Attitude to spare

Rating: Null/10 (27 May 2000)

* * * ½ (3½ out of 5)

As Good As It Gets

Directed by: Albert Brooks, 1998

A contrived feel-good vehicle obtains a life of its own by way of some outstanding performances. Helen Hunt is touching, tough and obscenely huggable as the down-and-out New York waitress who gets a helping hand from a seriously disturbed and obsessive-compulsive regular customer (Jack Nicholsen).
Hollywood's favorite freak, Nicholsen, is on a delightful eyebrow-arching rampage in this standard romantic comedy by Albert Brooks (Terms of Endearment, Broadcast News). His performance may well be his best to date. The movie is not.
Lacking both depth and needed working class feel, its low points are when Brooks lets the sappiness take control (Harold Ramis as a cartoonish Dr. Feelgood).

However: As Good As It Gets wants you to believe that there's an innocent charm to life, and by staying slow-burning conservative and soberly delivering the goods, this is actually achieved. Amusing and sweet fun.