Grumpy Old Men

John Gustafson and Max Goldman have lived next to each other in a snowy Minnesota town for decades, and for most of that time they have been feuding. The two men trade insults and elaborate pranks, and neither their grown children nor anyone else seems to remember what started the grudge. When an attractive widow, Ariel Truax, moves into the neighborhood, their long-running hostility turns into an open contest, as each tries to win her attention.

Donald Petrie directed the film, which followed his 1988 debut Mystic Pizza and was released in December 1993. Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau play John and Max, with Ann-Margret as Ariel, Burgess Meredith as John's father, Daryl Hannah as John's daughter Melanie, and Kevin Pollak as Max's son Jacob. The screenplay was written by Mark Steven Johnson and William Davies, and the production cost about 35 million dollars, earning roughly twice that amount worldwide.

On IMDb the film holds a 7 out of 10 from around 57,000 votes, and on TMDB it sits at 6.7 out of 10 from roughly 780 votes. A critics' score of 5.8 out of 10 from 46 reviews places it below the audience ratings. Petrie went on to direct Ri¢hie Ri¢h and The Favor the following year, continuing a career in mainstream comedy.