# As Good As It Gets (1997)

### reviewed by
Chad Polenz

    As Good As It Gets

Chad'z rating: **1/2 (out of 4 = OK/average)

1997, PG-13, 138 minutes [2 hours, 18 minutes]

    [drama]

starring: Jack Nicholson (Melvin Udall), Helen Hunt (Carol Connelly), Greg Kinnear (Simon Bishop), Cuba Gooding, Jr. (Frank Sachs); written by Mark Andrus, James L. Brooks; produced by James L. Brooks, Bridget Johnson, Kristi Zea; directed by James L. Brooks

Seen March 17, 1998 at 9:15 p.m. at Rotterdam Square Mall (Rotterdam, NY), theater #4, by myself using my Sony/Loews critic's pass. [Theater rating: **1/2: good picture and sound, poor seats]

Stories and the process of telling stories are two completely different things, and it a problem with modern drama is not lack of original ideas, but original ways to tell stories. "As Good As It Gets" is a perfect example of this, as it is a film with fresh ideas, but fails to assemble its pieces in a suitable order. What we end up with is what should be an old fashioned feel- good movie, but perhaps that's where the problem lies.

What seems to be an on-going trend with major motion pictures is telling stories of a protagonist whose mentality is different from the rest of the world and thus we see things from a completely different perspective (i.e. "Forrest Gump"). This film also uses that method, but does so in a daring way by centering the story around an obsessive-compulsive cranky old man.

One of the basic rules of fiction is to make the main character likable, but Melvin Udall (Nicholson) is as far from likable as one can get. He's prejudice, paranoid, selfish, and mean-spirited, and yet he makes for an original character due mostly to Nicholson's excellent performance. The opening scenes quickly establish these traits as we watch him throw his neighbor's irritating dog down his apartment building's trash shoot, and then proceed to blame and verbally abuse the neighbor, a gay artist named Simon (Kinnear), for the situation.

The first act does a fine job in establishing the basic story elements and plot lines that will crop up later when conflicts occur and thus provide for theme. Many films follow this procedure, but here it seems just a little too standard. Melvin's conflict with Simon is played more for comedy than drama, and his confrontations with Simon's boyfriend Frank work in the same way, but not only will these elements become more subtractive than additive, the use of foreshadowing is a bit too blatant.

In fact, the use of foreshadowing throughout the picture is one of the biggest problems. Most dramas involve a romance in one way or another, and the movies tell us that the more polarized the lead male and female characters are, the more likely they are to get together. Of course this does happen here, but the film seems to be in denial that this will happen.

Helen Hunt co-stars as Carol Connelly, a single mom living in a cramped apartment with her mother and her son who suffers from a serious asthma and allergy problem. She waits tables at Melvin's favorite restaurant and is forced to put up with his constant bitching and snide remarks on a daily basis. Since Melvin is so locked into a routine he can't stand to have anyone else wait on him besides Carol, and when he learns she may have to quit her job to take care of his son, he pays to have a specialized doctor take care of him.

It takes a while for this plot aspect to come into play, but the process is at least entertaining and interesting, even if the thematic elements are slightly sappy. Once Melvin pays for Carol's son's doctor they immediately go from being just more than strangers to integral parts of each other's lives. The tension between the two continues to build and it's hard to tell if they genuinely like or hate each other. Meanwhile, a sub-plot crops up as Simon is attacked, hospitalized, and loses all of his money. The dog who Melvin had thrown in the trash is somehow placed in his care which will provide for some development on behalf of his character, but not enough in the long run.

A major portion of the film is spent building up separate plots and themes which are only related through their connection to Melvin. The story is slowly-paced and many individual scenes provide little more than gratuitous comic relief (if it's possible for comedy to be gratuitous). This kind of storytelling should provide ample room for character development, but only scratches the surface. Nicholson's performance is terrific, but his delivery still can't make up for the fact his character isn't given much definition beyond the surface. We never learn what has made him become such a bitter old man, or why he acts the way he does, especially since he isn't really happy (I guess it's a chicken-and-the-egg scenario).

Not until the final act does everything form a sense of cohesion, and although it does give the film a definite sense of focus, it's not enough to make up for two acts of a wandering script. Melvin, Carol, and Simon decide to take a road trip together in an effort to save Simon's career. This in turn makes for many scenes of interaction and discussion, but the scenes still fall short of greatness. The tensions between the characters constantly build and melodrama often dominates as they are either arguing or making amends. All the subtleties that had come before suddenly aren't so subtle anymore, such as when Melvin and Carol finally get together (and then break-up, and then get together....) and Simon finds his artistic roots literally overnight.

The best way to sum up "As Good As It Gets" is by stating the obvious: there's quality in the individual aspects, but by the end, nothing has happened that could not have been predicted at the beginning from the way the story was told.

Please visit Chad'z Movie Page at: http://members.aol.com/ChadPolenz - over 190 new and old films reviewed in depth, not just blind ratings and quick capsules.

    e-mail: ChadPolenz@aol.com
    (C) 1998 Chad Polenz

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