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As Good as It Gets Movie Review

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Actors: Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt, Greg Kinnear
Review Summary and Plot Commentary about As Good as It Gets
Melvin is a hard edged, obsessive compulsive individual. Although he can write books about love and life, his own existance is not as glamorous. After his gay neighbor Simon is brutally beaten during a robbery, Melvin slowly shows a new side of himself. He offers to take care of Simon's dog, and soon becomes good friends with the struggling artist. Along the way, Melvin also finds a interesting waitress who is accepting of his medical problems.
--becky Mann, Resident Scholar

Writer, Melvin Udall has a heart of stone. The only thing he enjoys is going to his favourite restaurant, and talk to the head waitress. After his neighbour, Simon, is mugged, Melvin is chosen by his lawyer to take care of his dog. At first, Melvin doesn't like this, but then he takes a liking for the dog, as does him. This film is wonderfully funny, and enjoyable. Jack Nicholson, and Cuba Gooding, Jr. have solid performances, with Hans Zimmer's catchy music helping.
--Estefan Ellison, Resident Scholar

Successful but rude, bigoted, and obsessive-compulsive writer Melvin Udall (Nicholson) finds himself in quite a jam when, on the one hand, a gay artist neighbor named Simon (Kinnear) is hospitalized after being assaulted and Melvin gets saddled with the care of Simon's dog, Virdell; and on the other, the only waitress who can stand to serve Udall at his favorite cafe leaves work to care for her sick boy. Melvin must find some solutions and adapt, and a weekend trip for the three humans enables them to accept one another's foibles and see "the sunny side of life." This movie won Best Performance Oscars for both Nicholson and Hunt in 1998, and did wonders for Brussels Griffon dogs. The supporting cast includes Cuba Gooding Jr. and cameos by film directors Harold Ramis, Lawrence Kasdan, and Todd Solondz.
--David Loftus, Resident Scholar

Obsessive-compulsive author Melvin Eudoll battles with his problems while trying to understand his relationship with a waitress, a dog, and his gay neighbor.
--Emily, Resident Scholar




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Analysis of As Good as It Gets
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Plot
Time/era of movie: - 1980's-1999
Romance/Love/Hugging Yes
Kind of romance: - romance (general)
Inner struggle or disability Yes
Struggle with - eccentricity

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - writer
Age: - 60's-90's
Eccentric: Yes - eccentric - obsessed
Hair type - (man) bald
Body type - (man) average
Events of movie makes character more... - sensitive - happy
Ethnicity/Nationality - White (American)
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Sense of humor? - Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

Secondary Main Character
Identity: - Female
Hair color - blonde
Hair style - (woman) medium/shoulderlgn straight
Unclothed? - buttocks and chest
How much in movie? - 80%
Ethnicity/Nationality - White (American)

Main Adversary
Identity: - general circumstances

Setting
United States Yes
The US: - Northeast
City? Yes
City: - New York - dangerous - rude people

Style
Accounts of torture and death? - no torture/death - generic/vague references to death/punishment
Movie makes you feel... - encouraged
Sex/nudity in movie? Yes
What kind of sex: - kissing - seeing breasts - seeing nude female butt
Any profanity? - Some foul language
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