"Grumpy Old Men" was one of the biggest surprise hits of the year at the time of its release. The movie opened on December 25, 1993. It had a weekend gross of $3,874,911. However, its numbers gradually became stronger. It earned a domestic total of $70 million. It got mixed to positive reviews from critics. Roger Ebert said "Matthau and Lemmon are fun to see together." The movie is rated PG-13 for adult themes.