Review of As Good as It Gets (1997) by Raji K — 05 Nov 2016

Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt star in As Good as It Gets. Nicholson is Melvin Udall, a successful writer who is self-absorbed, cranky and obsessive-compulsive. He does not ever miss a chance to throw out an insult and is hated by his neighbors. His closest neighbor is a gay artist Simon Bishop (Greg Kinnear) who is constantly at odds with Melvin particularly in regards to his dog. The only thing that Melvin does seem to get enjoyment out of is the breakfast that he orders every day at a local diner. He meets Carol Connelly a waitress there, and she can tolerate him at best.

Carol sacrifices all of her social life and time to take care of her son who is ill. So, insistent is Melvin in his routine that he even pays for a doctor to take care of her son, so that Carol will serve him breakfast in the morning. To thank him, the two begin forming a relationship. Meanwhile Simon is robbed and beaten severely which makes Melvin watch for his dog. Between Carol and the dog, and Simon's eventual return, Melvin goes through quite a change in his daily routine. As Good as It Gets it not really a story driven film, but it is a character driven one. It is all about relationships and development. A person's character is shown when they come across change or are afflicted with tragedy. Few movies can better capture how another person can change for the better when in love or influenced by another.

Although the film is in many ways a romantic comedy, it is not a traditional one. Carol looks for a man who is normal and her mother is quick to remind her that there is no such thing. Kinnear was endearing and he ties all the aspects of the story and characters. He was rightfully nominated for best supporting actor. Nicholson has some great lines that do not stand alone as a great quote, but they capture the scene perfectly. I think this is one of the best performances of his career. It is hard to write an encapsulate how great this film really is without watching it, because the premise or synopsis of the film really does not sound appealing. Nicholson and Hunt provide excellent performances and both deserved their Oscars for best actor and actress.

-11.5.2016.