As Good as It Gets

This movie is bizarre because, while judged overall its story is shmaltzy and unbelievable, nevertheless each individual scene plays absolutely convincingly and feels very real. It's weird. I don't know if it's just the greatness of the actors overcoming an under-thought out script, or whether it's just the script concentrated solely on crafting great scenes one after the other, but not so much in coming up with a convincing through-line. Whatever. All I know is that this is one of the most entertaining pictures I've ever seen, extremely funny and quite emotionally affecting in places. Somehow, it just doesn't matter - I like it anyway.

The performances are uniformly excellent. Nicholson shows real range here - sure, he gets to be the sarcastic curmudgeon we've all come to expect, but his character also has moments of fear, repression and vulnerability which he brings off equally well. My problem with this character (and the "problem" only exists as I think about him afterward, not while I'm actually watching the movie) is in his conception: he seems to be whatever the writers want him to be at that moment, with no particular consistency from scene to scene so when he supposedly "changes" at the end, we're left to think, "Change? This guy's been changing through the entire movie!" And also, the fact that his character is a romance novelist is never really explained or examined in any way.

And yet, Nicholson's performance makes it not matter quite so much.

Helen Hunt is a revelation in this movie - she nails every scene she's in, whether she's forced to be witty, embarrassed, angry, defiant, emotionally overwhelmed, whatever. She keeps Jack on his toes, and they work off each other brilliantly. Also, I never thought I'd find myself saying this, but Greg Kinnear was great as Simon, the gay neighbor. (It was also nice to see director Harold Ramis - the third Ghostbuster, after all - in front of the camera again, if only briefly, in a small part as a doctor.)

What more can I say? Good comedy, good love story, great acting. None of it, in the end, is very convincing, but if you just focus on the individual moments and not on the grand design - a task made easy by the wonderful writing and playing - it's very easy to like As Good As It Gets.

... which is rather strange since it is one of only seven films to win both Best Actor and Best Actress Oscars for its leads. But it is rather quirky and offbeat with unusual subject matter for a romantic comedy.

Melvin Udall (Jack Nicholson) is a misanthropic and obsessive-compulsive novelist living in New York City. He is abrasive and self absorbed past the point that being OCD could just explain it, or even being misanthropic. He goes out of his way to insult his neighbor, Simon Bishop (Greg Kinnear), a gay artist. And he also throws Simon's dog down the building's garbage chute. I'm a misanthrope, but I don't go around hurling slurs at people or hurting animals.

Among Melvin's compulsions is eating breakfast at a specific diner with a specific waitress, Carol Connely (Helen Hunt). Carol knows how to serve breakfast the specific way that will keep Melvin from having a conniption fit. But Carol's only son has a complicated allergy/asthma situation that her HMO doctors either aren't competent to diagnose or don't have the time to dedicate to solving it, so she's been missing work when her son is ill.

At the same time Simon is looking for subjects to pose for him when he sculpts, and he hires a model who turns out to have violent criminal tendencies and badly injures him.

These events all work to draw these three people together in a most interesting way, and they each wind up helping each other with their problems in unexpected ways.

The film's portrayal of New York City is as vibrant as its characters. The cinematography captures the energy and charm of the city, immersing viewers in its unique atmosphere and acts as a snapshot of New York City as it existed in the late 90s when it was going through a bit of a renaissance.

Special kudos to Cuba Gooding Jr. As Simon's agent who knows how to deal with Melvin by going into scary threatening mode. And also to Simon's dog, who winds up being a catalyst for change in Melvin. The dog should at least have gotten a supporting actor nomination.

Several years ago, my wife watched "As Good As It Gets" and she told me she didn't like the film. So, I avoided it for years....and now I wish I hadn't listened to her. I loved the film---just don't tell her I said so!

The film, to me, was perhaps a bit different experience than it would have been for the average viewer. As a former psychotherapist, I kept trying to analyze Jack Nicholson's character in order to understand the story better. He appeared to either have a variety of personality disorders--including an avoidant personality (where he pretends to HATE everyone and pushes them away to avoid being hurt), an obsessive-compulsive personality (or perhaps an Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) and probably a nice dose of either Asperger's or was just socially retarded. Regardless, this sort of person would NORMALLY live a very solitary and sad existence. However, the film manages to make it seem believable that a man like this could change...some...as well as find love. It's all very improbable but also very charming and sweet. And, later in the film rather oddly romantic. Additionally, the film is, at times, rather funny. Overall, a quirky and well-written film with some terrific acting.

A lot of other stuff has been written about this multi-Oscar-winning film....so I'll just end by saying my wife is 100% wrong...but I still think she's terrific.

It's ironic that the ways in which this seems to have aged poorly-Melvin being homophobic, casually racist, and more-has actually made this movie more relevant. It forces you to think about every main character and the main theme is transparent and codified in dialogue: "You look at someone long enough, you discover their humanity."

A lot of reviews condemn Melvin, but the film actually never asks the question as to whether or not Melvin, in particular, deserves pity, sympathy, and empathy. Because everyone deserves that, even people like him. There is not any real altruism instilled in him, or arguably anybody, but simply by proxy, empathy and love is a transformative experience for everyone involved. That's what the move is about.

Not only that, but adjacent to OCD, which Melvin has, is Tourette's syndrome. I wish it had gone into whether or not any of his verbal compulsions stem from that, but it seems to imply that. Regardless, though, I think that his working toward reparations and his actions speak louder than his words. Surely a remote viewer of an audience can work to extend that kind of empathy to someone who is very challenging to extend it toward? In the time of political polarization and cancel culture and the like, regardless of how you feel about the message of the film, it is more pertinent and interesting and dynamic than most comedies. And no comedy is quite like this, that I've seen.

and this movie can be watched again, and again, and again (at least by me).

By now, most people who watch movies are aware that this one practically swept the Oscars for the year it was produced. It won Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt best Actor/Actress awards, came away with Best Picture and also Greg Kinnear won Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his portrayal of Simon Bishop, a sensitive gay artist.

Seventeen years later the movie stands up well because of its timeless quality. "As Good as it Gets" is a very tight story and performance by all the actors and there is not one moment, scene or actor wasted. The story centers around people's expressions more than most movies. One example is an elderly woman actress who has opened her apartment door to run an errand and her features contort in disgust when she happens upon Melvin Udall, the Jack Nicholson character who is about to do some mischief with his gay neighbor's dog.

Another example is Skeet Ulrich, who plays a street tough who somehow winds up doing a modeling job for Simon (Greg Kinnear) the gay artist. When Simon explains to Vincent (Ulrich) what he is looking for in a pose, Vincent's eyes widen and he murmurs "Wow." Moments later he nonchalantly delivers the type of pose Simon is looking for. Unfortunately, Simon and Vincent's association ends badly and creates a turning point for the movie.

There are also several layers of irony at play in the story. It is ironic that Melvin, a hardcore misanthropist mired in full-blown OCD can somehow deliver romance novels that women love and buy by the barrelful. Also ironic is that Melvin's character transformation begins when he must take care of Simon's dog, an adorable little Brussels Griffon.

It's also ironic that Carol, Helen Hunt's waitress character, works in a restaurant populated by actress-hopefuls who serve diners while striving for their big acting break. Some have stated that Hunt, a fetching but not-too-glamorous actress was too pretty for the role. However she was dressed down just enough for the role to make it work and her understated beauty comes into play in a big way later on in the story.

Finally there's Jack Nicholson. His portrayal of Melvin Udall stands out as one of his great performances because of all the subtle nuances. The shot of him holding Verdell the dog and cooing to him is one of the signature shots not only from the movie but from his whole career. Near 60 when the movie was produced, he comes across more fit and polished than usual, definitely more so that his portrayal of the raucous astronaut in Terms of Endearment, another one of his great performances, which had occurred 13 years earlier.

If you've never seen it what on earth are you waiting for? And if, like me you've seen it over and over, hopefully this review gives some new insight as to why "As Good as it Gets" is so gloriously watchable, over and over again.