As Good as It Gets

Theatrical release poster

***As Good as It Gets*** is a 1997 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by James L. Brooks, who co-wrote it with Mark Andrus. The film stars Jack Nicholson as a misanthropic, bigoted, and obsessive–compulsive novelist, Helen Hunt as a single mother with a chronically ill son, and Greg Kinnear as an artist who is gay. The film premiered in Regency Theatre on December 6, 1997, and was released in theaters on December 25, 1997, and was a critical and box office hit, grossing $314.1 million on a $50 million budget.

Nicholson and Hunt won the Academy Award for Best Actor and Best Actress, respectively, making *As Good as It Gets* the most recent film to win both of the lead acting awards, and the first since 1991's *The Silence of the Lambs*. It was also nominated for Best Picture but ultimately lost to *Titanic*. It is ranked 140th on *Empire* magazine's "The 500 Greatest Movies of All Time" list.

## Plot

Misanthropic New York City best-selling romance novelist Melvin Udall has obsessive–compulsive disorder; he uses soap bars to wash his hands only once, dislikes touching pets, avoids stepping on sidewalk cracks while walking through the city, and eats his breakfast at the same table in the same restaurant. He takes an interest in his waitress, Carol Connelly, the only server at the restaurant who can tolerate his uncouth behavior.

One day, Melvin's apartment neighbor, gay artist Simon Bishop, is assaulted and nearly killed during a robbery. Simon's agent, Frank Sachs, intimidates Melvin into caring for Simon's Griffon Bruxellois, Verdell, while he is hospitalized. Although he initially does not enjoy caring for the dog, Melvin becomes emotionally attached to it, simultaneously receiving more attention from Carol. When Simon is released from the hospital, Melvin is unable to cope emotionally with returning the dog. Melvin's life is further altered when Carol decides to work closer to her home in Brooklyn so she can care for her acutely asthmatic son Spencer. Unable to adjust to a different waitress, Melvin arranges through his publisher (whose husband is a doctor) to pay for her son's considerable medical expenses as long as Carol agrees to return to work. She is overwhelmed but doubts his generosity.

Meanwhile, Simon's assault and rehabilitation, coupled with Verdell's preference for Melvin, causes Simon to lose his creative muse and fall into a depression. With no medical insurance, he is approaching bankruptcy due to his medical bills. Frank persuades him to go to Baltimore to ask his estranged parents for money. Because Frank is too busy to take the injured Simon to Baltimore himself, Melvin reluctantly agrees to do so; Frank lends Melvin the use of his Saab 900 convertible for the trip. Melvin invites Carol to accompany them on the trip to lessen the awkwardness. She reluctantly accepts, and relationships among the three develop.

Once in Baltimore, Carol persuades Melvin to take her out for dinner. Melvin's comments during the dinner greatly flatter—and subsequently upset—Carol, and she abruptly leaves. Upon seeing her, frustrated, Simon begins to sketch her, semi-nude, in his hotel room, which rekindles his creativity, and he once more feels a desire to paint. He briefly reconnects with his mother, but is able to tell her that he will be fine.

After returning to New York, Carol tells Melvin that she does not want him in her life anymore, but later regrets her statement and calls to apologize. The relationship between Melvin and Carol remains complicated, until Simon (whom Melvin has allowed to move in with him, as his apartment has been sublet) persuades Melvin to declare his love for her. Melvin goes to see Carol, who hesitantly agrees to try and establish a relationship with him. The film ends with Melvin and Carol walking together. As he opens the door at an early morning pastry shop for Carol, he realizes that he has stepped on a crack in the pavement, but does not seem to mind.

## Cast

* Jack Nicholson as Melvin Udall
* Helen Hunt as Carol Connelly
* Greg Kinnear as Simon Bishop
* Cuba Gooding Jr. as Frank Sachs
* Skeet Ulrich as Vincent Lopiano
* Shirley Knight as Beverly Connelly
* Jesse James as Spencer "Spence" Connelly
* Yeardley Smith as Jackie Simpson
* Lupe Ontiveros as Nora Manning
* Bibi Osterwald as Neighbor Woman
* Harold Ramis as Dr. Martin Bettes
* Lawrence Kasdan as Dr. Green
* Julie Benz as Receptionist
* Shane Black as Brian, Cafe 24 manager
* Leslie Stefanson as Cafe 24 Waitress
* Tom McGowan as Maitre D'
* Brian Doyle-Murray as Handyman
* Jamie Kennedy as Street Hustler
* Missi Pyle as Cafe 24 Waitress
* Wood Harris as Cafe 24 Busboy
* Maya Rudolph as Policewoman
* Todd Solondz as Man on Bus
* Jill as dog Verdell

## Production

In 1996, James L. Brooks flew Geoffrey Rush from Sydney to Los Angeles to audition for the part of Simon Bishop, and offered him the role, but Rush declined it. Betty White was offered a role in the film but she declined, due to a scene in the film where a dog is thrown into a trash chute.

Owen Wilson served as associate producer, one of his first jobs in Hollywood.

Nicholson and Brooks clashed on set regarding Nicholson's performance of Melvin, leading to a production halt for the two to find the correct tone for the character.

The paintings were created for the film by New York artist Billy Sullivan.