Yar, you be here: As Good As It Gets > Customer Reviews

As Good As It Gets Customer Reviews (55 - 57 of 68 Reviews)

It Speaks for Itself
Jack Nicholson has a certain character down pat, and has played that character with variations for the last decade. When Jack Nicholson plays obsessive-compulsive Melvin Udall, a reclusive writer with a routine so set that even the most minor deviation causes mental anguish, the results are continuously hilarious.

To be funny Jack requires other good actors, and in this movie Jack gets Helen Hunt as waitress and love interest Carol Connelly, Greg Kinnear as alternate lifestyle artist Simon Bishop, Cuba Gooding as Greg's agent Frank Sachs, and a wonderful little dog named Verdell.

As you would expect Melvin holds rigid opinions about everyone and everything. Fortunately he rarely has to interface with anyone at length, so his unreserved comments about others rarely offend others to the point where they refuse to deal with him, or worse, hit him. However, two events conspire to force Melvin to change.

First, Simon is beat up by a group of men robbing his house. Someone has to take care of Verdell the dog, and Melvin is forced into taking care of Verdell by Cuba Gooding. At first Melvin is completely unable to tolerate the dog, but the dog slowly wins Melvin over, putting a small chink into Melvin's curmudgeon armor.

The second event that upsets Melvin's rigid life is that Carol misses a day of work. Melvin must be served by Carol or his breakfast routine just is not right. Melvin finds Carol at her house and discovers that she is being kept at home by her sick son. Not letting anything stand in his way, Melvin arranges for a doctor to take care of Carol's son. As Melvin gets to know Carol better, her opinion of him starts to matter, and Melvin finds that he is falling in love with Carol. I leave the rest of this story to the viewer.

It is easy to find fault with Jack Nicholson in this role because this role was his with little or no effort. However, it matters not that this role fits with Jack Nicholson's character so well that you would think Jack is just like his character in real life, what matters is that Jack is perfectly believable. The change that we see in Jack throughout this movie and the interactions with the various characters that brings about this change is the heart of this movie. That watching the change is humorous and makes you feel good is just that much more benefit.

This movie is the rare funny, feel good movie that makes you want to watch it again. Perhaps the theme is just a bit trite, but we all want to believe in the core good of all people. Watch this movie and enjoy the easy smile it puts on your face.

A BEAUTIFUL MOVIE.
It seems like year after year after year I am consistently disappointed with the films and actors chosen for Academy Award nominations. I usually don't even bother to watch the awards show because it's very rare that there is anyone I really want to win. 1998 was one of those rare exceptions...and it was because of this movie.

There is something about Helen Hunt that fascinates me. Not only is she able to display believable emotions but more importantly she always comes across as someone whom the viewer truly, deeply cares about. I am not embarrassed to admit that I cried on more than one occasion during this film. It was at times heartbreaking to watch her character suffer through so many difficult situations.

"As Good As It Gets" features the talents of Helen Hunt, Jack Nicholson, Cuba Gooding Jr., Greg Kinnear and the underrated Shirley Knight. There is, of course, a plot to the film but it seems secondary to what this movie really is about...human interaction. Jack Nicholson plays Melvin, a completely neurotic person who won't step on cracks in the sidewalk and actually brings his own silverware to the only restaurant he'll eat at. Helen Hunt plays Carol, a waitress with whom Melvin becomes quite smitten with. Simon (Greg Kinnear) is a gay tenant in Melvin's building and Kevin (Cuba Gooding Jr.) is his lover.

Circumstances come about which send Melvin, Carol and Simon on a road trip to remember. I would usually go more into detail about the plot mechanics but they seem almost trivial in a movie of this caliber. The true enjoyment is watching some of the finest actors of our time doing what they do best. You really want to see these characters find true happiness. If you are one of the few people who have yet to see this film then please, please go out and rent it...or better yet, buy a copy. You'll be crying with Helen Hunt, laughing hysterically at Jack Nicholson's antics and will feel amazingly fulfilled when the beautiful ending rolls around. "As Good As It Gets" is a modern classic.

Very enjoyable film,but had it's bad point...Helen Hunt
Jack N. is an extremely talented actor and did a great job as usual in this movie,but his performance didn't blow me away,and I thought it was too easy a part for him to play to win the oscar for it.

I can describe Helen Hunt's performance in one word: TERRIBLE. I love her on Mad About You but I think she should stick to the sitcoms.Her acting in this movie is about the only thing wrong with it.I've seen her do dramatic acting on her TV show and it was fine...quite good actually.I don't know what went wrong with this movie and I'm disgusted that she won the oscar.

The dog was GREAT. He deserved the oscar.

Greg Kinnear blew me away with his portrayl of the lonely gay neighbor and I thought he was wonderful in the part, which was very different then anything else I'd seen him in.

The story was great but Jack's obsessive compulsive behavior was nothing compared to what people in real life with the disorder go through, and that bothered me a bit.

Overall it's a very good film which I recomend if you can stand Helen Hunt.

Previous Page

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23

Next Page