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As Good As It Gets (1997)
Released By: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment   Rating: PG-13   In Theaters: N/A
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Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Genre: Comedy
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Director: James L. Brooks
Language: English
Official Website: N/A
Theatrical Release: N/A
Home Video Release: N/A
Cast: Helen Hunt, Jack Nicholson, Greg Kinnear, Cuba Gooding Jr.
Published ID: 7309
UPC: 043396217096, 043396217096,
Plot: James L. Brooks (Terms of Endearment, Broadcast News) directed this $50 million-plus romantic comedy, set in Manhattan. Dysfunctional, acid-tongued romance novelist Melvin Udall (Jack Nicholson), who suffers from an obsessive-compulsive disorder, takes pride in his ability to offend. At a nearby cafe, the only waitress willing to stand up to his sarcastic tirades is Carol Connelly (Helen Hunt), a single mother struggling to raise her chronically asthmatic son. In Melvin's West Village apartment building, talented contemporary artist Simon Nye (Greg Kinnear) lives across the hall from Melvin. Simon is the current darling of the New York art world, reason enough to draw Melvin's verbal fire, but Simon's gay lifestyle is further grist for the novelist's malicious mill. These three New Yorkers, none of whom appears to have a chance in hell at finding true happiness, discover their fates intertwined because of the fourth complicated character in the piece, Verdell, a tiny Brussels Griffon dog (played by newcomer Jill, after a 15-week training program). Melvin seems to have no friends or family, and he lives alone, working on his 62nd book. When Simon goes into the hospital after a brutal mugging, Melvin has to take care of Verdell, and the dog actually warms Melvin's cold heart -- to the degree that he sets up unsolicited medical care for Carol's son. Eventually, Melvin is cornered into driving Simon and Carol to Baltimore, and during a hotel stopover, Melvin confesses to Carol, You make me want to be a better man. The trip becomes an odyssey of self-realization for all three. Locations included Brooklyn's Prospect Park (Carol's neighborhood) and Greenwich Village (where Melvin's building is on 12th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues). Other exteriors were shot in downtown Los Angeles, where a dilapidated transient hotel at the corner of 4th Street and Main was transformed into the chic cafe where Carol works. Sets for the Simon/Melvin apartment interiors were erected on a soundstage at the Sony Pictures lot. Simon's paintings were created for the film by New York artist Billy Sullivan, whose work is part of the modern art collection at NYC's Metropolitan Museum of Art and the New Orleans Museum of Art. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
IDDateTimeTitleReviewHelpfulVotesTotalVotes
As Good As It Gets for Romantic Comedy
Added 6/24/2009

Calling this fantastic film a romantic comedy is misleading because it is so much better than what we typically label as romantic comedy. Helen Hunt is fantastic as the nice waitress to Mr. Mean Jack Nicholson who gives a stellar performance as a sharp tongued obsessive compulsive unable to find any joy in life. Greg Kinnear and Cuba Gooding Jr. also do a great job in this film. This makes you examine what makes a good couple and how two total mismatches can come together. Power Path to Love
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
What a life, what a movie!
Added 5/29/2009

When things, most of the time challenges, happen that bring our vulnerability up front, we begin to re-exam the meaning of life and transform to, hopefully better human-beings.

The characters created in this movie are realistic and the plot is ideal and dreamy. Here we meet Melvin who suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder and has been forced/pushed to his lonely safety corner, Carol who is afraid to face herself and hidden in her son's demanding illness, and Simon the gay artist who seems to have a promising future until he got brutally mugged. With such great social difficulties, luckily Melvin is rich and he finds confidence in work. Carol the poor single mom waitress is blessed with a supportive mother and a good spirited son..... When all people meet, they bring each other new perspectives and dimensions to life. It makes me laugh and cry watching it and feel satisfied afterword.

Although we can't always expect comedy in life, but sometimes things do result in a way that in the end it will all make sense ~ thank you for reminding us by making this wonderful film.

0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS
Added 3/21/2009

I don't believe this is Nicholson's greatest performance ( and his career has been filled with so many phenominal portrayals after all... ), but it's definitely one of his funniest. Helen Hunt, and Greg Kinnear, on the other hand, are absolutely incredible, as Melvin's ( Nicholson's ) love interest, and a gay, artist neighbor respectively. Rarely has a romantic comedy been as insightful, moving, or intellectually satisfying as director, James L. Brooks' AS GOOD AS IT GETS ( which he co-wrote ). This is an utterly delectible film that should be in any Nicholson collection, or in any comedy collection.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
Awful.
Added 12/4/2008

As Good As It Gets starring Jack Nicholson is the worst movie ever to win an Oscar for best picture. I hate this movie in every way possible, Helen Hunt is horrible in this, can't believe she won an Oscar as well. Greg Kinnear is the only saving grace here and even Old Jack looks uninspired. This film is not funny or touching, just plain unbearable.
0 out of 5 people found this helpful.
Hilarious
Added 11/18/2008

This is a great movie. It is a great romantic comedy with the main character, played by Jack Nicholson, has OCD. It is sad/dramatic at times but overall it is pretty amusing. I think the best actor in the entire movie is the dog. The dog is just amazing. I absolutely love this movie and have watched it over a dozen times. It never gets old.
1 out of 2 people found this helpful.
As Good As It Gets for Romantic Comedy
Added 6/24/2009

Calling this fantastic film a romantic comedy is misleading because it is so much better than what we typically label as romantic comedy. Helen Hunt is fantastic as the nice waitress to Mr. Mean Jack Nicholson who gives a stellar performance as a sharp tongued obsessive compulsive unable to find any joy in life. Greg Kinnear and Cuba Gooding Jr. also do a great job in this film. This makes you examine what makes a good couple and how two total mismatches can come together. Power Path to Love
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
What a life, what a movie!
Added 5/29/2009

When things, most of the time challenges, happen that bring our vulnerability up front, we begin to re-exam the meaning of life and transform to, hopefully better human-beings.

The characters created in this movie are realistic and the plot is ideal and dreamy. Here we meet Melvin who suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder and has been forced/pushed to his lonely safety corner, Carol who is afraid to face herself and hidden in her son's demanding illness, and Simon the gay artist who seems to have a promising future until he got brutally mugged. With such great social difficulties, luckily Melvin is rich and he finds confidence in work. Carol the poor single mom waitress is blessed with a supportive mother and a good spirited son..... When all people meet, they bring each other new perspectives and dimensions to life. It makes me laugh and cry watching it and feel satisfied afterword.

Although we can't always expect comedy in life, but sometimes things do result in a way that in the end it will all make sense ~ thank you for reminding us by making this wonderful film.

0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS
Added 3/21/2009

I don't believe this is Nicholson's greatest performance ( and his career has been filled with so many phenominal portrayals after all... ), but it's definitely one of his funniest. Helen Hunt, and Greg Kinnear, on the other hand, are absolutely incredible, as Melvin's ( Nicholson's ) love interest, and a gay, artist neighbor respectively. Rarely has a romantic comedy been as insightful, moving, or intellectually satisfying as director, James L. Brooks' AS GOOD AS IT GETS ( which he co-wrote ). This is an utterly delectible film that should be in any Nicholson collection, or in any comedy collection.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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