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As Good As It Gets (1997)

Director: James L Brooks

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2 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out Film Guide

New York romantic novelist Melvin Udall (Nicholson) doesn't live up to his writing: an obsessive-compulsive, he's given to insulting whoever he meets. Melvin lowers his defences, however, after he's lumbered with the dog belonging to his neighbour Simon (Kinnear), a gay artist recuperating from a mugging, and after he decides to lure Carol (Hunt), a waitress at his local diner, back to work by offering to pay for her young son's treatment for asthma. So begins Melvin's unwitting progress towards something resembling normal behaviour. The film may be more ambitious and sophisticated than most Hollywood comedy-dramas, but for all the delight it takes in Melvin's outrageous sarcasm, it never quite eschews cornball cliché. Nicholson gives a committed, credible, typically charismatic performance, and the rest of the cast lends able support. The trouble lies in the rambling narrative, Brooks' cautious direction and the cosy tone which renders the whole thing reminiscent of an extended sitcom.

Author: GA 0000-00-00 00:00:00

Time Out Film Guide

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User reviews of this film

  • shitake mushrooms said...
    Posted on May 05 2008 13:37 i don't think that this movie was good at all. It sucks royal heineys
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  • shitake mushrooms said...
    Posted on May 05 2008 13:36 this movie blows
    Report as inappropriate

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Cast & crew

Director: James L Brooks

Producer: James L Brooks, Bridget Johnson, Kristi Zea

Cast: Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt, Greg Kinnear, Cuba Gooding Jr, Skeet Ulrich, Shirley Knight full cast

Duration: 138 mins


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