[8] He appeared as a child actor alongside his father in such films as Charley Varrick (1973), The Bad News Bears (1976), and House Calls (1978).

He also directed Doin' Time on Planet Earth (1988), Her Minor Thing (2005), Baby-O (2009), The Book of Leah (2019), and Freaky Deaky (2012), which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival.

[11] In 2012, Matthau wrote, produced, and directed the film Freaky Deaky, an adaptation of Elmore Leonard's novel, with outstanding performances from Christian Slater and Crispin Glover.

He directed the 2005 romantic comedy feature Her Minor Thing, starring Estella Warren, Christian Kane, and Michael Weatherly.

Variety called it “a would-be sex comedy that lacks appeal, not to mention laughs.”[15] In 1991, he directed a TV movie, Mrs. Lambert Remembers Love, starring Walter Matthau, Ellen Burstyn, and Ryan Todd.

The story is based on an orphaned boy's atmospheric tale watching the eccentric grown-ups in a small town experiencing freedom, love, individuality, and storytelling, with upstanding tech touches.

[16][17] According to Chris Hicks, writing for Movie Critic, "The Grass Harp is a low-key character drama with flourishes of humor, and it's loaded with wonderful performances from an all-star ensemble cast...