fredrikgunerius Review of Grumpy Old Men

Grumpy Old Men (1993)

Goes for every cheap point, but with heart and irresistible charm

[7/10 · 19 August 2023]

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.