AS GOOD AS IT GETS
RATING: ***1/2 (out of ****)
TriStar / 2:18 / 1997 / PG-13 (harsh language, semi-nudity, a beating) Cast: Jack Nicholson; Helen Hunt; Greg Kinnear; Shirley Knight; Cuba Gooding, Jr.; Skeet Ulrich; Yeardley Smith; Lupe Ontiveros; Jamie Kennedy Director: James L. Brooks Screenplay: Mark Andrus; James L. Brooks
There's something about Jack Nicholson that makes him such a unmatched pleasure to watch -- his eyes, his voice, his entire demeanor, they all radiate the very foundation of cool. His presence is a complex one; pensive and droll at the same time, it's hard not to watch some of his more serious work (like in "A Few Good Men"'s courtroom climax) and emit nervous chuckles while being wowed at the strength of his composure. Nicholson's so versatile, it's a pity he doesn't get more comedic roles like the one he plays to perfection in James L. Brooks' "As Good As It Gets." Slated for Christmas day opener along side of many other high-profile releases, "As Good As It Gets" will likely rely on Nicholson to at first draw the crowds in. Then, hopefully, the movie will do the rest.
Nicholson's middle-aged, obsessive-compulsive writer Melvin Udall introduces his curmudgeonly self from "Good"'s get-go, as he stalks a neighbor's pooch while it roams their New York City apartment building's hallway. After it threateningly lifts its leg one too many times, Melvin grabs the pup and tosses it down the garbage chute. The dog's owner, homosexual artist Simon Bishop (Greg Kinnear), doesn't actually witness the event, but has no trouble finding the correct foundation of blame once his pet turns up. Melvin, you see, has quite a history of trouble with people in general, much of it stemming from his snide demeanor -- he's simply not afraid to speak his mind, even if what comes out is mean, damaging or downright spiteful. But it's not treatment reserved for those who've wronged him -- Melvin even mouths off to complete strangers. To a fan who wants to know how he writes from the female perspective so well: "I think of a man, and then I take away reason and accountability." To a hipster Jewish couple sitting in his regular seat at a local diner: "I think people who speak in metaphors oughta shampoo my crotch." You get the idea.
Melvin's only friend -- or, rather, the only person he can stand -- is Carol Connelly (Helen Hunt), a waitress with a sickly son. But he even alienates himself from her after making an extremely discouraging remark about the kid's health; the child soon becomes so ill that Carol takes leave from her employment. Meanwhile, Simon is nearly killed after walking in on a robbery in his apartment, and Melvin is forced to take care of the dog he's tried to harm on so many occasions. This starts something of melting process, and his companionship with Fido leads to a greater understanding of what it's like to have a friend. Melvin then tries to make peace with Carol in a completely humane way, even if his efforts are, at first, rooted in selfishness.
With his performance here, Nicholson stands to sweep at least the nominations of major awards contests, if not take the actual trophies home. His Melvin is quite an irascible, profane concoction, the type of flawed, juicy character you really enjoy spending your time getting to know. Hunt, as the female lead, is very much on his level, her sense of devotion and determination palpable. Carol is probably the most ordinary (for lack of a better word) person here, but Hunt keeps her from becoming too ordinary; a scene where she attempts to read Melvin a thank-you note demonstrates this. It's a welcome relief to see Kinnear in a role that suits his talents instead of undermining them (like "Dear God" and "A Smile Like Yours," his two most recent features). Cuba Gooding, Jr. is fine in a minor part as a friend of Simon's, and "Scream" alums Skeet Ulrich and Jamie Kennedy pop up -- welcome but so underused -- as male hustlers.
Brooks and Mark Andrus' screenplay is rich in personality and sharp, memorable one-liners (some of which are painfully hysterical). Careful consideration has been paid to the three leads -- the obsessive-compulsive jerk, the down-on-her-luck waitress and the struggling gay painter could have all been turned into creaky cliches, which would have made this long picture quite a chore to sit through. But they're all delicious, original creations, and watching them help each other towards a mean of self-realization is both fascinating and funny. When a romance develops between Melvin and Carol, it feels alternately forced and stirring -- the former at perhaps a too-happy climax that fails to offer extensive closure for Simon, the latter during a splendid dining sequence when Melvin confesses that knowing her makes him "want to be a better man." The love angle doesn't really work because it lacks a complete emotional element (something a la "Jerry Maguire"), and the movie could have been shorter and a little sweeter if it had trimmed a few things in that area.
The ads for "As Good As It Gets" read "Brace yourself for Melvin," an accurate warning considering the character's penchant for ill-tempered political incorrectness. But brace yourself for Jack, too, because his Melvin is full of the snazzy acting that attracts Oscar. Forget last December 25th's awful "The Evening Star," where his cameo was the liveliest thing in the film. And cross out this past spring's so-so caper thriller "Blood & Wine," where he was fine but the movie wasn't. Nicholson's back in "As Good As It Gets," and he's as great as he gets.
© 1997 Jamie Peck E-mail: jpeck1@gl.umbc.edu Visit the Reel Deal Online: http://www.gl.umbc.edu/~jpeck1/
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