As Good as It Gets
As Good as It Gets

As Good as It Gets

1997Movie139 minEnglish

A misanthropic author, a single mother and waitress, and a gay artist form an unlikely friendship after the artist is assaulted in a robbery.

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Insights

IMDb7.7/10
Rotten Tomatoes86%
Metacritic79/100
Google Users85%
Director: James L. BrooksGenres: Comedy, Drama, Romance

Plot Summary

A curmudgeonly, obsessive-compulsive novelist named Melvin Udall finds his meticulously ordered life thrown into chaos when he is forced to look after his neighbor's dog and develops an unlikely relationship with a waitress at his favorite café. As their lives intertwine, Melvin begins to confront his own deeply ingrained misanthropy and fears, leading to unexpected personal growth.

Critical Reception

As Good as It Gets was a critical and commercial success, widely praised for its sharp writing, direction, and particularly for the performances of its lead actors, Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt, who both won Academy Awards for their roles. The film struck a chord with audiences for its blend of dark humor and heartfelt character development.

What Reviewers Say

  • Jack Nicholson delivers a tour-de-force performance as a complex and unlikeable protagonist.
  • Helen Hunt provides a grounded and compelling counterpoint to Nicholson's character.
  • The film successfully balances humor and pathos, exploring themes of redemption and connection.

Google audience: Audiences widely appreciated the film's strong performances, particularly from Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt, and found the story to be a surprisingly touching and humorous exploration of human connection and personal change.

Awards & Accolades

Won 2 Academy Awards (Best Actor for Jack Nicholson, Best Actress for Helen Hunt), 2 Golden Globe Awards (Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for Jack Nicholson, Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for Helen Hunt), and received numerous other nominations.

Fun Fact

Jack Nicholson's character, Melvin Udall, has Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and the filmmakers consulted with an OCD specialist to ensure an accurate and sensitive portrayal.

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My Review

TMDB Reviews

3 reviews
CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

Greg Kinnear ("Simon") finds himself in hospital after a brutal bit of gay-bashing, and that means that his small, yappie, dog ("Jill") has to be entrusted to his rather curmudgeonly, author neighbour "Melvin" (Jack Nicholson) - not exactly...
Rob

Rob

This movie will hit you hard, force you to think about your biases and make you pretty damn uncomfortable. But don't fret, you'll feel better by the end. And Nicholson is so natural as a misanthrope.
Andre Gonzales

Andre Gonzales

When I first saw this movie I thought it was going to be a funny movie. It's actually a serious drama movie. I still liked it but he's a prick in this movie.