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Essay on As Good As It Gets
Introduction:
A slow-burning romantic comedy that builds upon a witty script and smart cast, As Good As It Gets ably distracts our attention from its few flaws. In the hurly-burly of Manhattan even someone as obviously weird as Melvin Udall (Jack Nicholson) can get by, ignored by the swell of humanity. Haphazardly picking his way along the sidewalk, avoiding the cracks, Melvin is comfortable in his routine. He scrubs his hands obsessively, harangues anyone who upsets him and expects breakfast to be served by Carol Connelly (Helen Hunt).
She's just one of the cafe's many waitresses but Melvin won't accept service from another, maybe because Carol tolerates his vile stream of invective.
In his high-rent apartment block Melvin counts no neighbour as a friend and doesn't consider this to be a loss. Just as long as Melvin's not disturbed in his writing (successful romantic novels, amazingly) he'll refrain from railing against all and sundry.
Yet disturb his equilibrium, as gay neighbour Simon Bishop (Greg Kinnear) is wont to do, and Melvin will pin your ears back with his no-holds-barred language. Simon's art-dealer buddy Frank Sachs (Cuba Gooding Jr.) can't quite believe the unwarranted attack that he is witness to, all down to Simon's little dog. The crisis comes when Carol's son Spencer (Jesse James) falls ill, meaning that she can no longer wait on Melvin.( Kopp, Craig (1997))
While As Good As It Gets is likely to be billed as a romantic comedy, this is a case of false advertising. While there are fragments of feeling scattered throughout, piling up in drifts towards the end, the film is generally more harsh and plain speaking than is typical of the genre.
Here, thanks to director and writer James L. Brooks, we have a situation where the role fits the performer with cling-film tightness. Nicholson....
