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As Good as It Gets

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As Good as It Gets (1997)

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85 %
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Reviews Counted: 75

Fresh: 64

Rotten:11

Average Rating: 7.2/10

Consensus: James L. Brooks and Jack Nicholson, doing what they do best, combine smart dialogue and flawless acting to squeeze fresh entertainment value out of the romantic-comedy genre.

Runtime: 2 hrs 19 mins

Genre: Comedies

Synopsis: Acerbic and outwardly despicable pulp novelist Melvin Udall lives in a haze of obsessive-compulsive behavior patterns, avoiding cracks in the sidewalk and rigidly adhering to his regimen of daily... Acerbic and outwardly despicable pulp novelist Melvin Udall lives in a haze of obsessive-compulsive behavior patterns, avoiding cracks in the sidewalk and rigidly adhering to his regimen of daily breakfasts in the cafe where harried single mom Carol Connelly (Helen Hunt) is the only waitress he'll accept. But his ordered, hermetic world falls apart when his neighbor, a gay painter, needs a babysitter for his cherished dog--and only his long-time nemesis Melvin will do. Then, when the waitress's son's serious illness keeps her from work, Melvin realizes how much he needs her after all. Academy Award Nominations: 7, including Best Supporting Actor--Greg Kinnear, Best Film Editing, Best Original Score (Musical/Comedy), and Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen. Academy Awards: Best Actor--Jack Nicholson and Best Actress--Helen Hunt. [More]

Starring: Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt, Greg Kinnear, Cuba Gooding

Starring: Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt, Greg Kinnear, Cuba Gooding, Shirley Knight

Director: James L. Brooks

Director: James L. Brooks
Story: Mark Andrus
Screenwriter: Mark Andrus, James L. Brooks
Producer: Kristi Zea, Bridget Johnson

[See More Credits]

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Release:

May 19, 1998

No Details Exist
 
 

Reviews for As Good as It Gets

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1 - 20 (sorted by date)
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Arrange By: Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

The greatest pleasures come from the acting.

Full Review Source: Mr. Brown's Movies | comment Comment
03/29/09
Michael Dequina
Mr. Brown's Movies

The movie's too long, and the direction is sometimes slack -- but the script is crammed with withering ripostes, ably delivered by Nicholson and Hunt.

Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | comment Comment
09/03/08
Sandra Contreras
TV Guide's Movie Guide

A sporadically funny romantic comedy with all the dramatic plausibility and tonal consistency of a TV variety show.

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
07/02/08
Todd McCarthy
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Not only one of the best romantic comedies of the year, but one of the best films in ages.

Full Review Source: Dark Horizons | comment Comment
12/30/06
Garth Franklin
Dark Horizons

The trouble lies in the rambling narrative, Brooks' cautious direction and the cosy tone which renders the whole thing reminiscent of an extended sitcom.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
06/24/06
Geoff Andrew
Time Out

Both funny and sad, the comedy was in the vein of Brooks' Terms of Endearment, except it was more eccentric and nuttier and in moments genuinely touching due to strong chemistry between Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt.

Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com | comment Comment
02/24/06
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

An inflated TV show by a sitcom creator.

Full Review Source: F5 (Wichita, KS) | comment Comment
02/09/06
Jake Euker
F5 (Wichita, KS)

The character is written as the most unlikable person one could ever meet. Despite this fact, Jack manages to make the character sympathetic.

Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/06/05
Anthony Miele
Film Threat

The unpredictable and fresh 'As Good As It Gets' is peppered with memorable Brooks lines and physical schtick.

Full Review Source: Kansas City Kansan | comment Comment
05/28/05
Steve Crum
Kansas City Kansan

Mildly likable.

Full Review Source: Reeling Reviews | comment Comment
04/09/05
Robin Clifford
Reeling Reviews

...a precariously balanced movie, one that flirts with smugness. That it isn't awful is in some respects amazing.

Full Review Source: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette | comment Comment
01/27/05
Philip Martin
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

... it coaxes us to be more open to each other, more compassionate, and more loving.

Full Review Source: Looking Closer | comment Comment
12/06/04
Jeffrey Overstreet
Looking Closer

Like Broadcast News, James L. Brooks' new film is a dark-edged adult comedy that hits the spot for those who like their romances splashed with acidic wit.

Full Review Source: Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY) | comment Comment
06/25/04
Judith Egerton
Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY)

Even the familiar scenes and situations look refreshing.

Full Review Source: rec.arts.movies.reviews | comment Comment
01/08/04
Dragan Antulov
rec.arts.movies.reviews

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Palo Alto Weekly | comment Comment
05/20/03
Leonard Schwarz
Palo Alto Weekly

Humorous, romantic, personal.

Full Review Source: Film Quips Online | comment Comment
02/08/03
John R. McEwen
Film Quips Online

Perhaps, though, it is Carol's (and Hunt's) ongoing commitment to emotional honesty and fair play that make it increasingly difficult to ignore the film's encroaching patterns of sentimentality and uninspired developments.

Full Review Source: Nick's Flick Picks | comment Comment
01/10/03
Nick Davis
Nick's Flick Picks

An honest, original comedy about recognizable human beings.

Full Review Source: Cincinnati Enquirer | comment Comment
10/15/02
Margaret A. McGurk
Cincinnati Enquirer

This is Jack at his best, the kind of role that makes him a star. He gets to bear his teeth, take control of a room, and be devilishly cuddly at the same time.

Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid | comment Comment
10/11/02
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid

Nicholson is so darn good!

Full Review Source: Montreal Film Journal | comment Comment
09/10/02
Kevin N. Laforest
Montreal Film Journal
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 >> >|
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Latest News for As Good as It Gets

September 19, 2008: UK Critics Consensus: Tropic Thunder Soldiers On; Then She Found Me Is Found Out
This week's UK releases, expect big laughs as Ben Stiller's star-studded Hollywood satire comedy blasts onto our screens in Tropic Thunder. The sound of a big old biological... More...

May 10, 2005: Helen Hunt to Write, Direct, and Star in Longtime Pet Project
Oscar-winner Helen Hunt ("As Good As It Gets"), after a four-year absence from the silver screen, will return to write, direct and star in "Then She Found... More...

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