Your review addresses the themes raised by Schmidt's crisis very well. One problem I have with this film is the use of letters to a 6 year-old boy as an expository device. I agree with your use of the word "gimmick" to refer to it. I wish the filmakers had found a way to create dramatic situations to convey what we needed to know rather than this facile, lazy gimmick. Not only that, what are we to make of Schmidt's letters being incomprehensible to a 6 year old. Is he that naive? He writes:...when you get this check, cash it, go to the corner store and buy yourself something to eat". Makes him appear stupid, which is not congruent with Nicholson's portrayal of Schmidt. What do y'all think?