Grumpy Old Men (2009)

This review refers to the Warner Bros VHS of "Grumpy Old Men"..

One "Putz", one "Moron", and an eternal Sex Kitten, melt the Minnesota snows as well as your heart in this too fun flick that reunites the late great comedy team of, Jack Lemmon(the"Putz") and Walter Matthau(the "Moron").

They are neighbors John Gustafson and Max Goldman who have been taking swipes and snipes at each other for over 50 years. The gags and gaglines will have you rolling with laughter, as the curmudgeons' feud heats up snowed-in Minnesota, when the beautiful, free-spirited widowed Ariel(Ann Margret) moves in across the street.They'll do whatever it takes to outdo the other for her affections, but when near tragedy strikes, there is no question of their affection for each other.

Joining in the fun is Burgess Meredith, as the hysterically lecherous father of Lemmon(cover the kids ears when he's in the scene), Darryl Hannah and Kevin Pollack, their kids, who may also realize the feelings they've had for each other since the third grade, the wonderful Ozzie Davis, and the always brillant Buck Henry. It was directed by Donald Petrie, with music by Alan Silvestri.

The laughs don't end here though..as there is an equally funny sequel "Grumpier Old Men", with much of the same cast and the addition of the legendary and gorgeous Sophia Loren.

The VHS has a nice clear picture and is recorded in hi-fi. There's a great soundtrack including a wonderful rendition of "We're Having A Heat Wave" by Ella Fitzgerald. It is in a standard format. I did not see it avaiable with the choice of the theatrical release form, which would have been nice with all that snowy scenery(My only reason for four stars). This a memorable Lemmon/Matthau film and you'll love it in any format though.

We'll always have their wonderful films to make us laugh..have fun with this one....Laurie....P.S. Don't miss the laugh out loud outakes during the credits, stay till the very end!

more fun stuff recommended:

Northern Exposure Seasons 1 4 DVD Bundle

Goin' South

Captain Jack

Being a thirty-something woman, I thought, how could I possibly find a movie about two grumpy old men funny? Turns out, VERY EASILY! If I could give this movie TEN STARS, I would! This has to be my all-time, favorite comedy. Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau are at it again; creating that perfect "odd-couple" chemistry. This time, the story is set in snowy Minnesota, with Lemmon and Matthau, (two old-time rivals), competing for the attentions of the refreshingly eccentric, yet extremely attractive widow, who has just moved into their neighborhood. The writing in this film is excellent; the actor's comedic timing is pure genius, and the zingers never seem to stop! This movie is a classic! Don't be a putz buy it today!

Buy Grumpy Old Men (2009) Now

Just picked it up today and couldn't wait to view...

The bad news first..

no bonus features...just a trailer. The good news? It is FINALLY in widescreen!! Now...the picture quality is what I was really wondering about. Its tough to judge because I don't know the source material but I think this is as good as they could do and frankly given the age of the actors , too sharp much of the time! I should say that its mostly available light looking and mostly drab and overcast so I think its pretty good as blu-rays go. I paid a bit over $10 and I'm delighted...sure I'd have been happy for some PR interviews the actors did as bonus items but for a crisp and finally Widescreen version of this movie I'm happy. Oh..I didn't bother to review the movie its been done enough....with Lemmon, Matthau, Meredith, Davis and Buck Henry ,not to mention nice support from Hannah and Pollak...at least a minor classic.

Read Best Reviews of Grumpy Old Men (2009) Here

In 1993 Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau played their best roles in this movie together. This movie, "Grumpy Old Men" is a MASTERPIECE! It's funny, joyfull, and heartwarming. These two were the perfect match for an EXCELLENT movie like this. The plot of the movie is great. The setting of cold and snowy Wabasha, MN was a the perfect setting.

The movie starts out on a snowy morning with two rivaling neighbors John Gustufson (Lemmon) and Max Goldman (Matthau). These two have been at each other's throats since they were kids. They always insult each other like calling each other a putz, a moron, or even a schmuck and other rude names. Whatever the two do they compete against each other to be better. One of those things they compete against is they both ice fish everyday and Max always ends up with more fish than John. So one day after they finish fishing, Max has half a dozen fish and John only has two. So Max of course picks on him and John throws one of his dead fishes into Max's car which causes a terrible stench.

That night John is watching the lottery and Max has the same T.V. remote so while John's watching the numbers Max over in the next window switches the channel. Then John switches it back then Max does it again and again. Finally John finds out it's Max and Max's son Jake (Pollak) opens the window to make him apologize and when Max goes to the window, John sprays his garden hose at him. Will these two ever stop fighting?

Then the rivalry takes another step up when a beautiful new neighbor Ariel (Ann-Margret) moves in and catches the attention of Max and John. Ariel is a lovely, warm-hearted, spirited woman who Max and John start fighting over. Max takes her ice fishing where she catches a 3-foot fish that she actually THROWS BACK before Max can take a picture of it. Then John and Ariel have dinner together and then go snowmobiling together and eventually sleep together. MAX IS FURIOUS!!!

Now Max and John are out fishing and Max is thinking of how to seek revenge. So John is in his shanty when it starts moving. He looks out the window and Max is moving it with his car heading straight for THIN ICE. John jumps out and his shanty is sunk. Of course Max is in his car chanting, "Yeah!" The two finally have a brawl and John is convinced that Max deserves Ariel more than he does because John can't support her because his house is about to be taken away from the IRS.

Will John get her or will Max? This movie is a great comedy everyone can enjoy. It's very touching and loving and is full of laughs. Your comedy collection is not complete without "Grumpy Old Men." This is a 5-Star MASTERPIECE!

Want Grumpy Old Men (2009) Discount?

Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau rank among the greatest on-screen duos of all time, and this movie is a great example of their brilliant chemistry. They're both very capable dramatic actors, and each has an Academy Award as proof, but their signature trademark will always be their comedic ability.

In this movie, Lemmon and Matthau play the roles of John and Max, respectively. John and Max have been next-door neighbors their whole lives, and though they have an extremely hostile love/hate relationship, they remain each other's best friend. Their hostility stems from decades before when John wound up marrying the girl they both loved. Both are now widowers who live alone in their separate houses, and a woman named Ariel (Ann-Margret) moves into the house across the street. Both men are immediately smitten by Ariel, and it leads to a rehashing of the same hostile feelings they once held for each other in their youth.

While the plot may seem like heavy material, it really isn't. The story is presented in a extremely touching yet light-hearted way. Both John and Max are extremely loveable, and the audience is made to feel sorry for them because both are lonely in their old age. The only flaw in this movie is in the plausability of Ariel actually having romantic feelings for either of these two men. She's a relatively young woman and energetic woman, and the fact that she has these two old men fighting for her attention doesn't seem quite believable.

Regardless, this is an excellent movie that I definitely recommend.

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