History Film / GrumpyOldMen

* HeroesWantRedheads: Both Max and John are immediately taken with the redheaded newcomer Ariel.

The film was successful enough to revive the Lemmon-Matthau team for a string of comedies in the mid-90s, including sequels to both [[Film/GrumpierOldMen this film]] and ''[[Film/TheOddCoupleII The Odd Couple]]'', as well as ''The Grass Harp'' and their final collaboration ''Film/OutToSea''.[[note]]Had Matthau not been too sick to work, their ''true'' final pair-up would have been the presidential comedy ''Film/MyFellowAmericans''.[[/note]]

->'''Max Goldman:''' Good morning, dickhead. \\

** The outtakes during the credits roll highlights this, with his using fictional Hawaiian islands as a means of seduction (e.g. "Imakindakinky")

-->'''John:''' Ariel, I... ''*sees her locking the door*'' I thought you said...
-->'''Ariel:''' I said, ''"It's time for bed."''

* {{Foreshadowing}}: At the beginning of the movie, the two talk about what are comfortable ways to die. [[spoiler: John comments that strokes are terrible and he'd rather have a cardiac arrest any day. Guess what happens towards the end of the movie. He lives through it, however.]]

--> '''Walter Matthau''' (in a bathtub): If I had known there was gonna be a ''nude'' scene in this picture, I would've asked for another million.

--> '''John''': Moron.\\
'''Max''': Putz.

** [[AvertedTrope Averted]], with the titular duo spending all of their time insulting each other and pulling cruel pranks at one another's expense. Or maybe just played with, as by the end they're shown to be VitriolicBestBuds.

* TinyGuyHugeGirl: 5'5" Kevin Pollak gets together with 5'10" Darryl Hannah.

-->'''Max:''' Hey, Snyder, why don't you do the world a favor? Pull your lip over your head and swallow!
-->'''Snyder:''' Ha ha! ''(under his breath)'' Asshole.

* MinnesotaNice: [[AvertedTrope Averted]], with the titular duo spending all of their time insulting each other and pulling cruel pranks at one another's expense. Or maybe just played with, as by the end they're shown to be VitriolicBestBuds.

%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

--> '''John''': Moron.
--> '''Max''': Putz.

* CutASliceTakeTheRest: Variant - John brings beer to his dad at his ice shanty. Grandpa takes one out of the six-pack and hands it to John, then takes the rest inside and shuts the door.

The film was successful enough to revive the Lemmon-Matthau team for a string of comedies in the mid-90s, including sequels to both [[Film/GrumpierOldMen this film]] and ''[[Film/TheOddCoupleII The Odd Couple]]'', as well as ''The Grass Harp'' and their final collaboration ''Out To Sea''.[[note]]Had Matthau not been too sick to work, their ''true'' final pair-up would have been the presidential comedy ''Film/MyFellowAmericans''.[[/note]]

--> '''Walter Matthau''' (in a bathtub): If I had know there was gonna be a ''nude'' scene in this picture, I would've asked for another million.

* NiceJewishBoy: Max's son Jacob is this trope, he is running for Mayor and the StraightMan to his Father regarding the pranks Max and John pull on one another, and is quite the stand up guy.

* TheReveal: [[spoiler:John has a heart attack and is very weak in the hospital talking to Ariel. That's the last we see of him, up until the end, where Jake, Max, and John's dad talk reverently about him outside of a church, leading the viewer to believe he's dead. But then they pull off their coats inside to reveal tuxes; what the viewer believes is John's funeral is actually his wedding to Ariel.]] Also a ShockAndSwitchEnding.

* TheGadfly: Both of them engage in trolling the other, but Max especially delights in getting a rise out of people in general.

* UglyGuyHotWife: Max and his first wife, Amy. John pokes fun at Max for being ugly and said that [[UglyGuysHotDaughter Jacob is lucky to inherit his Mom's looks]] rather than his father, otherwise he wouldn't be on the ballot for Mayor.
* VillainyFreeVillain: Snyder of the IRS is just doing his job, trying to collect back taxes John owes. And (off-screen) he is actually fairly reasonable - Jacob talks him into waiving the late fees if the original amount owed is paid. Doesn't stop Max from insulting him and playing a few [[ComedicSociopathy hilarious]] practical jokes on him.

It centers on two, well, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin grumpy old men]], John Gustafson (Lemmon) and Max Goldman (Matthau) who've been neighbors for over 50 years and bickering for most of it, all the while ice fishing on the local lake and putting up with their kids (John's daughter Melanie, played by Creator/DarylHannah, and Max's son Jacob, played by Creator/KevinPollak) and John's nonagenarian father (Creator/BurgessMeredith). Then the pair's lives are turned upside down by a new neighbor named Ariel (Ann-Margret), and their old feud goes all out to try and win her hand.

* TheReveal: [[spoiler:John has a heart attack and is very weak in the hospital talking to Ariel. That's the last we see of him, up until the end, where Jake, Max, and John's dad talk reverently about him outside of a church, leading the viewer to believe he's dead. But then they pull off their coats inside to reveal tuxes; what the viewer believes is John's funeral is actually his wedding to Ariel.]]

It centers on two, well, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin grumpy old men]], John Gustafson (Lemmon) and Max Goldman (Matthau) who've been neighbors for over 50 years and bickering for most of it, all the while ice fishing on the local lake and putting up with their kids (John's daughter Melanie, played by [[{{Creator/DarylHannah}} Daryl Hannah]], and Max's son Jacob, played by Kevin Pollak) and John's nonagenarian father (Creator/BurgessMeredith). Then the pair's lives are turned upside down by a new neighbor named Ariel (Ann-Margret), and their old feud goes all out to try and win her hand.

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: As much as Max hates John, he's still merciful enough not to rat him out to IRS agent Elliot Snyder. So how does he cover for John? By describing him as a totally insane psychopath who constantly hangs around men's strip joints when he's ''on'' his medication, and walks around talking to trees when he's not. While John is listening nearby. After Snyder leaves, John expresses his disgust to Max, which only amuses Max all the more.

* {{Troll}}: Max's sense of humor.

* AmbiguouslyJewish: It's never explicitly stated that Max is Jewish, but Goldman is a common Jewish name, and he occasionally peppers his speech with Yiddish words. Though he celebrates Christmas, which adds to the confusion.