Being an indefatigable admirer of these two actors I looked forward to this movie, but have to report that both my wife and I were greatly disappointed. This is one of these movies that can't seem to decide what it wants to be - a comedy about two old farts who can't stand each other, or a sentimental story about two estranged childhood chums finally making up with each other. As usual in such cases, it fails at both. There are not enough funny moments to make it a real comedy, and what humor there was was weak and forced, while as a sentimental story it's unconvincing. Particularly grating to me was the personality of the widow (Ann-Margret), who we are supposed to see as ebullient and zany; I found her nosy, shallow, inconsiderate and phony, and couldn't see what the two old guys saw in her. Burgess Meredith provides most of the scant humor in his bit role as Lemmon's 94 year old reprobate father, particularly in the credit outtakes (which, for that matter, are funnier than anything in the movie itself).
Has some interest as a documentary on ice-fishing in northern Minnesota, but if it's laughs you want, watch The Odd Couple again.
Has some interest as a documentary on ice-fishing in northern Minnesota, but if it's laughs you want, watch The Odd Couple again.