There are some movies that are really hard to put into words just how good they are, and As Good as It Gets is one of those movies. This is pretty much a near perfect movie in my eyes and off the top of my head, I cannot think of anything wrong with it. I have seen this movie many times since it was released in 1997, and it is a movie that I have come to appreciate more and more as I have gotten older.
How to Download As Good as It Gets
As Good as It Gets was released on December 25, 1997. You can download or stream the film from a digital platform. Click on the Download button at the end of this review and make your choice. Interested in more movies Jack Nicholson? Check out our reviews of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, The Shining, The Witches of Eastwick, Batman, Anger Management, or The Bucket List.
The Movie Review
Unforgettable Performances in As Good as It Gets
The cast of this movie is incredible. We have three leads in Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt, and Greg Kinnear, and this movie is regarded as some of the best work of all three! There is also a fantastic support cast with the likes of Cuba Gooding Jr, Skeet Ulrich, Shirley Knight, and Harold Ramis. We even have some great smaller roles for the likes of Shane Black and Maya Rudolph.
Jack Nicholson’s Iconic Role as Melvin
Jack Nicholson plays the role of a man called Melvin. Melvin is a writer from New York, and he has major OCD. Melvin likes things in a very certain way, and this includes eating every day at the same diner where he is served by Carol, played by Helen Hunt. Carol is able to tolerate Melvin’s grouchy and rude behavior, and Melvin, who usually does not like other people, has a liking for Carol, too.
Dynamic Relationships and Character Growth
Living in the same building as Melvin is Greg Kinnear’s Simon. Simon is an artist, and he is very openly gay. After Simon is beaten up, Melvin reluctantly looks after Simon’s dog, which eventually leads to Simon and Melvin bonding. Through a series of events, a big road trip is planned where Melvin, Carol, and Simon are heading out on the road together. Seeing the three characters bond with each other and the way that they all grow is just done so well. I honestly cannot praise the performances highly enough here.
Emotional and Comedic Balance in the Storytelling
As Good as It Gets is just a wonderful story, and while you may be able to tell where it is all going to go, it is a wonderful, emotional, and funny ride to get there. I do wonder if someone younger watching the movie today would perhaps be a little put off due to the way that OCD is shown, as well as some of the “fears” that Melvin has about Simon being gay. I think that it all works very well for the movie, but things are very different now than they were back in 1997, so I would not be shocked if this was a little harder to watch for some people.
Oscar Wins and Nominations
This movie would see both Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt win an Oscar for Best Actor and Best Actress, and the movie was even nominated for the Best Picture Oscar, too, losing out to Titanic. I would argue that Greg Kinnear should have won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar, but that went to Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting, which is hard to argue against.
A Must-Watch in 4K UHD
Being a huge physical media collector, I do want to take a quick moment to talk about the 4K release. You may think that a dramatic comedy does not need to be upscaled to 4K, but man, this looks incredible! It is so clear, and the New York and surrounding area setting truly does pop. Sometimes the “upgrade” from Blu-Ray to 4K is not all that noticeable; that is not the case here. there is a clear upgrade in visual quality over the original Blu-Ray.
Final Thoughts on As Good as It Gets
If you have never seen As Good as It Gets, you need to watch it, and if you have seen it, but not for a long time, you need to watch it again. This is just a fantastic movie from start to end, and yes, it may be a tad predictable, but that is not always a bad thing. You know, Darly from Witches of Eastwick and the Joker will always be my favorite Jack Nicholson performances, but this one here is very, very close.
