Grumpy Old Men (1993)

Despite relying on some clichéd gags and audience familiarity with their particular brand of comedy, seeing Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau on screen together is a real treat. Timing is the essence of comedy and both men show they’ve still got it in spades. It helps that they worked together before because throwing just any two aged actors into these roles could have been a disaster. While the end product may not be the highlight of either of the stars’ careers, what we get is a delightful comedy that will more than likely put a smile on your face.

Wabasha, Minnesota neighbors John Gustafson (Jack Lemmon) and Max Goldman (Walter Matthau) have been rivals for decades since John stole Max’s high school sweetheart. John is long since divorced and Max is a widower, which leaves them ample time to torment each other with pranks. When a beautiful widow (Ann-Margret) moves in across the street, both men vie for her attention and affection, escalating their rivalry to new heights.

While the story isn’t all that unique, Grumpy Old Men has a lot going for it thanks to the characters and the talent bringing them to life. I don’t have to say much else about Lemmon and Matthau. They’re icons of comedy and they do a fine job of balancing their boyish antics with the limitations of their aged bodies. Ann-Margret’s character could have been something of a throwaway but she makes the role more than just a pretty face. She succeeds at the subtle things that drive her suitors crazy while also maintaining a firmness that puts them in their place. Then there’s Burgess Meredith as Lemmon’s father. He steals the show every time his character is allowed to go off on a tangent and talk dirty.

Rather than be just a slew of raunchy retiree antics, the filmmakers slow the pace down a little with a side plot involving John’s daughter and Max’s son kindling some romance as her marriage concludes its death spiral. I guess it gives younger viewers something to connect with and it is treated with enough care so that it doesn’t fall into standard rom-com trappings. It’s the completely forgettable part of the film and, while you never want a part of your film to be forgettable, at least the sidebar characters that miss the mark rather than the main characters. These scenes are not bad; they just fail to make an impression.

Maybe that’s one way to describe this film as a whole. You aren’t likely to remember particular scenes in great detail but you remember the overall experience. If you were to make a list of 90s comedies worth watching again, Grumpy Old Men should be on that list. It’s not one of the all-time greats but it is consistent enough to make you forget about a few minor flaws and remember it fondly.

RATING: 3.5 out of 5