Feel- good film that is not too sentimental and which hits the right mark

Rating: 10/10 (24 June 2007)

As good as it gets is one of my all-time favourite films ever and it's mainly all thanks to the wonderful performances given by the three main leads: Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt and Greg Kinnear. James L Brooks has this habit of churning out hit after hit, and this film is no exception. Even though this movie is 10 years old, it still manages to successfully retain that feel good factor and it looks as if it hasn't dated whatsoever. The story revolves around writer Marvin Udall- an OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder)sufferer and his attempts at becoming a better person and human being. at first, he is moody, aggressive, impatient, irritated and annoyed and often makes sarcastic remarks in the expense of other people. as the film progresses, Marvin changes as a person overnight and thus, these changes are ultimately as a result of the experiences and difficulties as encountered, shared and faced by Carol (Hunt) and Simon (Kinnear). Carol is a single mother, who lives with her mother and works as a waitress and of whom has to contend with looking after and caring for her sick son; Simon meanwhile is a gay guy who earns his living as an artist. However, his life changes completely after an incident where he is set upon and is physically beaten to a pulp by a bunch of vandals. Eventually,and in one point in the film, he ends up in a wheelchair and realises that his life is not going to get any better; however, when Marvin realises the errors of his ways after he taunts Simon and he, tries to hit back in retaliation, the events which follow afterwards lead to Marvin realising the importance of the good things that he has in his life.And that it is because of these two individuals in Simon and Carol, that they remind him that all the good one does, does indeed prevail over the bad in life.
This is an excellent film that has a positive moral message running through it and that while it remains a comedy, the sentimentality is not too syrupy and not too sickly sweet, and yet at the same time, it is not underplayed in contrast to other romantic comedies throughout. It has the right balance of happy and sad moments, to a extent to which it is at an equal level playing field and keeps the story flowing nicely .
Therefore, As good as it gets is arguably one of the best romantic comedies to have ever existed, period. It is absolutely pure magic