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As Good as It Gets
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Wikipedia article
'As Good as It Gets' is a 1997 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by James L. Brooks, who co-wrote it with Mark Andrus. The film stars Jack Nicholson as a misanthropic, bigoted, and obsessivecompulsive novelist, Helen Hunt as a single mother with a chronically ill son, and Greg Kinnear as an artist who is gay. The film premiered in Regency Village Theatre on December 6, 1997, and was released in theaters on December 25, 1997, and was a box office hit, grossing $314.1 million on a $50 million budget.
Nicholson and Hunt won the Academy Award for Best Actor and Best Actress, respectively, making 'As Good as It Gets' the most recent film to win both of the lead acting awards, and the first since 1991's 'The Silence of the Lambs'. It was also nominated for Best Picture but ultimately lost to 'Titanic'. It is ranked 140th on 'Empire' magazine's "The 500 Greatest Movies of All Time" list.
Plot
Misanthropic New York City best-selling romance novelist Melvin Udall has obsessivecompulsive disorder; he uses soap bars to wash his hands only once, dislikes touching pets, avoids stepping on sidewalk cracks while walking through the city, and eats his breakfast at the same table in the same restaurant. He takes an interest in his waitress, Carol Connelly, the only server at the restaurant who can tolerate his uncouth behavior.
One day, Melvin's apartment neighbor, gay artist Simon Bishop, is assaulted and nearly killed during a robbery. Simon's agent, Frank Sachs, intimidates Melvin into caring for Simon's Griffon Bruxellois, Verdell, while he is hospitalized. Although he initially does not enjoy caring for the dog, Melvin becomes emotionally attached to it, simultaneously receiving more attention from Carol. When Simon is released from the hospital, Melvin is unable to cope emotionally with returning the dog. Melvin's life is further altered when Carol decides to work closer to her home in Brooklyn so she can care for her acutely asthmatic son Spencer. Unable to adjust to a different waitress, Melvin arranges through his publisher (whose husband is a doctor) to pay for her son's considerable medical expenses as long as Carol agrees to return to work. She is overwhelmed but doubts his generosity.
Meanwhile, Simon's assault and rehabilitation, coupled with Verdell's preference for Melvin, causes Simon to lose his creative muse and fall into a depression. With no medical insurance, he is approaching bankruptcy due to his medical bills. Frank persuades him to go to Baltimore to ask his estranged parents for money. Because Frank is too busy to take the injured Simon to Baltimore himself, Melvin reluctantly agrees to do so; Frank lends Melvin the use of his Saab 900 convertible for the trip. Melvin invites Carol to accompany them on the trip to lessen the awkwardness. She reluctantly accepts, and relationships among the three develop.
Once in Baltimore, Carol persuades Melvin to take her out for dinner. Melvin's comments during the dinner greatly flatterand subsequently upsetCarol, and she abruptly leaves. Upon seeing her, frustrated, Simon begins to sketch her, semi-nude, in his hotel room, which rekindles his creativity, and he once more feels a desire to paint. He briefly reconnects with his mother, but is able to tell her that he will be fine.
After returning to New York, Carol tells Melvin that she does not want him in her life anymore, but later regrets her statement and calls to apologize. The relationship between Melvin and Carol remains complicated, until Simon (whom Melvin has allowed to move in with him, as his apartment has been sublet) persuades Melvin to declare his love for her. Melvin goes to see Carol, who hesitantly agrees to try and establish a relationship with him. 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
* Jack Nicholson as Melvin Udall
* Helen Hunt as Carol Connelly
* Greg Kinnear as Simon Bishop
* Cuba Gooding Jr. as Frank Sachs
* Skeet Ulrich as Vincent Lopiano
* Shirley Knight as Beverly Connelly
* Jesse James as Spencer "Spence" Connelly
* Yeardley Smith as Jackie Simpson
* Lupe Ontiveros as Nora Manning
* Bibi Osterwald as Neighbor Woman
* Harold Ramis as Dr. Martin Bettes
* Lawrence Kasdan as Dr. Green
* Julie Benz as Receptionist
* Shane Black as Brian, Cafe 24 manager
* Leslie Stefanson as Cafe 24 Waitress
* Tom McGowan as Maitre D'
* Brian Doyle-Murray as Handyman
* Jamie Kennedy as Street Hustler
* Missi Pyle as Cafe 24 Waitress
* Wood Harris as Cafe 24 Busboy
* Maya Rudolph as Policewoman
* Todd Solondz as Man on Bus
Production
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.Douglas Aiton, "10 Things You Didn't Know About Geoffrey Rush", 'Weekend Australian Magazine', 45 September 2004, p. 12 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.
Owen Wilson served as associate producer, one of his first jobs in Hollywood.
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.
The paintings were created for the film by New York artist Billy Sullivan.
Soundtrack
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.
Release
Box office
'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, and eventually earning over $148 million domestically and $314 million worldwide. It is Jack Nicholson's second highest earning film, behind 'Batman'.Home Video
The film has been released widely on VHS, LaserDisc and DVD. 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. It was released more widely in European countries.Sony Pictures will release 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'. It will contain exclusive never-before-seen bonus features.
Critical reception
'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 truthfula triumph for everyone involved."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. '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."
Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports that 85% of professional critics gave the film a positive review based on 79 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." Metacritic gave the film a score of 67 out of 100, based on reviews from 30 critics, indicating generally favorable reviews.
Accolades
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|-
! Award
! Category
! Nominee(s)
! Result
|-
| rowspan="5"| 20/20 Awards
| colspan="2"| Best Picture
|
|-
| Best Director
| James L. Brooks
|
|-
| Best Actor
| Jack Nicholson
|
|-
| Best Actress
| Helen Hunt
|
|-
| Best Original Screenplay
| Mark Andrus and James L. Brooks
|
|-
| rowspan="7"| Academy Awards
| Best Picture
| James L. Brooks, Bridget Johnson and Kristi Zea
|
|-
| Best Actor
| Jack Nicholson
|
|-
| Best Actress
| Helen Hunt
|
|-
| Best Supporting Actor
| Greg Kinnear
|
|-
| Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
| Mark Andrus and James L. Brooks
|
|-
| Best Film Editing
| Richard Marks
|
|-
| Best Original Musical or Comedy Score
| Hans Zimmer
|
|-
| ALMA Awards
| Outstanding Actress in a Feature Film
| Lupe Ontiveros
|
|-
| American Cinema Editors Awards
| Best Edited Feature Film
| Richard Marks
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| American Comedy Awards
| Funniest Actor in a Motion Picture (Leading Role)
| Jack Nicholson
|
|-
| Funniest Actress in a Motion Picture (Leading Role)
| Helen Hunt
|
|-
| Artios Awards
| Best Casting for Feature Film Comedy
| Francine Maisler
|
|-
| rowspan="7"| Awards Circuit Community Awards
| colspan="2"| Best Motion Picture
|
|-
| Best Director
| James L. Brooks
|
|-
| Best Actor in a Leading Role
| Jack Nicholson
|
|-
| Best Actress in a Leading Role
| Helen Hunt
|
|-
| Best Actor in a Supporting Role
| Greg Kinnear
|
|-
| Best Original Screenplay
| Mark Andrus and James L. Brooks
|
|-
| colspan="2"| Best Cast Ensemble
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| Blockbuster Entertainment Awards
| Favorite Actor Video
| Jack Nicholson
|
|-
| Favorite Actress Video
| Helen Hunt
|
|-
| BMI Film & TV Awards
| Film Music Award
| Hans Zimmer
|
|-
| rowspan="6"| Chicago Film Critics Association Awards
| colspan="2"| Best Film
|
|-
| Best Director
| James L. Brooks
|
|-
| Best Actor
| Jack Nicholson
|
|-
| Best Actress
| Helen Hunt
|
|-
| Best Supporting Actor
| Greg Kinnear
|
|-
| Best Original Screenplay
| Mark Andrus and James L. Brooks
|
|-
| Chlotrudis Awards
| Best Actress
| Helen Hunt
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| Critics' Choice Awards
| colspan="2"| Best Picture
|
|-
| Best Actor
| Jack Nicholson
|
|-
| Czech Lion Awards
| Best Foreign Language Film
| James L. Brooks
|
|-
| DallasFort Worth Film Critics Association Awards
| colspan="2"| Best Film
|
|-
| Directors Guild of America Awards
| Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures
| James L. Brooks
|
|-
| Empire Awards
| Best Actress
| rowspan="2"| Helen Hunt
|
|-
| Florida Film Critics Circle Awards
| Best Actress
|
|-
| GLAAD Media Awards
| colspan="2"| Outstanding Film Wide Release
|
|-
| rowspan="6"| Golden Globe Awards
| colspan="2"| Best Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
|
|-
| Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
| Jack Nicholson
|
|-
| Best Actress in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
| Helen Hunt
|
|-
| Best Supporting Actor Motion Picture
| Greg Kinnear
|
|-
| Best Director Motion Picture
| James L. Brooks
|
|-
| Best Screenplay Motion Picture
| Mark Andrus and James L. Brooks
|
|-
| Golden Reel Awards
| Best Sound Editing Music (Domestic and Foreign)
| Zigmund Gron
|
|-
| colspan="3"| Golden Screen Awards
|
|-
| Japan Academy Film Prize
| colspan="2"| Outstanding Foreign Language Film
|
|-
| Jupiter Awards
| Best International Actor
| rowspan="3"| Jack Nicholson
|
|-
| London Film Critics Circle Awards
| Actor of the Year
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards
| Best Actor
|
|-
| Best Actress
| rowspan="2"| Helen Hunt
|
|-
| MTV Movie Awards
| Best Female Performance
|
|-
| rowspan="3"| National Board of Review Awards
| colspan="2"| Top Ten Films
|
|-
| Best Actor
| Jack Nicholson
|
|-
| Best Supporting Actor
| Greg Kinnear
|
|-
| rowspan="11"| Online Film & Television Association Awards
| Best Picture
| rowspan="2"| James L. Brooks, Bridget Johnson and Kristi Zea
|
|-
| Best Comedy/Musical Picture
|
|-
| Best Director
| James L. Brooks
|
|-
| Best Actor
| rowspan="2"| Jack Nicholson
|
|-
| Best Comedy/Musical Actor
|
|-
| Best Actress
| rowspan="2"| Helen Hunt
|
|-
| Best Comedy/Musical Actress
|
|-
| Best Supporting Actor
| Greg Kinnear
|
|-
| Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
| Mark Andrus and James L. Brooks
|
|-
| Best Music Original Comedy/Musical Score
| Hans Zimmer
|
|-
| colspan="2"| Best Ensemble
|
|-
| Online Film Critics Society Awards
| Best Actor
| Jack Nicholson
|
|-
| Producers Guild of America Awards
| Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures
| James L. Brooks, Bridget Johnson and Kristi Zea
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| San Diego Film Critics Society Awards
| Best Actor
| Jack Nicholson
|
|-
| Best Screenplay Original
| Mark Andrus and James L. Brooks
|
|-
| rowspan="6"| Satellite Awards
| colspan="2"| Best Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
|
|-
| Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
| Jack Nicholson
|
|-
| Best Actress in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
| Helen Hunt
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
| Cuba Gooding Jr.
|
|-
| Greg Kinnear
|
|-
| Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
| Shirley Knight
|
|-
| rowspan="3"| Screen Actors Guild Awards
| Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
| Jack Nicholson
|
|-
| Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
| Helen Hunt
|
|-
| Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
| Greg Kinnear
|
|-
| SESC Film Festival
| Best Foreign Actor
| Jack Nicholson
|
|-
| Society of Texas Film Critics Awards
| Best Screenplay Original
| Mark Andrus and James L. Brooks
|
|-
| rowspan="4"| Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards
| colspan="2"| Best Picture
|
|-
| Best Actor
| Jack Nicholson
|
|-
| Best Supporting Actor
| Greg Kinnear
|
|-
| Best Original Screenplay
| Mark Andrus and James L. Brooks
|
|-
| Toronto Film Critics Association Awards
| Best Actor
| Jack Nicholson
|
|-
| Turkish Film Critics Association Awards
| colspan="2"| Best Foreign Film
|
|-
| Writers Guild of America Awards
| Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
| Mark Andrus and James L. Brooks
|
|-
| YoungStar Awards
| Best Performance by a Young Actor in a Comedy Film
| Jesse James
|
|}
References
Buy As Good as It Gets now from Amazon
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