A fairly shallow comedy with very good laugh lines

Rating: 7/10 (6 November 2010)

This is a fairly shallow comedy with very good laugh lines, very well played by the actors. The deep problem is that Jack Nicholson's character, Melvin, is seriously sick and hates women, leaving me to wonder why Carol (played by Helen Hunt) falls for him -- and the only clear motivation is selfishness on both parts. She's the only one who tolerates his despicable behavior, and he pays for medical care for her sickly child. It's a funny movie, but it has some serious weakness in my view as to the characters' development.
I would contrast Carol's behavior with that of Muriel's (played by Geena Davis) in "The Accidental Tourist." In "As Good as It Gets," Carol's love interest remains his sick, obsessive-compulsive self. In "The Accidental Tourist," Muriel and her son have helped her love interest grow into a relationship with her. I consider "As Good As It Gets" (a more telling title under my view) to be a Hollywood ending where old, powerful producers and directors get their way with young, attractive would-be stars.