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    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Movies»Movies by Decade»1990s Movies»Movies 1997
    Movies 1997 Movies A 2 Mins Read

    As Good As It Gets (1997)

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    Melvin Udall (Jack Nicholson) is a bitter, homophobic bigot suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder. He insults everyone, lives alone, and writes trashy novels for a living.

    asgoodasitgets_000The staff and fellow diners at his local restaurant live in fear of Melvin’s outbursts – with the exception of Carol (Helen Hunt), his regular waitress, with whom he begins an unlikely friendship.

    Melvin makes a crass, very mean comment about Carol’s son, who is sick, and for Carol, this is one step too far. She makes him apologise – it’s not easy – but more importantly, she makes Melvin feel something. And he hasn’t felt anything in years, and now this is the beginning of him feeling a lot. Mainly for Carol, but also for a dog, and for all the other people he’s been mean to in his life.

    Hunt plays that corniest of Hollywood characters – the lonely, frustrated waitress with a problem child. Offered the role when Holly Hunter turned it down, she won an Oscar for her pains (as did Nicholson), and she breathes life into the part, outshining her co-star and his trademark grouchy act.

    The picture is a mixed blessing, shot on oddly retro studio sets and featuring Greg Kinnear in the clichéd role of a tormented homosexual artist with the pet dog.

    asgoodasitgets6

    Melvin Udall
    Jack Nicholson
    Carol Connelly
    Helen Hunt
    Simon Bishop
    Greg Kinnear
    Frank Sachs
    Cuba Gooding Jr
    Vincent
    Skeet Ulrich
    Beverly
    Shirley Knight
    Jackie
    Yeardley Smith
    Nora
    Lupe Ontiveros
    Carl
    Ross Bleckner
    Dr Green
    Lawrence Kasdan
    Dr Bettes
    Harold Ramis

    Director
    James L Brooks

    Video

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