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{{Short description|1993 US romantic comedy film by Donald Petrie}} {{Short description|1993 US romantic comedy film by Donald Petrie}}
{{italic title}}
{{Infobox film {{Infobox film
| name = Grumpy Old Men | name = Grumpy Old Men
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| gross = $80.5 million<ref name=ww>{{cite magazine|magazine=]|page=M-56|date=October 17, 1994|title=Top 100 grossers worldwide, '93-94}}</ref> | gross = $80.5 million<ref name=ww>{{cite magazine|magazine=]|page=M-56|date=October 17, 1994|title=Top 100 grossers worldwide, '93-94}}</ref>
}} }}
'''''Grumpy Old Men''''' is a 1993 American ] film directed by ], written by ], and starring ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ]. It was followed by the sequel '']''. '''''Grumpy Old Men''''' is a 1993 American ] film directed by ], written by ], and starring ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ]. It was followed by the sequel '']''.


==Plot== ==Plot==
<!-- Per WP:FILMPLOT, plot summary should be between 400 and 700 words. --> <!-- Per WP:FILMPLOT, plot summary should be between 400 and 700 words. -->
In ], retirees John Gustafson and Max Goldman are feuding next-door neighbors. Living alone, they spend their time ], trading insults, and pulling cruel ]s on each other, including John leaving a dead fish in Max's truck. Their rivalry irritates their friend Chuck, owner of the town bait shop, and Max's son Jacob, who is running for mayor. Dodging the attempts of ] Agent Elliot Snyder to collect a serious debt, John supports his daughter Melanie when she separates from her husband Mike, whom John dislikes. In ], ], retirees and widowers John Gustafson and Max Goldman are feuding next-door neighbors. Living alone, they spend their time ], trading insults, and pulling cruel ]s on each other, including John leaving a dead fish in Max's truck. Their rivalry irritates their shared friend Chuck, owner of the town bait shop, and Max's son Jacob, who is running for mayor. Dodging the attempts of ] Agent Elliot Snyder to collect a serious debt, John supports his daughter Melanie when she separates from her husband Mike, whom John dislikes.


John and Max both find themselves attracted to Ariel Truax, a free-spirited English professor who moves in across the street. Chuck has Thanksgiving dinner with Ariel, prompting John and Max to compete for her affections. Chuck dies, and Max discovers John's IRS debt. John spends time with Ariel, revealing that he and Max used to be childhood friends. John and Ariel have sex – his first time since 1978 – and a jealous Max drives John's fishing shanty onto thin ice, which John narrowly escapes. He confronts Max, and the source of their animosity is revealed: Max resents John for marrying Max's high school sweetheart. John explains she was unfaithful and Max was happier with the woman he did marry, but Max reminds John that he will have nothing to offer Ariel once the IRS takes his house. With this on his mind, John ends his relationship with Ariel. Ariel then gives John advice, warning him that he will regret the risks he did not take in life. John and Max are both attracted to Ariel Truax, a free-spirited English professor who moves in across the street. Chuck has ] dinner with Ariel, prompting John and Max to compete for her affections. Chuck dies in his sleep, and Max learns of John's IRS debt. John spends time with Ariel, revealing that he and Max had been childhood friends. John and Ariel have sex—his first since 1978—and a jealous Max drives John's fishing shanty onto thin ice, from which John narrowly escapes. He confronts Max, and the source of their animosity is revealed: Max resents John for marrying Max's high school sweetheart, May. John explains that she was unfaithful, and that Max was happier with Amy, the woman whom he did marry, but Max reminds John that he will have nothing to offer to Ariel when the IRS takes his house. With this on his mind, John ends his relationship with Ariel, who warns John that he will regret the risks that he did not take in life.


Jacob is elected mayor, and Max continues courting Ariel. On Christmas, Melanie comes to visit and John is upset to learn she has reconciled with Mike. Giving Melanie the same warning Ariel gave him, he warns that she will regret the risks she did not take in life, and then John leaves for the local bar. At Melanie's request, Jacob asks Max to settle things with John, but the fathers are unable to mend their dispute and John storms out of the bar. Max soon follows and finds John in the snow, having suffered a heart attack. At the hospital, Max checks in by declaring he is John's friend. He tells Ariel what happened, and she reconciles with John as he recovers. Jacob is elected mayor, and Max continues courting Ariel. On ], Melanie visits, and John is upset to learn that she has reconciled with Mike. He gives Melanie the same warning that Ariel gave him, and leaves for the local bar. At Melanie's request, Jacob asks Max to settle things with John, but the fathers are unable to mend their dispute, and John storms out of the bar. Max soon follows and finds John in the snow, having suffered a ]. At the hospital, Max checks in by declaring that he is John's friend. He tells Ariel what has happened, and she reconciles with John as he recovers.


Max tries to resolve John's debt, but the unsympathetic Agent Snyder prepares to sell John's house and possessions. Barricading the house, Max leaves a fish in Snyder's car and buries him in snow, while Jacob manages to temporarily block the property's seizure. Spring arrives, and John and Ariel get married. As a wedding gift, Max informs John that he and Jacob have paid off the debt. The newlyweds drive off, but not before John finds Max has left a fish in the wedding limo car. Max leaves to find a date of his own, as Jacob and an officially divorced Melanie begin a new romance with each other. Max tries to resolve John's debt, but the unsympathetic Agent Snyder prepares to sell John's house and possessions. Barricading the house, Max leaves a fish in Snyder's car and buries him in snow, while Jacob manages to temporarily block the property's seizure. Spring arrives, and John and Ariel get married. As a wedding gift, Max informs John that he and Jacob have paid off the debt. The newlyweds drive off, but not before John finds that Max has left a fish in the wedding limo car. Max leaves to find a date of his own, as Jacob and an officially divorced Melanie begin a new romance.


==Cast== ==Cast==
{{castlist| {{castlist|
*] as John Gustafson Jr. *] as John Gustafson Jr., the neighbor of Max
*] as Max Goldman *] as Max Goldman, the neighbor of John
*] as Ariel Truax Gustafson, John's 2nd wife *] as Ariel Truax Gustafson, John's 2nd wife
*] as John Gustafson Sr., John's father *] as Grandpa Gustafson, John's father
*] as Melanie Gustafson, John's daughter *] as Melanie Gustafson, John's daughter
*] as Jacob Goldman, Max's son *] as Jacob Goldman, Max's son and Melanie's love interest
*] as Chuck (Bait Shop Owner) *] as Chuck (Bait Shop Owner)
*] as Elliott Snyder (IRS Agent) *] as Elliott Snyder (IRS Agent)
*] as Mike, Melanie's former husband *] as Mike, Melanie's ex-husband
*] as Weatherman *] as Weatherman
*] as Phil (Pharmacist) *] as Phil (Pharmacist)
*] as Allie Gustafson, Melanie's daughter
}} }}


==Production== ==Production==
The screenplay of ''Grumpy Old Men'' was written by ], a film student at ] (Minnesota). John Davis and Richard C. Berman pitched Johnson's script to ]. Johnson envisioned the screenplay to star ], ], and ]. Matthau was initially hesitant to accept the role but was convinced by Lemmon and his son ]. ] was cast as the love interest, but Loren would be cast in the sequel. During pre-production the script was also rewritten to be more comedic than originally envisioned.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Grumpy Old Men|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/59540-GRUMPY-OLDMEN?sid=d3a382d3-e610-431d-844f-0b34bdc7a1f4&sr=11.823661&cp=1&pos=0|access-date=2021-12-02|website=catalog.afi.com}}</ref> The screenplay of ''Grumpy Old Men'' was written by ] while working as a secretary at ]. John Davis and Richard C. Berman pitched Johnson's script to ]. Johnson envisioned the screenplay to star ], ] and ]. Matthau was initially hesitant to accept the role but was convinced by Lemmon and his son ]. ] was cast as the love interest, but Loren would be cast in the sequel. During pre-production, the script was rewritten to be more comedic than originally envisioned.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Grumpy Old Men|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/59540-GRUMPY-OLDMEN?sid=d3a382d3-e610-431d-844f-0b34bdc7a1f4&sr=11.823661&cp=1&pos=0|access-date=2021-12-02|website=catalog.afi.com}}</ref>


The cast and crew arrived in Minnesota in January 1993 but had to wait to start shooting until February 2 because of a lack of snowfall. Interior scenes were filmed at the ] while ], ], and ] doubled as Wabasha. The ice-shanty scenes were shot on ]. Filming wrapped on June 23, 1993, after a delay of several months when Matthau contracted ] while filming a fight scene with Lemmon in subzero temperatures.<ref name=":0" /> The cast and crew arrived in Minnesota in January 1993 but had to wait to start shooting until February 2 because of a lack of snowfall. Interior scenes were filmed at ], while ], ] and ] doubled as Wabasha. The ice-shanty scenes were shot on ]. Filming wrapped on June 23, 1993, after a delay of several months when Matthau contracted ] while filming a fight scene with Lemmon in subzero temperatures.<ref name=":0" />


==Release== ==Release==
''Grumpy Old Men'' was one of the biggest surprise hits of the year.<ref>{{cite news|title= Not Grumpy or Old|work= ]|url= https://articles.latimes.com/1994-05-29/entertainment/ca-63374_1_grumpy-ii|access-date=June 1, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title= Weekend Box Office : 'Mrs. Doubtfire' Still Cleaning Up|work= ]|url= https://articles.latimes.com/1994-01-11/entertainment/ca-10823_1_opening-weekend|access-date=June 1, 2012}}</ref> The film opened on December 25, 1993, with a weekend gross of $3,874,911. It went on to earn $70 million in the United States and Canada, well above its budget of $35 million.<ref>{{cite web|title=Grumpy Old Men (1993) - Box Office Mojo|url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=grumpyoldmen.htm|work=IMDB|publisher=Box Office Mojo|access-date=September 12, 2012}}</ref> The film was released in the ] on May 27, 1994.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.25thframe.co.uk/charts/chart.php?chart=19940527|title=UK Weekend Box Office 27th May 1994 - 29th May 1994|publisher=www.25thframe.co.uk|access-date=19 June 2018}}</ref> It grossed $10.4 million internationally for a worldwide total of $80.5 million.<ref name=ww/> ''Grumpy Old Men'' was one of the biggest surprise hits of the year.<ref>{{cite news|title= Not Grumpy or Old|work= ]|url= https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-05-29-ca-63374-story.html|access-date=June 1, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title= Weekend Box Office : 'Mrs. Doubtfire' Still Cleaning Up|work= ]|url= https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-01-11-ca-10823-story.html|access-date=June 1, 2012}}</ref> The film opened on December 25, 1993, with a weekend gross of $3,874,911. It went on to earn $70 million in the United States and Canada, well above its budget of $35 million.<ref>{{cite web|title=Grumpy Old Men (1993) - Box Office Mojo|url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=grumpyoldmen.htm|work=IMDB|publisher=Box Office Mojo|access-date=September 12, 2012}}</ref> The film was released in the ] on May 27, 1994.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.25thframe.co.uk/charts/chart.php?chart=19940527|title=UK Weekend Box Office 27th May 1994 - 29th May 1994|publisher=www.25thframe.co.uk|access-date=19 June 2018}}</ref> It grossed $10.4 million internationally, for a worldwide total of $80.5 million.<ref name=ww/> The film earned an additional $40 million upon its release on home video.<ref name="HomeVideo">{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/1995/voices/columns/bad-feelings-pervade-hwpc-1117862815/|title= Bad feelings pervade HWPC |publisher=Variety|access-date=December 30, 2024|archive-date=December 30, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241230205006/https://variety.com/1995/voices/columns/bad-feelings-pervade-hwpc-1117862815/|url-status=live}}</ref>


===Critical reaction=== ===Critical reaction===
On review aggregator ] the film has an approval rating of 64% based on 45 reviews, with a rating average of 5.8/10. The site's consensus reads, "''Grumpy Old Men's'' stars are better than the material they're given -- but their comedic chemistry is so strong that whenever they share the screen, it hardly matters".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/grumpy_old_men|title=Grumpy Old Men (1993)|publisher=]|access-date=December 6, 2017}}</ref> On ], which assigns a weighted average rating to reviews, the film has a score of 53 out of 100, based on 16 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".<ref>{{cite web |title=Grumpy Old Men reviews|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/grumpy-old-men | publisher=] |access-date=July 22, 2017}}</ref> Audiences polled by ] gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.<ref name="CinemaScore">{{cite web |url=https://m.cinemascore.com |archive-url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20170916153548/https://m.cinemascore.com/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=2017-09-16 |title=CinemaScore |work=cinemascore.com |access-date=2020-05-09 }}</ref> On review aggregator ], the film has an approval rating of 65%, based on 46 reviews, with an average rating average of 5.8/10. The site's consensus reads, "''Grumpy Old Men's'' stars are better than the material they're given -- but their comedic chemistry is so strong that whenever they share the screen, it hardly matters".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/grumpy_old_men|title=Grumpy Old Men (1993)|publisher=]|access-date=February 29, 2024}}</ref> On ], which assigns a weighted average rating to reviews, the film has a score of 53 out of 100, based on 16 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.<ref>{{cite web |title=Grumpy Old Men reviews|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/grumpy-old-men | publisher=] |access-date=July 22, 2017}}</ref> Audiences polled by ] gave the film an average grade of "A" on a scale of A+ to F.<ref name="CinemaScore">{{cite web |url=https://m.cinemascore.com |archive-url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20170916153548/https://m.cinemascore.com/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=2017-09-16 |title=CinemaScore |work=cinemascore.com |access-date=2020-05-09 }}</ref>


Caryn James of '']'' called the film "the kind of holiday movie a lot of people are searching for." She went on to explain that this is because "It's cheerful, it's well under two hours and it doesn't concern any major social blights, unless you think Jack Lemmon tossing a dead fish into Walter Matthau's car is cause for alarm."<ref>{{cite news|title= Review/Film; Cheerful, Short and No Big Blights|work= The New York Times|author=Caryn James|date=December 24, 1993|url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9F0CE7DC1431F937A15751C1A965958260|access-date=June 1, 2012}}</ref> ] of '']'' called the film "the kind of holiday movie a lot of people are searching for". She went on to explain that this is because "it's cheerful, it's well under two hours and it doesn't concern any major social blights, unless you think Jack Lemmon tossing a dead fish into Walter Matthau's car is cause for alarm".<ref>{{cite news|title= Review/Film; Cheerful, Short and No Big Blights|work= The New York Times|author=Caryn James|date=December 24, 1993|url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9F0CE7DC1431F937A15751C1A965958260|access-date=June 1, 2012}}</ref>


Despite rating it with two stars out of four, and giving it a mixed review about the film's credibility and diction, ] of the '']'' concluded his review by saying that "Matthau and Lemmon are fun to see together, if for no other reason than just for the essence of their beings."<ref>{{cite news|author=Roger Ebert|date=December 24, 1993|title=Grumpy Old Men :: rogerebert.com :: Reviews|publisher=]|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/grumpy-old-men-1993|access-date=June 1, 2012}}</ref> Despite giving it two stars out of four, and giving it a mixed review about the film's credibility and diction, ] of the '']'' concluded his review by saying that "Matthau and Lemmon are fun to see together, if for no other reason than just for the essence of their beings".<ref>{{cite news|author=Roger Ebert|date=December 24, 1993|title=Grumpy Old Men :: rogerebert.com :: Reviews|publisher=]|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/grumpy-old-men-1993|access-date=June 1, 2012}}</ref>


Peter Rainer of the '']'' said, "Watching Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau sparring with each other in ''Grumpy Old Men'' is like watching an old vaudeville routine for the umpteenth time." Rainer added, "They play off their tics and wheezes with the practiced ease of old pros but there's something a bit too chummy and self-congratulatory about it all."<ref>{{cite news|title= MOVIE REVIEW : 'Grumpy': Hearts, Flowers, Whoopee Cushions|work= ]|author=Peter Rainer|date=December 25, 1993|url=https://articles.latimes.com/1993-12-25/entertainment/ca-5243_1_whoopee-cushions|access-date=June 1, 2012}}</ref> Peter Rainer of the '']'' said, "Watching Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau sparring with each other in ''Grumpy Old Men'' is like watching an old vaudeville routine for the umpteenth time." Rainer added, "They play off their tics and wheezes with the practiced ease of old pros but there's something a bit too chummy and self-congratulatory about it all."<ref>{{cite news|title= MOVIE REVIEW : 'Grumpy': Hearts, Flowers, Whoopee Cushions|work= ]|author=Peter Rainer|date=December 25, 1993|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-12-25-ca-5243-story.html|access-date=June 1, 2012}}</ref>


] recognition: ] recognition:
Line 74: Line 74:


===Home media=== ===Home media===
''Grumpy Old Men'' was first released on ] on June 25, 1997. On August 22, 2006, the film was made available in a DVD "Double Feature" pack along with its sequel '']''. On July 7, 2009, the film was made available by itself on ]. The "Double Feature" pack was later released onto Blu-ray on February 23, 2010. The Blu-ray releases marked the first time both films have been available in widescreen since the ] releases. None of the Blu-ray releases contain any special features.<ref>{{cite web|last=Broadwater|first=Casey|title=Grumpy Old Men / Grumpier Old Men Blu-ray Review|url=http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Grumpy-Old-Men-and-Grumpier-Old-Men-Blu-ray/8871/#Review|publisher=Blu-ray.com|access-date=September 13, 2012|date=March 17, 2010}}</ref> ''Grumpy Old Men'' was released on ] on June 25, 1997. On August 22, 2006, the film was made available in a DVD "Double Feature" pack with its sequel '']''. On July 7, 2009, the film was made available on ]. The "Double Feature" pack was released onto Blu-ray on February 23, 2010. The Blu-ray releases mark the first time that both films have been available in widescreen since the ] releases. The Blu-ray releases contain no special features.<ref>{{cite web|last=Broadwater|first=Casey|title=Grumpy Old Men / Grumpier Old Men Blu-ray Review|url=http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Grumpy-Old-Men-and-Grumpier-Old-Men-Blu-ray/8871/#Review|publisher=Blu-ray.com|access-date=September 13, 2012|date=March 17, 2010}}</ref>


==Sequel== ==Sequel==
A sequel, entitled '']'', was released in 1995, with Lemmon, Matthau, Meredith and Ann-Margret reprising their roles, and Mark Steven Johnson writing the script. A sequel entitled '']'' was released in 1995, with Lemmon, Matthau, Meredith and Ann-Margret reprising their roles, and Mark Steven Johnson writing the script.


==See Also== ==See also==
* ] * ]


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==External links== ==External links==
{{wikiquote}} {{wikiquote}}
* {{Amg movie|119907|Grumpy Old Men}}
* {{IMDb title|0107050|Grumpy Old Men}} * {{IMDb title|0107050|Grumpy Old Men}}
* {{tcmdb title|18764|Grumpy Old Men}} * {{TCMDb title|18764|Grumpy Old Men}}
* {{AFI film|id=59540|title=Grumpy Old Men}} * {{AFI film|id=59540|title=Grumpy Old Men}}
* at ] * at ]
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] ]
] ]
]
]

Latest revision as of 01:56, 1 January 2025

1993 US romantic comedy film by Donald Petrie
Grumpy Old Men
Theatrical release poster
Directed byDonald Petrie
Written byMark Steven Johnson
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyJohnny E. Jensen
Edited byBonnie Koehler
Music byAlan Silvestri
Distributed byWarner Bros.
Release date
  • December 25, 1993 (1993-12-25)
Running time104 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$35.1 million
Box office$80.5 million

Grumpy Old Men is a 1993 American romantic comedy film directed by Donald Petrie, written by Mark Steven Johnson, and starring Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, Ann-Margret, Burgess Meredith, Daryl Hannah, Kevin Pollak, Ossie Davis, Buck Henry and Christopher McDonald. It was followed by the sequel Grumpier Old Men.

Plot

In Wabasha, Minnesota, retirees and widowers John Gustafson and Max Goldman are feuding next-door neighbors. Living alone, they spend their time ice fishing, trading insults, and pulling cruel practical jokes on each other, including John leaving a dead fish in Max's truck. Their rivalry irritates their shared friend Chuck, owner of the town bait shop, and Max's son Jacob, who is running for mayor. Dodging the attempts of IRS Agent Elliot Snyder to collect a serious debt, John supports his daughter Melanie when she separates from her husband Mike, whom John dislikes.

John and Max are both attracted to Ariel Truax, a free-spirited English professor who moves in across the street. Chuck has Thanksgiving dinner with Ariel, prompting John and Max to compete for her affections. Chuck dies in his sleep, and Max learns of John's IRS debt. John spends time with Ariel, revealing that he and Max had been childhood friends. John and Ariel have sex—his first since 1978—and a jealous Max drives John's fishing shanty onto thin ice, from which John narrowly escapes. He confronts Max, and the source of their animosity is revealed: Max resents John for marrying Max's high school sweetheart, May. John explains that she was unfaithful, and that Max was happier with Amy, the woman whom he did marry, but Max reminds John that he will have nothing to offer to Ariel when the IRS takes his house. With this on his mind, John ends his relationship with Ariel, who warns John that he will regret the risks that he did not take in life.

Jacob is elected mayor, and Max continues courting Ariel. On Christmas Day, Melanie visits, and John is upset to learn that she has reconciled with Mike. He gives Melanie the same warning that Ariel gave him, and leaves for the local bar. At Melanie's request, Jacob asks Max to settle things with John, but the fathers are unable to mend their dispute, and John storms out of the bar. Max soon follows and finds John in the snow, having suffered a heart attack. At the hospital, Max checks in by declaring that he is John's friend. He tells Ariel what has happened, and she reconciles with John as he recovers.

Max tries to resolve John's debt, but the unsympathetic Agent Snyder prepares to sell John's house and possessions. Barricading the house, Max leaves a fish in Snyder's car and buries him in snow, while Jacob manages to temporarily block the property's seizure. Spring arrives, and John and Ariel get married. As a wedding gift, Max informs John that he and Jacob have paid off the debt. The newlyweds drive off, but not before John finds that Max has left a fish in the wedding limo car. Max leaves to find a date of his own, as Jacob and an officially divorced Melanie begin a new romance.

Cast

Production

The screenplay of Grumpy Old Men was written by Mark Steven Johnson while working as a secretary at Orion Pictures. John Davis and Richard C. Berman pitched Johnson's script to Bill Gerber. Johnson envisioned the screenplay to star Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau and Sophia Loren. Matthau was initially hesitant to accept the role but was convinced by Lemmon and his son Charles Matthau. Ann-Margret was cast as the love interest, but Loren would be cast in the sequel. During pre-production, the script was rewritten to be more comedic than originally envisioned.

The cast and crew arrived in Minnesota in January 1993 but had to wait to start shooting until February 2 because of a lack of snowfall. Interior scenes were filmed at Paisley Park Studios, while St. Paul, Faribault and Center City doubled as Wabasha. The ice-shanty scenes were shot on Lake Rebecca. Filming wrapped on June 23, 1993, after a delay of several months when Matthau contracted pneumonia while filming a fight scene with Lemmon in subzero temperatures.

Release

Grumpy Old Men was one of the biggest surprise hits of the year. The film opened on December 25, 1993, with a weekend gross of $3,874,911. It went on to earn $70 million in the United States and Canada, well above its budget of $35 million. The film was released in the United Kingdom on May 27, 1994. It grossed $10.4 million internationally, for a worldwide total of $80.5 million. The film earned an additional $40 million upon its release on home video.

Critical reaction

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 65%, based on 46 reviews, with an average rating average of 5.8/10. The site's consensus reads, "Grumpy Old Men's stars are better than the material they're given -- but their comedic chemistry is so strong that whenever they share the screen, it hardly matters". On Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average rating to reviews, the film has a score of 53 out of 100, based on 16 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on a scale of A+ to F.

Caryn James of The New York Times called the film "the kind of holiday movie a lot of people are searching for". She went on to explain that this is because "it's cheerful, it's well under two hours and it doesn't concern any major social blights, unless you think Jack Lemmon tossing a dead fish into Walter Matthau's car is cause for alarm".

Despite giving it two stars out of four, and giving it a mixed review about the film's credibility and diction, Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times concluded his review by saying that "Matthau and Lemmon are fun to see together, if for no other reason than just for the essence of their beings".

Peter Rainer of the Los Angeles Times said, "Watching Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau sparring with each other in Grumpy Old Men is like watching an old vaudeville routine for the umpteenth time." Rainer added, "They play off their tics and wheezes with the practiced ease of old pros but there's something a bit too chummy and self-congratulatory about it all."

American Film Institute recognition:

Home media

Grumpy Old Men was released on DVD on June 25, 1997. On August 22, 2006, the film was made available in a DVD "Double Feature" pack with its sequel Grumpier Old Men. On July 7, 2009, the film was made available on Blu-ray. The "Double Feature" pack was released onto Blu-ray on February 23, 2010. The Blu-ray releases mark the first time that both films have been available in widescreen since the LaserDisc releases. The Blu-ray releases contain no special features.

Sequel

A sequel entitled Grumpier Old Men was released in 1995, with Lemmon, Matthau, Meredith and Ann-Margret reprising their roles, and Mark Steven Johnson writing the script.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Top 100 grossers worldwide, '93-94". Variety. October 17, 1994. p. M-56.
  2. ^ "Grumpy Old Men". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved 2021-12-02.
  3. "Not Grumpy or Old". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 1, 2012.
  4. "Weekend Box Office : 'Mrs. Doubtfire' Still Cleaning Up". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 1, 2012.
  5. "Grumpy Old Men (1993) - Box Office Mojo". IMDB. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved September 12, 2012.
  6. "UK Weekend Box Office 27th May 1994 - 29th May 1994". www.25thframe.co.uk. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
  7. "Bad feelings pervade HWPC". Variety. Archived from the original on December 30, 2024. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
  8. "Grumpy Old Men (1993)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  9. "Grumpy Old Men reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  10. "CinemaScore". cinemascore.com. Archived from the original on 2017-09-16. Retrieved 2020-05-09.
  11. Caryn James (December 24, 1993). "Review/Film; Cheerful, Short and No Big Blights". The New York Times. Retrieved June 1, 2012.
  12. Roger Ebert (December 24, 1993). "Grumpy Old Men :: rogerebert.com :: Reviews". Chicago Sun Times. Retrieved June 1, 2012.
  13. Peter Rainer (December 25, 1993). "MOVIE REVIEW : 'Grumpy': Hearts, Flowers, Whoopee Cushions". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 1, 2012.
  14. "AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs Nominees" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on December 20, 2015. Retrieved June 30, 2012.
  15. Broadwater, Casey (March 17, 2010). "Grumpy Old Men / Grumpier Old Men Blu-ray Review". Blu-ray.com. Retrieved September 13, 2012.

External links

Films directed by Donald Petrie
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