Paul Keaveny

It's true to say that Jack Nicholson has carried quite a few films in his time with his convincing portrayals of flawed characters and his undeniable screen magnetism.

About Shmidt comfortably falls into this category because it's hard to imagine any other actor who could carry off a role like this.

Warren Shmidt is having a triple crisis. He's retiring and worried about what he's going to do with his life, his daughter is marrying a "nincompoop" and his wife has just died.

To deal with the sense that he has wasted his life he sponsors an orphan child in Africa and writes to him when he can.

He then has an epiphany. If he can stop his daughter from marrying the fool his life will not have been without worth.

But this means going to meet his awful relatives-to-be in the run up to the wedding.

This film drags in parts and only really comes to life when Kathy Bates comes into it as the foul-mouthed and flirty mother of the dopey fiance.

It's not a great film but Nicholson and Bates are always worth watching.