As Good as It Gets Reviews

I saw this back when it was a fairly new movie, I think somebody in the family rented it. Back then I did not care for it at all, particularly not the characters played by Helen Hunt (whose performance I found extremely overrated) or Greg Kinnear.

This ended up being another movie I had to watch in class in 2015. I will say, the second time around was a lot more enjoyable. In this case I think it was good that we watched it in German, because I did not have to hear Helen Hunt flatly wailing about why she can't find a boyfriend. The German voice-over actress was not spectacular, but at least she did not have a flat voice. It made the character of Carol slightly more tolerable.

I hated the character of Simon the first time around and the second time around too. I hated how other characters treated him almost like a child and how he seemed to expect a lot more from other characters than he gave in return.

I don't really remember what I felt about Jack Nicholson's character the first time around, but the second time around, I did find Melvin interesting and layered. I hated a line he had early on in the film where he insulted Jews, as it seemed like "we" were supposed to like him for the rest of the movie, so why include that? He insults Simon too, but at least seems to learn the error of his ways, there.

The best parts of the movie by far were "friendship" that develops between Melvin and Simon's dog (who Melvin ends up sitting for and walking after Simon gets injured). By allowing himself to get close to the dog, Melvin slowly starts opening up more to people, such as Carol (the waitress at his favorite diner) and Simon himself.

As a unit, Melvin and Carol are decently interesting together and I didn't mind Melvin and Simon (although I hated in scenes when Simon whined and yelled at Melvin like a sullen teenager.) Simon and Carol, on the other hand, were extremely dull together and Carol's home life did not especially captivate me either (while it is likely very stressful having a son with a long-term illness, Carol was at times very shrill about it and vaguely acted as if she was the only person in the world with such problems. The son, while thankless, at least seemed decent enough.)

In spite of all of the negative things I am managing to find about "As Good as it Gets," it really isn't as bad as I am making it sound. It is well directed with a nice soundtrack and Jack Nicholson (and the German voice actor) really does a nice job in the role of Melvin. As I said, it is especially worthwhile watching him and the dog, particularly his moving and realistic reaction after the dog is returned to Simon. One of Simon's few redeeming qualities was allowing Melvin to walk the dog. I would have preferred more Melvin and less of his friends. Therefore, I will give it a 6 1/2 out of 10 stars

At no point in the movie just believe both characters as the story develops. Too coarse and sentimental performances greatly exaggerated and histrionic. The best, the performance of the little dog. And the worst: one thing is to try to make dreams (Hollywood) and other produce a lie after another. A shame.

I put off watching this movie many times and after at last giving in, I have since wondered why I refused in the first place. The cast are brilliant, the story is entertaining and I just adore it.

"Misunderstood humor", dry humor; unlikely though, predicts exactly where life can lead people. (And how distorted, unfair and bizarre can be the paths.)

Really, how to make something original, fresh and odd out of absolutely nothing except a few characters? Using characters, only characters and nothing except characters. That's the simple formula Brooks uses in all of his work, but, for me, he has never created so much charm, warmth and sensibility as he did in `As good as it gets'.

Characters write the screenplay in this movie, and everything that happens - happens because of what they are. They are nothing special – they are ordinary people we meet in the street every day and that have the same problems a lot of other people have. This movie presents the example of how much you can pull out of that. And if that is written as well as it is in this case, not even a happy ending can bother you. Because, in real life, shown here, what is the end?

Everything is good and warm in this movie, everything is fresh and vivacious, understandable and well performed. Jack Nicholson brings one of the best performances of his career, that terrific Helen Hunt finally got a chance to show how skilfully an actor can connect naturalism with the laws of the camera performance, and Greg Kinnear shows the most convincing emotions coming from a gay character I've ever seen.

The relationships between the characters are created in the way that you can't predict anything that's going to happen, eventhough you know in advance what could come out of their mouth and what kind of attitude they'll have in a certain situation.

You can simply feel the progressive collaboration that occurred between Brooks and the actors and the mutual understanding they developed, and it's not often that you see that kind of artistic superstructure shining on the screen so much as it does here.

I find `As good as it gets' complexed, vital, intelligent, emotionally deep and studied, fresh, original, amusing, cheerful, funny, and one of the best films of 1997.

As good as it gets revolves around a lonely guy named Melvin Udall (Nicholson) into his late fifties or so. He dislikes a lot of things, and is beginning to lose his mind. He lives in an apartment by himself, with a very unfortunate condition "OCD" (obsessive compulsive disorder). I could relate to Nicholson's character from the get go, because I have that condition myself. Anyway, Melvin is asked to watch one of his neighbor's little dogs for awhile. The neighbor is played by Greg Kinnear, who does excellent. He hates the dog at first, then becomes best friends with it. His neighbor becomes great friends with him as well, and they end up bonding throughout. Helen Hunt co-stars, and doesn't disappoint. Melvin is saved by those people, in the way of supporting him, and he realizes that he does have a reason to live. The movie really moved me.

The story expands into greatness, with a lot of bonding, and nearly flawless character development. I have only seen Nicholson so good in a few other films. This is easily one of his best, and I couldn't recommend it more.

9.3/10

''What if this is as good as it gets?''

A single mother/waitress, a misanthropic author, and a gay artist form an unlikely friendship.

Jack Nicholson: Melvin Udall

Helen Hunt: Carol Connelly

Greg Kinnear: Simon Bishop

Nicholson won a well-deserved Oscar for this movie. Then again, I feel like he deserves an Oscar for virtually everything he's been in. Hell, you can even give him an Oscar nod for Anger Management. THATS how great he is! He's one of those actors who can communicate even more emotion when he's not saying anything than when he is. And of course, he has one of the coolest movie star voices ever, so it makes it a joy whenever he does speak. I still feel like "You can't handle the truth!" wouldn't be as priceless a line if Jack didn't yell it. He can say almost any line of dialogue and turn it into gold. In this movie it was "You make me wanna be a better man." Again, an otherwise forgettable line of dialogue made timeless and moving by Jack.

As Good As It Gets is a flawed film but it doesn't matter, with scenes that drag over an overlong running time, but it's highly enjoyable and altogether pretty well-written. Aside from its many hilarious moments, it's also quite touching. But I have to admit that it's the comedy that sticks out most in my memory. There's some priceless gags like when a Jewish couple is sitting at Jack's usual table. He first intrudes into their conversation saying something about his crotch He complains to Helen Hunt, his usual waitress, saying "I have Jews at my table!", He then intrudes in the couple's conversation again, noticing the food on their table, saying "Obviously your appetites aren't as big as your noses." Now, I probably wouldn't want to personally know a man like Melvin in my real life, but I still found those cracks to be hysterically funny. The same when he attacks Greg Kinnear's gay character with constant homosexual slurs.

The performances are great all-around. Though Jack pretty much steals the show, Greg Kinnear gives a wonderfully endearing performance. He doesn't play out the gay stereotypes, yet he's sensitive and feminine enough to have me convinced that he is gay. It's nice to see Kinnear rise from the host of Talk Soup and the thankless late night talk show Later to a fine actor. Previously, I wouldn't have any notion that he could become what he is now. Helen Hunt also gives a compelling, emotionally packed performance. And Shirley Knight, as her mother, provides a little bit of comic relief. Cuba Gooding Jr. has a small but interesting role, and he makes the best of it.
Frank, played by Gooding Jr., decides to give the dog to Melvin, who refuses at first but is left without any option but to obey. He soon achieves a certain subtle love for the beast, and when Simon has healed and comes back for the dog, it doesn't even want to leave. It even starts to develop nasty habits, like avoiding cracks in the sidewalk.
Meanwhile, a troubled single mother and a part-time waitress, Carol is constantly nagged by Melvin. Only she can deliver him food. Only she can take his order. Only she can kick him out of the restaurant. Mistaking this for some sort of sexual craving, she tells Melvin flat-out that she will never sleep with him. He doesn't seem to care. That had never even crossed his mind.
The fact is that Melvin is insufferably lonely. He likes to act as though he likes to be lonely, but the truth is that his loneliness is something he loathes. He would love to reach out and gain some friends--but he's too proud to humble himself in such a way. We all know people like Melvin--he just takes himself to a new extreme.

Melvin is surely one of the great screen characters of all time, ranking up there with Raymond Rain Man Babbitt and Forrest Gump as some of the most unique and likable inventions to ever grace the big screen. Nicholson presents his character in an especially effective way--at first he seems gruff, then he seems strange, then his soft side is revealed, and he slowly becomes the likable mean guy who lives upstairs and likes to try and kill neighbors' dogs.
Hunt won the Oscar for her work in As Good As It Gets, but it was truly Nicholson who deserved it.
Regardless of all this, As Good As It Gets still stands alone as one of the cleverest romantic comedies of all time, and certainly one that both sexes can agree on. The film features some of the most memorable lines ever written on paper, the majority of them all coming from the lips of Melvin Udall, perfectly spoken by a typical gruff Jack Nicholson. They all come off as utterly hilarious and convincing.

"How old are you? If I would guess by your eyes, I'd say you're fifty."

"If I went by your eyes I'd say you were kind.''

This is the type of new-age romantic comedy that rivals the greatness of When Harry Met Sally or Sleepless in Seattle. It's founded in its characters, their lives, their interaction, and how they learn to overcome their own personal obstacles and moral obligations. This film carries all the Autumn-time sweetness and cleverness of a Rob Reiner comedy, and all the lightness of a Frank Capra movie.

I just like to end with the scene for me that really touched me in it's deep awe inspiring glory, that shows a bold definition of what love can truly be like:

Melvin Udall
I've got a really great compliment for you, and it's true.

Carol Connelly
I'm so afraid you're about to say something awful.

Melvin Udall
Don't be pessimistic, it's not your style. Okay, here I go: Clearly, a mistake. I've got this, what - ailment? My doctor, a shrink that I used to go to all the time, he says that in fifty or sixty percent of the cases, a pill really helps. I *hate* pills, very dangerous thing, pills. Hate. I'm using the word "hate" here, about pills. Hate. My compliment is, that night when you came over and told me that you would never... well, you were there, you know what you said. Well, my compliment to you is, the next morning, I started taking the pills.

Carol Connelly
I don't quite get how that's a compliment for me.

Melvin Udall
You make me want to be a better man.

Carol Connelly
That's maybe the best compliment of my life.

Melvin Udall
Well, maybe I overshot a little, because I was aiming at just enough to keep you from walking out.

I've never really been into romance flicks all that much. The few that I do enjoy usually tend to have a sort of a sharp or jagged edge to 'em. And this one definitely does thru Jack's portrayal of a writer with "redrum" on his mind. At least, he does with the little dog during the opening sequence.
Nicholson eases thru the role of a crusty curmudgeon with psychologically-based anti-social issues ( Is it just me or does it seem that the majority of Jack's most memorable roles always have something seriously askew upstairs? Or am I just being crazy?), & he does so with the insane-like smoothness of an actor who can do this blindfolded.
And the fact that, at the same time, he still manages to allow himself to deliver lines that make the ladies go "awwww...", therefore, substantially increasing the chances of me "gettin' some" with my date on the night I saw this film, & it becomes easy to see why this is a romantic comedy that provides an end-result that can be pleasing to both males & females alike.