Minnesotta during winter. Retired and divorced John and Max are two best 'enemy-buddies', who are always arguing even though they are neighbors. Max's son Jacob is running for mayor, while John's daughter Melanie is not seeing her partner for a while, contemplating a divorce. When a retired, but still attractive painter Ariel moves as their neighbor, both John and Max fall in love with her, and thus begin to argue even more between each other. Ariel is attracted to John, but as a favor to Max, John deliberately pretends to be rude and breaks up with her. Ariel begins a relationship with Max, yet when Max admits what happened Ariel returns to John and the two get married. John's tax debt is declared null and void by Jacob, who became the mayor in the meantime.
If you are tired of boring neighbors, the two wacky protagonists from “Grumpy Old Men” are just the right thing for you. John and Max are the types of people you would wish to have either to be your neighbors or your grandpas, since they are a barrel of laughs and never seem to stop. They are played by the duo Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau, who have curiously starred in six movies together in their last decade of acting careers in the 90s—out of ten films they made in total, as if they waited until the end to get it going. They are the best ingredients in this light comedy of lukewarm inspiration that did not aim for any higher proficiency, since the duo has enough charm, mostly in funny one-liners: in one scene, Max chastises John for being such a weak fisher, boasting with a fishing rod (“The green hornet's caught more fish than you've lied about!”); over the window, Max mischievously uses a universal remote control from his home to constantly change channels just as John was watching lottery on TV; and he gives his due to an IRS agent, too (“Why don’t you do a favor to the world; put your lip over your head, and swallow!”). Burgess Meredith is underused as John's dad, yet his one good comic line is almost the best in the entire film ("Looks like Chuck's taking old one-eye to the optometrist!"). The love triangle involving Max, John and Ariel (very good Ann-Margret) is kind of a weak link in the plot, but she is a very endearing character when she audaciously invites herself to John’s house at night—who secretly enjoys it no matter how much of a gentleman he pretends to be. "Grumpy Old Men" is no high comedy, yet its relaxed tone, amusing jokes and cozy winter landscapes ensure that it is no waste of the viewers' time.
Grade:++
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