Review of As Good as It Gets (1997) by Melina G — 24 Jun 2011

A wonderful romantic comedy. I didn't expect to like it as much as I did. It's got a lot of heart but it's not "mushy". In fact, it seems to strive NOT to be sappy in any sense of the word. But I still found myself laughing even when I had tears in my eyes, because the movie is both bitingly witty and a successful tugger of the ol' heartstrings.

The cast is terrific. Even the *dog* was great. Nicholson plays Melvin Urdell, an OCD novelist with a razor sharp tongue who revels in the gift of shamelessly insulting anybody unfortunate enough to stumble in his path. Helen Hunt is Carol, a single mom who struggles to care for her asthmatic son, Spencer, while working as a waitress at the local diner where Melvin frequents. She's the only one who stands up to Melvin's bullcrap and he takes note. Greg Kinnear is Melvin's neighbor, a gay artist whose dog and lifestyle receive the brunt end of Melvin's bad attitude and disapproval. After Simon is beaten nearly to death by robbers, his art dealer Frank (played by Cuba Gooding, Jr.) forces Melvin to take care of Verdell, Simon's little strange-looking dog. Over time, Melvin and Verdell form a special bond and this task of taking care of something other than himself inadvertantly transforms Melvin. He starts to love this little thing to death and is even sad when he has to return him to Simon. However, Melvin's metamorphosis doesn't stop there. Something snaps, and he begins to show concern-- not just for the dog whom he originally dropped down a trash chute at the beginning of the film-- but for his fellow man. We see that he possesses an impeccable streak of kindness and charity. He sends a doctor to personally look after Carol's son so she can come back to work, and takes it upon himself to pay the costs of the healthcare bill. In the mean time, Melvin walks Simon's dog while Simon comes to grips with the fact that he is about to lose his apartment and nobody wants to buy his art anymore.

At Frank's behest, Melvin is recruited to drive Simon to Baltimore to attempt to salvage Simon's fortunes. Melvin manages to convince Carol to go, who by now seems to be wrestling violently with a growing affection for the perpetually rude Melvin. While the road trip ends a bit differently than expected-- for everyone-- the trio's lives are changed forever. Helen Hunt, to me, is the treasure of this movie with Nicholson coming in a very, very close second. Her desperation as a mother and her visible desire to both combat her feelings for Melvin and cave into them is so believable and heartfelt. You can see every emotion playing out in her eyes and I think it marks a wonderful acting talent.

It's a movie about *really* getting to know people. The people we brush aside because, on the surface, they don't look like people we could *ever* be friends with, can be the greatest, kindest human beings you'll ever meet. "As Good As It Gets" is an un-PC, hilarious, and oftentimes tear-jerking reminder to never judge a book by its cover.