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Kotch

Play trailer Poster for Kotch PG Released Sep 17, 1971 1h 58m Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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75% Tomatometer 8 Reviews 68% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
Jack Lemmon directs his friend and frequent costar Walter Matthau in this gentle comedic drama. When retired salesman Joseph Kotcher (Walter Matthau) begins to feel pressure to move out of the house he shares with the family of his son, Gerald (Charles Aidman), he opts to embark on a road trip instead of settling in a retirement home. Befriending Erica (Deborah Winters), a young pregnant woman, Kotch begins to finds new meaning in life as he helps her prepare to welcome her baby into the world.

Critics Reviews

View All (8) Critics Reviews
Sue Adolphson San Francisco Chronicle Though only 50 years old when he made the film, Matthau is more than convincing as the doddering Joe Kotcher... Rated: 3/4 Jun 14, 2018 Full Review Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times There aren't many comic actors I admire more than Matthau, and he does his best to be an old man in Kotch, but the illusion simply isn't there. Rated: 2/4 Oct 23, 2004 Full Review Nell Minow Movie Mom Rated: 3/5 Sep 18, 2004 Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Matthau's warm characterization propels this sweet and earnest movie. Rated: 3/4 Feb 8, 2019 Full Review David Nusair Reel Film Reviews ...very slow and very gentle... Rated: 2/4 Mar 28, 2014 Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Walter Matthau gives a compelling, Oscar-nominated performance as a grumpy old man in this melodrama, the only film star Jack Lemmon directed. Rated: B- Aug 3, 2012 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Anne F Very entertaining comedy about ageing and feeling valued. I cannot share the view Lemmon did a bad job as a director. On the contrary, one can find many epic scenes and a main character who is loveable and annoying at the same time, empathetic and cute. So, overall, considering that the movie is from the 70s, quite a modern topic. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 10/26/24 Full Review jon c The late Walter Matthau is Kotch based on the novel by Katherine Topkins and directed by Jack Lemmon He is a man in his 70s refusing to be put in a nursing home for the remainder of his days As a retired salesman he's obligated to leave his family So Kotch decides to take a road trip where he runs into a young pregnant teenager, Erica The journey as it goes on he might start to understand the true meaning of living It's everyone else around him that can't put up with his speeches and endless tangents to questions being asked Yet Kotch could use a wake up call The woman Erica I really like, she reminds me of a young Bonnie Sommerville Her character gains a great deal from his attitude and breaking-down-of-things for her to reassess some priorities Even a grumpy old man can still be useful to some and change their lives in unexpected ways This is one of Matthau's best performances for a melodrama such as this Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review delysid d not funny but i still enjoyed the film Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/12/21 Full Review steve d Mathau is great in this really fun film. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member It's ok but the real reason to watch is for Matthau's tamer than usual performance and Deborah Winters' really great performance Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/19/23 Full Review Audience Member It's very interesting to see Lemmon direct for the first and only time and decide to go with Matthau rather than an aged actor. Matthau of course always looked old but here he sometimes hits the mark and other times doesn't. I wonder if the lukewarm result prompted Lemmon not to direct anything else. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/07/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Kotch

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Kotch

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Movie Info

Synopsis Jack Lemmon directs his friend and frequent costar Walter Matthau in this gentle comedic drama. When retired salesman Joseph Kotcher (Walter Matthau) begins to feel pressure to move out of the house he shares with the family of his son, Gerald (Charles Aidman), he opts to embark on a road trip instead of settling in a retirement home. Befriending Erica (Deborah Winters), a young pregnant woman, Kotch begins to finds new meaning in life as he helps her prepare to welcome her baby into the world.
Director
Jack Lemmon
Producer
Richard Carter
Screenwriter
John Paxton
Distributor
Cinerama Releasing Corporation [us]
Rating
PG
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 17, 1971, Original
Release Date (DVD)
Aug 1, 2006
Runtime
1h 58m