As Good As It Gets

Starring: Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt, Greg Kinnear, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Skeet Ulrich
Directed by: James L. Brooks
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Comedy, Romance, Drama
Box Office: $148,478,011
1997

Times Seen:
Tim: 2

Awards:
The Movie Files Movie Championship II: Sweet Sixteen

Summary: Obsessive-compulsive Melvin Udall (Jack Nicholson) is a nasty man who is mean to all those around him, including his gay neighbor (Greg Kinnear), and Carol, (Helen Hunt) a waitress at the restaurant he constantly frequents. When his neighbor is attacked and robbed, Melvin is forced to dogsit Verdell- a new situation which throws his life out of kilter. As Melvin makes a small change, he begins to listen to those around him including Carol, and begins to take a realistic look at his life.

Review:

Tim: I know its a bad pun, but as far as romantic comedies go, this is about as good as it gets. This movie is hilarious, has terrific characters, and amazing actors that make truly unforgettable characters. As Good As It Gets is hands down one of the top 5 romantic comedies of the 1990s.

Jack Nicholson really makes this movie. He is wonderful, giving a powerful and complex performance. He delivers his lines crisply and benefits from some truly amazing writing. Though some declared he did not deserve the Academy Award given to him for this role, I believe that his performance was definitely Oscar-worthy.

In addition to Jack, Helen Hunt gives perhaps the best performance of her career. She was great in Twister, but nothing she's done on the silver screen or on TV can compare to the raw emotion she shows in this film. She also won an Academy Award performance for her role.

Greg Kinnear completes the hat trick in this film, giving an equally excellent performance. While nominated, he didn't win for Best Supporting Actor, but it doesn't really matter, because he shines in this role and nothing can take away from his terrific performance. On a side note, Cuba Gooding, Jr. has a small, but no less well-played performance. Oh, and Verdell, the dog, is one of the cutest animals on screen I have ever seen.

The best part of As Good As It Gets is that it moves you in so many ways. It asks some incredible questions, but most notably, Nicholson's, "What if this is as good as it gets?" line. This is a remarkably powerful film. It is definitely worth watching.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 9



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Twister, Something's Gotta Give, Batman, Dear God,