Well acted comedy/drama

Rating: 8/10 (16 August 2012)

I came to this with some reservations, fearing that it was going to be yet one more movie to milk the theme of misanthrope redeemed by the power of love. And it was that, but it had enough unique qualities that it worked for me. I was sucked in by it. It flowed along nicely and held my interest.
I found the characters to be believable and absorbing. Jack Nicholson has a tendency to go over the top, but I though he was masterful in his creation of Melvin. He seemed to have a real grasp on what Melvin was like. Some of the facial expressions he used when he realized he had screwed up were wonderful, and the fact that Melvin had to be beaten over the head before he knew he had screwed up I thought was much in keeping with the character. I don't think too many actors could have pulled this part off--to play a somewhat despicable character but make you care for him.
The acting was uniformly good. I particularly liked Carol's mother.
I like the way the movie showed the price some people have to pay for who they are and what they are. Even though the movie had a lot of humor, I admired it for presenting Melvin in a way that made you feel how difficult life was for him. I particularly liked the scene where Melvin asked Simon whether it wouldn't be a lot easier if he just liked women and Simon said "Do you think your life is easy?" and Melvin said, "I'll give you that one." It was a recognition on Melvin's part as to how hard it is to change what we are. So many times Melvin's compulsions put him in conflict with society and his own desires, like when he wanted to dance but couldn't, or not being able to wear the suit and tie offered him in the restaurant.
Melvin's gradual improvement made sense to me. He had serious problems and probably was never going to be "normal," but isolation usually exacerbates such problems and positive social interaction helps.
I don't believe the ending was necessarily a happy one. If Melvin and Carol were ever to have a long term relationship there was going to be some pretty tough sledding ahead.
The fact that Melvin was wealthy and had some special talent led him to a better life. I just kept thinking of all the people who have problems similar to Melvin's who live in their private hells with limited ways out. Or was Melvin's life hell before he met Carol? He did make the comment about how meeting her had cut him off from his previous life and he couldn't get back. That would probably be pretty scary for someone like Melvin.