AS GOOD AS IT GETS
SYNOPSIS:
Melvin Udall (Jack Nicholson) is an obsessive-compulsive loser
with a biggish heart beneath his annoying facade. Melvin has a
gay neighbour, Simon (Greg Kinnear), who is robbed and severely
beaten up by a gang of punks and hospitalised. Melvin is asked to
look after his little dog Verdell, which he reluctantly does.
Udall visits a cafe every day to be served by Carol (Helen Hunt),
the only waitress who will put up with his insulting antics.
Helen’s child Spence has asthma, and she is constantly
worrying about him, and never has any time to go out, much to the
chagrin of her mother (Shirley Knight). Melvin, who makes his
money writing sickly romance novels, gets the child the best care
money can buy, and insists on paying the bill. About the same
time, Simon comes out of the hospital to find that he owes
$61,000 in medical bills. He must go to Baltimore to seek out his
parents, who have disowned him – just in case. However his
manager Frank (Cuba Gooding Jr) is unable to drive him, so it is
up to Melvin, who asks – no, begs - Carol to come along. The
three head down to Baltimore and discover love, insecurity,
jealousy, and friendship.
"As Good As It Gets is a delicious gem with a lead
character whose compulsive and obsessive absurdities are
engaging, played with relish by the irrepressible Jack Nicholson.
Nicholson is hugely entertaining as the paradoxical romance
fiction writer, whose life is so far removed from romance, that
the phrase ‘write about what you know’ applies only in
converse. His characterisation manages to be at once
over-the-top, amusing, despicable, poignant, sad and vulnerable.
James L. Brooks not only gets the very best from Nicholson, but
also evokes top performances from Helen Hunt and Greg Kinnear.
Hunt is Nicholson’s perfect counterpart - a pragmatic,
no-nonsense gal with special attributes, which include tolerance
and yards of patience. Hunt delivers a simply stunning
performance, full of nuance and sensibility, yet with a good
natured matter-of-factness that earths her like an electric
current. Greg Kinnear - so cardboard-like in Sabrina - has
wonderful screen presence here, showing his range and screen
appeal. Adding to the appeal of the players is Jill as Verdell, the adorable pouch-with-attitude and scene-stealing ability, a
rare European breed of Brussels Griffon – actually played by
six extremely well-trained canine personalities. The scene where
Jack Nicholson indicates and coaxes the dog to go to screen
owner, Greg Kinnear and not him, is one that animal-dotty owners
will relate to with humour and relish. Here is a film that throws
three un-like characters together, gives them a stir, and then we
find that they perhaps have more in common than at first seems. A
trifle long, As Good As It Gets jumps out as being original in
its characters, marvellous in its performances and a hugely
entertaining mix of the muddle of complex personalities."
Louise Keller
"James L. Brooks is one of the film makers in Hollywood
who can write, and with As Good As It Gets, the creator of such
classic sitcoms as The Mary Tyler Moore Show, has written up a
storm. Here is a movie of the old fashioned variety, one with a
detailed sense of character, narrative structure and brilliant
writing to go along with the mix. Brooks has also coupled that
with a faultless cast that brings wonderful menagerie of vivid
characters to life. As with Terms of Endearment, Brooks knows how
to bring the best out of Nicholson, giving him a richly detailed
character who embarks on a genuine journey of self-discovery.
Whether bitingly mouthing his barbed insults, or displaying
visible pain of loneliness, Nicholson’s bravura performance
is a miracle of contemporary screen acting, minus the usual
schtick one associates with the actor. Before Mad About You,
Helen Hunt was an illuminating actress (just check out her work
on the lesser seen Waterdance for evidence). Here, Hunt is
magical, funny, touching, beautiful yet very real in her look and
performance. While Greg Kinnear, who made his screen debut in the
regrettable Sabrina, gives an exquisitely heartfelt performance
as the artist. Cuba Gooding Jnr is also wonderfully effective as
Simon’s art dealer. Seamlessly directed by Brooks, and
beautifully shot, As Good As It Gets, sparkles with wit and
humanity, without resorting to typical cliches. Matched by a
winning musical score, this is a movie that sets out to prove
that with great writing, a Hollywood film can rise to the
occasion, and then some. This is truly a work that’s as good
as it gets."
Paul Fischer
"Yes, well all that is true, (Louise and Paul, above) but
so is the criticism (below) that it is implausible and ultimately
featherweight in dramatic terms. So what? Brooks is telling a
romantic comedy but one in which the (unlikely, over-age,
overbearing and selfish) boy does meet the (driven, divorced and
desperate) girl, in an unholy scenario that engages a small dog
owned by a gay artist neighbour as the catalyst for redeeming
said sad boy. It is from this quirkiness of the situation that
the comedy and entertainment value derives, and frankly,
it’s damn good entertainment. There is no doubt, of course,
that it requires the talents of this top notch cast to pull it
off with panache and flair, which they do."
Andrew L. Urban
  
 
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CRITICAL COUNT
Favourable: 3
Unfavourable: 0
Mixed: 1
____________________
Press Conference
with JACK NICHOLSON,
JAMES L. BROOKS & GREG KINNEAR
at Sydney's
Hotel Intercontinental,
on Monday Jan 12, 1998
FEATURE
Lynden Barber's SOUNDTRACK REVIEW
AS GOOD AS IT GETS (M)
(US)
CAST: Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt, Greg Kinnear, Cuba Gooding
Jr, Skeet Ulrich, Shirley Knight, Yeardley Smith, Lupe Ontiveros
DIRECTOR: James L. Brooks
PRODUCER: James L. Brooks, Bridget Johnson, Kristi Zea
SCRIPT: James L. Brooks
CINEMATOGRAPHER: John Bailey
EDITOR: Richard Marks
MUSIC: Hans Zimmer
PRODUCTION DESIGN: Bill Brzeski
RUNNING TIME: 138 minutes
AWARDS: Nominated for six Golden Globe Awards, including Best
Film, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Best
Director (1998)
AUSTRALIAN DISTRIBUTOR: Columbia TriStar
AUSTRALIAN RELEASE: February 5, 1998
Video Distrib: Col TriStar
Release: Mar 99
RRP: $24.95
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