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As Good as It Gets

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For the album, see Deniece Williams discography. For the 1997 professional wrestling event, see ECW As Good as It Gets.

As Good as It Gets
Jack Nicholson, portraying as Melvin Udall, seen wearing sunglasses looks upward smiling. The top headline reads "Brace Yourself for Melvin". Between the film's title and addition credits, another tagline reads "A comedy from the heart that goes for the throat."
Theatrical release poster
Directed byJames L. Brooks
Screenplay by
Story byMark Andrus
Produced by
  • James L. Brooks
  • Bridget Johnson
  • Kristi Zea
Starring
CinematographyJohn Bailey
Edited byRichard Marks
Music byHans Zimmer
Production
companies
Distributed bySony Pictures Releasing
Release dates
Running time
139 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$50 million[1]
Box office$314.1 million[1]

As Good as It Gets is a 1997 American romantic comedy film directed by James L. Brooks from a screenplay he co-wrote with Mark Andrus. It stars Jack Nicholson as a misanthropic, bigoted and obsessive–compulsive novelist, Helen Hunt as a single mother with a chronically ill son, and Greg Kinnear as a gay artist.

As Good as It Gets premiered at the Regency Village Theatre on December 6, 1997, and was released theatrically in the United States on Christmas Day. A critical and box office hit, it grossed $314.1 million on a $50 million budget. At the 70th Academy Awards, the film was nominated for seven awards, including Best Picture. Nicholson won for Best Actor and Hunt for Best Actress, making As Good as It Gets the most recent film to win both of the lead-acting awards. It is ranked 140th on Empire magazine's "The 500 Greatest Movies of All Time" list.[2]

Plot

[edit]

Misanthropic New York City best-selling romance novelist Melvin Udall has obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). He uses soap bars only once to wash his hands, uses paper towels to touch public restroom faucets and door handles, avoids stepping on sidewalk cracks, has rituals with switches and locks, and sticks to rigid routines. Melvin always eats breakfast at the same table in the same restaurant while bringing his own plastic silverware. Carol Connelly is the only server at the restaurant who can tolerate his odd and rude behavior.

Melvin's apartment neighbor, gay artist Simon Bishop, starts working with a new model, Vincent Lopiano. Vincent uses the opportunity to case Simon's apartment and give entry to his friends, who assault and nearly kill Simon during the robbery. Simon's agent, Frank Sachs, intimidates Melvin into caring for Simon's Griffon Bruxellois (pet dog), Verdell, while Simon is hospitalized. Although Melvin initially does not enjoy caring for the dog, he becomes emotionally attached to it. When Simon is released from the hospital, Melvin tolerates a neighborly relationship with Simon so he can continue to see Verdell.

Melvin's OCD need for routine and aversion to change is aggravated when Carol decides to work closer to her home in Brooklyn to be more accessible for her acutely asthmatic son, Spencer. Unable to adjust to a different waitress, Melvin arranges to pay for Spencer's considerable medical expenses for at-home care―if Carol returns to the restaurant. While Carol is overwhelmed by Melvin’s generosity, thanking him profusely, she is suspicious of his motives, declaring emphatically that she will never have sex with him. A humiliated Melvin admonishes her that she, not he, has made the situation personal.

Meanwhile, Simon’s injuries, lack of medical insurance, and high medical bills cause him to go bankrupt and fall into depression. Frank persuades him to go to Baltimore to ask his estranged parents for money. Bullied by Frank, Melvin reluctantly agrees to take recuperating Simon to Baltimore. Frank lends Melvin his Saab 900 convertible for the trip. Irrationally fearing Simon may make a pass at him (his cover story), Melvin invites Carol along on the trip, reminding her that she owes him a favor, and she reluctantly accepts. Relationships develop among the three on the trip as Simon discusses the root of his estrangement with his parents, who cannot accept his homosexuality; Carol commiserates; and Melvin’s acerbic remarks gradually become more sympathetic.

Once in Baltimore, Carol persuades Melvin to take her out for dinner. Melvin's conversation during the dinner initially flatters her—he tells her that her “no sex oath” made him start taking medication to become a better man. When Carol presses Melvin to admit that he invited her on the trip because he had feelings for her, however, an embarrassed and fumbling Melvin again clumsily deflects, awkwardly responding that he invited her along to maybe have sex with Simon to cure his homosexuality. Upset at the implication that her sexual favors are for sale, Carol abruptly leaves. She goes to Simon’s hotel room for consolation, and their emotional intimacy rekindles his creative desire to paint. He sketches Carol, nearly nude, making her feel her femininity appreciated in a nonsexual way. With confidence inspired by Carol, Simon briefly reconnects with his mother, without asking her for money, telling her that he will be fine.

After returning to New York, Carol tells Melvin that he disparages her and she does not want him in her life anymore. Since Simon is still broke and his apartment has been sublet, Melvin arranges for Simon to stay in his spare bedroom. On learning of Melvin’s enormous gesture and sign of growth, Carol regrets her harshness and calls Melvin to apologize. The relationship between Melvin and Carol remains complicated until Simon persuades Melvin to declare his love for her. Melvin goes to see Carol, who hesitantly agrees to try and establish a relationship with him. She is encouraged by her mother, who declares that no relationship is perfect. The film ends with Melvin and Carol walking together. As he opens the door at an early morning pastry shop for Carol, he realizes that he has stepped on a crack in the pavement, but does not seem to mind.

Cast

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Production

[edit]

In 1996, James L. Brooks flew Geoffrey Rush from Sydney to Los Angeles to audition for the part of Simon Bishop, and offered him the role, but Rush declined it.[4] Betty White was offered a role in the film but she declined, due to a scene in the film where a dog is thrown into a trash chute.[5]

Owen Wilson served as associate producer, one of his first jobs in Hollywood.[6]

Jack Nicholson and Brooks clashed on set regarding Nicholson's performance of Melvin, leading to a production halt for the two to find the correct tone for the character.[7]

The paintings were created for the film by New York City artist Billy Sullivan.[8]

Soundtrack

[edit]
As Good as It Gets
Soundtrack album by
Hans Zimmer and various artists
ReleasedJanuary 13, 1998
StudioSony Pictures Studios, Culver City, California; Media Ventures, Santa Monica, California
GenreCompilation
Length54:23
LabelColumbia
ProducerAdam Smalley, Hans Zimmer

The soundtrack features instrumental pieces composed by Hans Zimmer and songs by various artists. Zimmer's work was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Score – Musical or Comedy.

Reception

[edit]

Box office

[edit]

As Good as It Gets was a box office hit, opening at number three at the box office (behind Titanic and Tomorrow Never Dies) with $12.6 million,[9][10][11] and eventually earning over $148 million domestically and $314 million worldwide.[1] It is Jack Nicholson's second highest earning film, behind Batman.[12]

Critical reception

[edit]

Chicago Reader film critic Jonathan Rosenbaum wrote that what director James L. Brooks "manages to do with [the characters] as they struggle mightily to connect with one another is funny, painful, beautiful, and basically truthful—a triumph for everyone involved."[13]

Praise for the film was not uniform among critics. While Roger Ebert gave the film three stars (out of four), he called the film a "compromise, a film that forces a smile onto material that doesn't wear one easily," writing that the film drew "back to story formulas," but had good dialogue and performances.[14] The Washington Post critic Desson Howe gave a generally negative review of the film, writing that it "gets bogged down in sentimentality, while its wheels spin futilely in life-solving overdrive."[15]

Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports that 86% of professional critics gave the film a positive review based on 85 reviews, with an average rating of 7.30/10. The consensus states: "James L. Brooks and Jack Nicholson, doing what they do best, combine smart dialogue and flawless acting to squeeze fresh entertainment value out of the romantic-comedy genre."[16] Metacritic gave the film a score of 67 out of 100, based on reviews from 30 critics, indicating generally favorable reviews.[17]

Accolades

[edit]
Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
Academy Awards Best Picture James L. Brooks, Bridget Johnson, and Kristi Zea Nominated [18]
Best Actor Jack Nicholson Won
Best Actress Helen Hunt Won
Best Supporting Actor Greg Kinnear Nominated
Best Original Screenplay Mark Andrus and James L. Brooks Nominated
Best Film Editing Richard Marks Nominated
Best Original Score Hans Zimmer Nominated
ALMA Awards Outstanding Actress in a Feature Film Lupe Ontiveros Nominated
American Cinema Editors Awards Best Edited Feature Film Richard Marks Nominated
American Comedy Awards Funniest Actor in a Motion Picture (Leading Role) Jack Nicholson Won
Funniest Actress in a Motion Picture (Leading Role) Helen Hunt Won
Artios Awards Best Casting for Feature Film – Comedy Francine Maisler Nominated [19]
Blockbuster Entertainment Awards Favorite Actor – Video Jack Nicholson Nominated [20]
Favorite Actress – Video Helen Hunt Won
BMI Film & TV Awards BMI Film Music Award Hans Zimmer Won
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards Best Film Nominated [21]
Best Director James L. Brooks Nominated
Best Actor Jack Nicholson Nominated
Best Actress Helen Hunt Nominated
Best Supporting Actor Greg Kinnear Nominated
Best Original Screenplay Mark Andrus and James L. Brooks Nominated
Chlotrudis Awards Best Actress Helen Hunt Nominated [22]
Critics' Choice Awards Best Picture Nominated [23]
Best Actor Jack Nicholson Won
Czech Lion Awards Best Foreign Language Film James L. Brooks Nominated [24]
Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards Best Film Nominated
Directors Guild of America Awards Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures James L. Brooks Nominated [25]
Empire Awards Best Actress Helen Hunt Nominated [26]
Florida Film Critics Circle Awards Best Actress Won [27]
GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding Film – Wide Release Nominated
Golden Globe Awards Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Won [28]
Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Jack Nicholson Won
Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Helen Hunt Won
Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture Greg Kinnear Nominated
Best Director – Motion Picture James L. Brooks Nominated
Best Screenplay – Motion Picture Mark Andrus and James L. Brooks Nominated
Golden Reel Awards Best Sound Editing – Music (Domestic and Foreign) Zigmund Gron Nominated
Golden Screen Awards Won
Japan Academy Film Prize Outstanding Foreign Language Film Nominated
Jupiter Awards Best International Actor Jack Nicholson Won
London Film Critics Circle Awards Actor of the Year Won
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards Best Actor Runner-up [29]
Best Actress Helen Hunt Nominated
MTV Movie Awards Best Female Performance Nominated
National Board of Review Awards Top Ten Films 2nd Place [30]
Best Actor Jack Nicholson Won
Best Supporting Actor Greg Kinnear Won
Online Film & Television Association Awards Best Picture James L. Brooks, Bridget Johnson, and Kristi Zea Nominated [31]
Best Comedy/Musical Picture Won
Best Director James L. Brooks Nominated
Best Actor Jack Nicholson Won
Best Comedy/Musical Actor Won
Best Actress Helen Hunt Nominated
Best Comedy/Musical Actress Won
Best Supporting Actor Greg Kinnear Nominated
Best Screenplay – Written Directly for the Screen Mark Andrus and James L. Brooks Nominated
Best Music – Original Comedy/Musical Score Hans Zimmer Won
Best Ensemble Nominated
Online Film Critics Society Awards Best Actor Jack Nicholson Won [32]
Producers Guild of America Awards Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures James L. Brooks, Bridget Johnson, and Kristi Zea Nominated
San Diego Film Critics Society Awards Best Actor Jack Nicholson Won
Best Screenplay – Original Mark Andrus and James L. Brooks Won
Satellite Awards Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Won [33]
Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Jack Nicholson Won
Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Helen Hunt Won
Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Cuba Gooding Jr. Nominated
Greg Kinnear Nominated
Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Shirley Knight Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role Jack Nicholson Won [34]
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role Helen Hunt Won
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role Greg Kinnear Nominated
SESC Film Festival Best Foreign Actor Jack Nicholson Won
Society of Texas Film Critics Awards Best Screenplay – Original Mark Andrus and James L. Brooks Nominated
Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards Best Picture 3rd Place [35]
Best Actor Jack Nicholson Runner-up
Best Supporting Actor Greg Kinnear Won
Best Original Screenplay Mark Andrus and James L. Brooks Won
Toronto Film Critics Association Awards Best Actor Jack Nicholson Runner-up [36]
Turkish Film Critics Association Awards Best Foreign Film 13th Place
Writers Guild of America Awards Best Screenplay – Written Directly for the Screen Mark Andrus and James L. Brooks Won [37]
YoungStar Awards Best Performance by a Young Actor in a Comedy Film Jesse James Won

Home media

[edit]

The film was released on VHS, LaserDisc and DVD on May 19, 1998 by Columbia TriStar Home Video. It was released on Blu-ray in the United States on June 12, 2012, as part of Twilight Time's Screen Archives collection. The set was limited to 3,000 units and sold out quickly.[38]

Sony Pictures released the film on 4K UHD Blu-ray on October 25, 2022, as part of its Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection Volume 3, along with It Happened One Night, From Here To Eternity, To Sir, With Love, The Last Picture Show and Annie.[39]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "Box office statistics for As Good as It Gets (1997)" Archived July 14, 2019, at the Wayback Machine Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 11, 2010.
  2. ^ "Empire Features". Empire. Archived from the original on October 14, 2012. Retrieved October 17, 2009.
  3. ^ "Jill the Dog". IMDb. Archived from the original on February 26, 2023. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  4. ^ Douglas Aiton, "10 Things You Didn't Know About Geoffrey Rush", Weekend Australian Magazine, 4–5 September 2004, p. 12
  5. ^ "Betty White turned down 'Good as It Gets'". Digital Spy. March 4, 2011. Archived from the original on October 28, 2021. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  6. ^ Longsdorf, Amy (February 14, 1999). "Owen Wilson Carves a Bigger Niche with 'Rushmore' Script". The Morning Call. Archived from the original on August 31, 2022. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  7. ^ Pollak, Kevin (September 25, 2011). "James L. Brooks #128". Kevin Pollak’s Chat Show (Podcast). Earwolf. Event occurs at 1:23:19. Archived from the original on August 31, 2022. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  8. ^ "As Good as It Gets (1997) - James L. Brooks, James A. Brooks | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie". Archived from the original on June 19, 2018. Retrieved April 28, 2020 – via www.allmovie.com.
  9. ^ Wilson, Jeff (December 30, 1997). "'Scream 2' losing its voice at box office". The Daily News. p. 8. Archived from the original on June 13, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  10. ^ "Weekend Box Office Results for December 26–28, 1997". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on July 23, 2009. Retrieved July 6, 2009.
  11. ^ "Top 10 movies for the weekend of December 26–28". The Times of Northwest Indiana. Munster, Indiana. January 2, 1998. p. 23. Archived from the original on May 15, 2021. Retrieved May 14, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Batman (1989)". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on June 11, 2009. Retrieved July 6, 2009.
  13. ^ Rosenbaum, Jonathan (December 22, 1997). "As Good as It Gets". Chicago Reader. Archived from the original on February 20, 2009. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
  14. ^ Ebert, Roger (December 22, 1997). "As Good as It Gets". RogerEbert.com. Ebert Digital LLC. Archived from the original on June 25, 2018. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
  15. ^ Howe, Desson (December 23, 1997). "'As Good as It Gets': Saving the Worst for Last". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on March 30, 2018. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
  16. ^ "As Good as It Gets". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Archived from the original on February 14, 2024. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  17. ^ "As Good as It Gets". Metacritic. CBS. Archived from the original on June 29, 2010. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
  18. ^ "The 70th Academy Awards (1998) Nominees and Winners". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. AMPAS. Archived from the original on November 9, 2014. Retrieved November 19, 2011.
  19. ^ "Nominees/Winners". Casting Society of America. Archived from the original on August 16, 2018. Retrieved January 6, 2019.
  20. ^ "Blockbuster Entertainment Awards Nominees Announced". Blockbuster Entertainment. December 17, 1997. Archived from the original on February 14, 2015. Retrieved October 5, 2018 – via PR Newswire.
  21. ^ "1988-2013 Award Winner Archives". Chicago Film Critics Association. January 2013. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  22. ^ "4th Annual Chlotrudis Awards". Chlotrudis Society for Independent Films. Archived from the original on February 3, 2023. Retrieved April 23, 2022.
  23. ^ "The BFCA Critics' Choice Awards :: 1997". Broadcast Film Critics Association. Archived from the original on December 12, 2008. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  24. ^ "1998 Czech Film Awards". Czech Lion Awards. Archived from the original on August 24, 2021. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  25. ^ "50th DGA Awards". Directors Guild of America Awards. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  26. ^ "1999 Empire Awards". Empireonline.co.uk. 1999. Archived from the original on August 16, 2000.
  27. ^ "1997 FFCC AWARD WINNERS". Florida Film Critics Circle. Archived from the original on January 10, 2014. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  28. ^ "As Good as It Gets – Golden Globes". HFPA. Archived from the original on May 24, 2017. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  29. ^ "The Annual 23rd Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards". Los Angeles Film Critics Association. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  30. ^ "1997 Award Winners". National Board of Review. Archived from the original on May 28, 2021. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  31. ^ "2nd Annual Film Awards (1997)". Online Film & Television Association. Archived from the original on October 16, 2020. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  32. ^ "The Annual 1st Online Film Critics Society Awards". Online Film Critics Society. January 3, 2012. Archived from the original on February 28, 2021. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  33. ^ "1998 Satellite Awards". Satellite Awards. Archived from the original on May 2, 2021. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  34. ^ "The 4th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards". Screen Actors Guild Awards. Archived from the original on November 1, 2011. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
  35. ^ "1997 SEFA Awards". sefca.net. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  36. ^ "TFCA Past Award Winners". Toronto Film Critics Association. May 29, 2014. Archived from the original on December 23, 2018. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  37. ^ "Writers Guild Awards Winners". WGA. 2010. Archived from the original on May 25, 2012. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
  38. ^ As Good as It Gets Blu-ray (Screen Archives Entertainment Exclusive), archived from the original on August 20, 2022, retrieved August 20, 2022
  39. ^ "Press Release - SPHE Press Release: Columbia Classics 4k Ultra HD Collection Volume 3 (4k UHD)". Home Theater Forum. Archived from the original on August 20, 2022. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
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