention. Matthau has another friend in high places, his son Kevin Pollak is elected mayor of their town. Lemmon has a daughter played by Darryl Hannah and a grandson and she's married to Christopher McDonald, but they're estranged. The kids like each other and both of their fathers.

Lemmon also has tax problems, he owes some big bucks to the IRS and the villain in Grumpy Old Men is tax man, a most officious Buck Henry. The IRS is an agency everyone hates because it's the only place where you really are guilty until proved innocent in the USA. What happens to Lemmon is all too true. I myself could tell you stories of the IRS problems I've had through no fault of my own. I never owed as much as Lemmon did however and all due to an accounting error while Lemmon was filing jointly with his wife when she was still alive over a decade earlier. Some eager beaver auditor at IRS caught it and the interest and penalties compounded have him ready to lose his house.

I also have to note the presence of another pair of old geezers in the cast, Ossie Davis and Burgess Meredith. Davis owns a convenience store and in the opinion of Lemmon charges outrageously for bait during the ice fishing season. And Meredith is Lemmon's nonagenarian father who is past the age of caring what anyone thinks of him or his opinions.

Grumpy Old Men is a wonderful film for the elderly. Now that I'm at the age of Lemmon's and Matthau's character, I can enjoy this now more than ever. For Geezers of all ages.

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

Grumpy Old Men (1993)

The set-up is so funny, and it's so great to see Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau at it again, you have to laugh even though the jokes are often more silly than funny. It's a feel-good drama despite all the hysterics. Maybe the best moments are Burgess Meredith as Lemmon's father, delivering crude old man lines with enough raw disregard for everything to sink a ship. "Did you mounter her?" he asks his elderly son.

Obviously a hit enough to lead to "Grumpier Old Men" two years later, also funny but less fresh. And check out the Meredith outtakes on YouTube--just type his name and look for the "Grumpier Old Men" clip.

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.

I enjoyed "Grumpy Old Men" but was surprised as it seemed less funny than I expected and was more a poignant slice of life film...especially at the end. This is not a complaint...just an observation.

The story is about two neighbors, John and Max (Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau) who seem to hate each other but who also have a long history and a complicated relationship. They act as if they hate each other but over time it's not so clear. During much of the movie, the pair argue over a younger woman (Ann-Margret) who moves onto their block...they each want her and it only stokes their rivalry. See the film to see where all this goes.

The best thing about the movie was the acting. Late in the film in particular, the actors (particularly Matthau) show amazing range without even saying something. A real touching story...not to be missed.

This movie is funny and I recommend it. However, I don't see why they couldn't find a lady their own age because it could have been as good if directed correctly. Ann Margret is 20 years younger than either actor. Hot and sexy for sure, but come on, pairing her up with men 20 years her senior? She deserves far better.

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.

This movie is a laugh riot. Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau play two neighbors that have known each other their whole lives. They have been arguing about anything and everything for the last thirty years. The still vivacious, Ann-Margret moves into the neighborhood and now the fun really begins. Both old grumps try out doing the other in order to get the possible affection of the new comer. Burgess Meredith plays Grandpa and just about single handedly steals the show. Playing cardboard parts are Ossie Davis, Kevin Pollak and Daryl Hannah. Buck Henry is as always...funny. You will laugh till your sides hurt. And don't miss the hilarious out takes during the closing credits.

I write this in 2001. Sadly, at this time, all three of the "Grumpy Old Men" (Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, and Burgess Meredith) have now passed on. But this film will show that some of your best work can come in your golden years.

I first saw "Grumpy Old Men" against protest. Though I'd heard of its legacy at being "SO funny!"-- I rebelled against the idea of seeing two foul old guys yelling at each other. One night, my parents rented it-- and I happened to be staying at their house that night-- so I popped it in the VCR and watched it.

I went to bed in pain that night because my abdomen was sore from laughing so hard. It took over 3 hours for me to watch the whole movie because I kept rewinding and watching the funniest parts over and over again.

Though the movie stars all VERY-seasoned and excellent actors & actresses-- one tends to forget that... and only sees "John and Max" going at it again. It's a fifty-year fight between these two mischievous old bags of hot-air. The movie becomes more exciting as it progresses-- because you get to wonder who's going to strike next and humiliate the other... Gustafson or Goldman?

Aside from a wonderful story line and script, there are some very memorable one-liners and quotes from both this and "Grumpier Old Men" (the sequel). The soundtrack is sprinkled with wonderful old songs, along with festive polka songs to set the atmosphere for the town of Wabasha, Minnesota-- a small Swedish-settlement in the North.

If you've not seen this movie, and you have a great sense of humor-- do yourself the favor of renting "Grumpy Old Men". It's a heart-warming, happy film that leaves you feeling good after seeing it. God rest all the souls of the stars of this film that are now no longer with us-- but enjoy one of their last gifts to us before they left.

This guilty pleasure for seniors had one of Hollywood history's most celebrated screen couples enjoying a well-deserved swan song alongside the feisty Ann-Margret. As directed by the breezy Donald Petrie, the film goes unabashedly for every cheap point in the book, but it does so with heart and irresistible charm. And although most of the humour is based on old people acting too unworthy or raucous for someone their age, which may seem like an immature formula for someone with Lemmon's and Matthau's stature, it works almost to perfection, because there's nothing more fun than watching supposedly honourable senior citizens debasing themselves. At least not when it's done with this amount of conviction and obvious enjoyment by everyone involved. Followed by the sequel Grumpier Old Men in 1995.

The opening credits in this film roll to the tune of "Heat Wave", and it was during a recent heat wave that I dusted off my well-worn copy of "Grumpy Old Men" and settled in to once again watch the first of four movies that made up the "second coming" of the Jack Lemmon/Walter Matthau team. To those who have not yet seen the movie, (yes, there may be a few) it was set (and filmed) in snowy Minnesota, which give the film an authentic small town feel that the talented set designers of Hollywood would be hard pressed to duplicate. From the stars' first lines in the film ("'Morning ****head", "Hello moron") we know what to expect, and the movie doesn't disappoint us. The verbal sparring between Max and John continues non-stop through 100+ laugh filled minutes. Both the plot and the ending are not quite believable, but who really cares? For those who want reality, there are many depressing films out there, not to mention the news- papers and CNN. I have never read if all the cast members were the first choices for the parts, but every one of the cast fits their roles perfectly. Ann-Margret has evolved from her dancing, grinding "sexpot" image in the 60's to a wonderful, natural actress. Burgess Meredith....what can I say? He's perfect as John's father, a crusty, lovable old man. The interplay between Jack and Burgess is so easy, and why not? Who better to play a 94 year old than the 80+ year old Meredith. While Burgess is lovable, Daryl Hannah is lovely. As John's daughter Melanie, I have never seen her look more beautiful and heart-melting as she does in this picture. Ozzie Davis, Kevin Pollak, and Buck Henry round out the cast, and bring their many talents to the picture. While much has been written about the comedy, very little is said about the realistic side of "Grumpy Old Men". There are a few fleeting scenes that reveal the heartache and loneliness of growing old. And John's dealings with the I.R.S. in the movie, while hilarious, points out what can happen when the machine-like IRS process starts to roll over an individual not caring about the human-real life side of the situation. The only "downer" for me in again watching this movie is the knowlege that the string is over. Walter and Jack and Burgess are gone. I can't watch this movie without feeling just a tinge of sorrow. When most actors their age pass on, we feel sorrow, and then watch their classics from decades ago. With Walter and Jack the best was yet to come. I have read elsewhere that scripts were in the works for "Grumpy Old Men 3" and "Odd Couple 3". Who knows how many more successful films this brilliant team could have made together. I doubt if the formula for their success would have grown stale, because both Walter and Jack no longer acted....their roles where just an extension of themselves.

Whether it be Grumpy or Grumpier Old Men, "Odd Couple II", or "Out to Sea" we were as much visiting with old friends as we were watching a movie. Old friends get more endearing with age, and we would have never tired of new visits from them, no matter what the role. Burgess, Jack, and Walter.....wherever you are...thanks for the laughs you've given us over the years. You made us feel good, which is the best epitaph anyone could wish for.

GRUMPY OLD MEN (B-) is a charming little comedy film that reunites the comedy pairing of Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau as old grumpy competing neighbors who really love each other deep down. It's the kind of comedy film that just isn't made anymore - an earnest dramatic story with a comedic pairing content to tell a little story and then get out of your way. To be honest, it's not all that funny - not in a comedy set piece or joke a minute way. The comedy is mined largely from the two old men calling each other names and the central conflict - a vibrant older woman, Ann-Margaret, moves into the neighborhood and the competition between the two men for her is culled for jokes. It has one of those 80's family sitcom theme songs that sells the "this is just a quirky little human story in this snow covered town" vibe its all going for. The whole thing is a pleasant diversion that doesn't ask much of the viewer other than to enjoy the chemistry between the three leads, which is palpable.

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 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

Grumpy Old Men is directed by Donald Petrie and written by Mark Steven Johnson. It stars Walter Matthau, Jack Lemmon, Ann-Margret, Kevin Pollack, Burgess Meredith, Ossie Davis, Daryl Hannah and Buck Henry. Music is by Alan Silvestri and cinematography by Johnny E. Jensen.

A lifelong feud between two neighbours has been continuing since for ever. Now in the twilight of their lives, things get worse when a new female neighbour moves across the street.

A perennially fun viewing experience, one that boasts a wonderfully mature cast having a good time in the process. It would be easy to decry the formula, the trajectory of where it will go, and maybe stand tall and proclaim the writing isn't up to the standard of a Wilder or Simon movie, but that's kind of missing the point. It's a new era of film and the makers of Grumpy Old Men have tailored it to suit impressively the twin talents of Matthau and Lemmon. Both of whom are wonderful, their chemistry set in cement, their timing and reactions to scripting an utter joy. It's not without problems, anyone can see that, especially when the film veers onto the drama path, but the comedy over rides it all to leave a adult friendly holiday movie full of warmth and chuckles. 7/10

These two neighbors have known each other since childhood and have come to develop mutual animosity even through they initially started out as friends. Or perhaps the movie wishes us to believe that this is what friendship between two old single men looks like.

It's not the normal Lemmon-Matthau partnership, where they don't get along because the Lemmon character is too rigid and Matthau too loose in his personal habits. No, in fact Lemmon is the one engaged in the semi-illegal in this one and he's able to dish out as much as Matthau can in terms of pranks and insults.

Anyway, it's a romantic comedy where a slightly younger temptress moves into the neighborhood and disrupts the delicate balance that these lonely old men have found in their decline composed of carefully manicured routines, sedentary hobbies, and a healthy dose of dreams for a quick and painless death.

The drama and, might I say, even the romance are a joke, consisting of a few blips here and there. The drama is perfunctory and the romance seems to be a drop in the tank just to get the characters at each others' throats. This film's strength lies in its comedy. Burgess Meredith, as the clear senior in a film mostly cast by men well past retirement age, delivers a bevy of well-timed inappropriate lines that harken back to sexual playground ribaldry, but the audience lets it pass on account of his age. There are a lot of insults and pranks as well as slapstick from the rest of the cast.

All of this occurs before the backdrop of a frozen Minnesota winter, which looks lovely and also increases the sense of separation between the characters, as no one can go outside without 15 layers of clothes on and it's too cold to do anything out there for long anyway.

If you're a fan of Lemmon and Matthau and want to see them in a uniquely adversarial relationship, this is the one for you. Or if you simply like gerontic comedies.

Honourable Mentions: Out to Sea (1997). A lesser known Matthau-Lemmon film that's of similar quality to this one.

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.

"Grumpy Old Men" is a movie about two senior citizens, John Gustafson (Jack Lemmon) and Max Goldman (Walter Matthau) who have known each other their entire lives and love getting the better of one another. They refer to each other as "Moron" (Goldman) and "Putz" (Gustafson) and play pranks on the other. John puts a fish in Max's back seat causing an awful stench in his friend's car while Max uses his remote to change channels while John is attempting to watch the lottery. The two men embark on a competition to win the affection of an attractive woman, Ariel Truax (Ann-Margret), who moves into the neighborhood and each does his best to win her heart. This movie is very funny, Lemmon and Matthau are one of the movie's best comedic duo and their story is filled with touches that show how both men retain their vitality though they are getting up in age. So, this film gets a grade of 7 out of 10 and a pretty strong recommendation.

I just watched this film again after many years (I think 1994-95) I was charmed. So many titles today can't offer basic principles in comedy, drama and just plain fun. I don't think this is a spoiler but this film doesn't have any blood, psychological pressure or disturbing family secrets. What it does offer is a dosage of wholesome, well rounded goodness that will have anyone longing for purity watching this for their fix years to come. I probably would not have given such a high mark in the 90's (who knows) but today its a crystal clear breath of fresh air.. I loved this film and the actors all seem to be having a great time on the set.. In short this is a movie that can be picked up and put down with a good feeling afterwords.

Walther Matthau and Jack Lemmon are hilarious as two retired and single, always quarreling neighbors. Unfortunately, much of this comedy is spoiled by the cheap sentimentalism and the predictable plot that undermine the second half of the movie. Be sure to watch it till the end though, because the credits contain a little surprise for patient viewers.

Wonderful film pairing the great Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon as feuding neighbors who really both have so much in common.

The feud intensifies with the coming of widowed neighbor-Ann Margret to the neighborhood. Both our old friends go after her.

Daryl Hannah is along for the ride. As Lemmon's separated from her husband's father, she portrays an interesting character. Along for the laughs in Lemmon's father, portrayed with great wit by Burgess Meredith.

Naturally, we have the crisis situation that brings the two elderly gentlemen together. If you think you're in for a funeral at the end, guess again. It's a great ending to an endearing film. Matthau and Lemmon had such great on screen chemistry together. This film is no exception.

In a chilly Minnesota ice-fishing town, two lifelong enemies (who live next door to each other) compete for Ariel, the free-spirited new redhead on the block (Ann-Margret, doing her best with an underwritten role). Comic vehicle for Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon isn't strenuous, it breezes right along, but this type of farce, an insult-slinging sitcom, has been patented and packaged along a cinema assembly-line reaching back many years. The plot is constructed (and constricted) by its one-liners, like a foul-mouthed Neil Simon; the grouchy leads play up the old coot business for all it's worth, but they are so cantankerous that it isn't too likely life-loving Ariel would want either of these guys (her rapport with shopkeeper Ossie Davis, though seen at a distance, appears to be much warmer). Still, there are some laughs on occasion, the locations are well-captured, and the smartly-picked supporting cast is winning. **1/2 from ****

Being an indefatigable admirer of these two actors I looked forward to this movie, but have to report that both my wife and I were greatly disappointed. This is one of these movies that can't seem to decide what it wants to be - a comedy about two old farts who can't stand each other, or a sentimental story about two estranged childhood chums finally making up with each other. As usual in such cases, it fails at both. There are not enough funny moments to make it a real comedy, and what humor there was was weak and forced, while as a sentimental story it's unconvincing. Particularly grating to me was the personality of the widow (Ann-Margret), who we are supposed to see as ebullient and zany; I found her nosy, shallow, inconsiderate and phony, and couldn't see what the two old guys saw in her. Burgess Meredith provides most of the scant humor in his bit role as Lemmon's 94 year old reprobate father, particularly in the credit outtakes (which, for that matter, are funnier than anything in the movie itself).

Has some interest as a documentary on ice-fishing in northern Minnesota, but if it's laughs you want, watch The Odd Couple again.