A bitter sweet romantic comidy which really portrays the gritty reality of true love relationships

Rating: 8/10 (15 February 2002)

In a society which is gradually becoming more and more entrenched in PC (political correctness) here we have a drama which really goes against all the unspoken rules and codes of the typical romance movie as it puts a bunch of misfits together and shows us how being human is not all that bad. Well to begin with Nickilson's character as a reclusive neurotic hypochondriac (who just so happens to be a budding romance novelist if you can work that one out) and manages to offend every single person he meets. And what a supporting line up. A gay artist neighbor (who manages not to fulfill all the stereotypes) and a beautiful waitress who serves him lunch everyday but has no real social life outside of work due to the condition of her terminally ill son. What really makes this movie so enjoyable is Nicklsons scene stealing performance as a guy who seems to have a problem with everyone. One of the best lines in the film is in a conversation with his neighbor where he is seeking advice as he has finally realized the pain of love, his response to the advice is "I thought you guise where suppose to be sensitive, is this the best you can do". Nicklsons brash character has the worming quality that it breaks down the ridicules barriers that people build up around themselves and we always know what he says is what he means. The crux of this film is that you will never find the perfect partner but maybe this is as good as it gets to find someone you can be with despite all their short comings.