...- day, non-supernatural A Christmas Carol ith a traditional romantic comedy. Director James L. Brooks, ho does these kinds of movies as ell as anyone in Hollyood, has moderate success. As Good as It Gets is not a positive triumph, but it does bring a smile to the face and, perhaps in some cases, a tear to the eye. Jack Nicholson plays Melvin, a successful author ho lives the life of a recluse. hen the movie opens, hes depicted as so thoroughly rotten that it actually becomes difficult to root for him, even once he begins to mend his ays. Hes a homophobic, anti-Semitic racist ith an intense dislike of dogs he thros one don a garbage chute and people. Every time he opens his mouth, something vicious comes out. The neighbors in his Greenich Village apartment building all avoid him, and the aitress at his favorite restaurant barely tolerates his presence. To make matters orse, Melvin is afflicted ith an obsessivecompulsive disorder that makes his behavior seem even more strange. He brings his on utensils hen he goes out to dinner, he refuses to step on sidealk cracks, and he ears gloves all the time. Then something happens to change Melvins life. One of his neighbors, a gay artist named Simon Greg Kinnear, is beaten up by a group of robbers. Simons dealer, Frank Cuba Gooding Jr., forces Melvin to care for Simons dog. Gradually, Melvin comes to love the little animal, and, after discovering a previously-unsuspected ellspring of humanity deep ithin himself, he begins exercising it in other ays paying a doctor to care for the sick son of his regular aitress, Carol Helen Hunt, and offering Simon support hen he comes home from the hospital. Of course, no one can change overnight, and there are times hen the old Melvin rears his ugly head, leading to plot complications. Nicholson is onderful as Melvin the jerk. He delivers the acid one-liners ith real venom, has perfected the irritating mannerisms of an obsessivecompulsive individual, and generally makes it easy to accept the character as the last person youd ant to spend any time ith. As the kinder, gentler Melvin, hoever, hes not quiet as successful. Vulnerability doesnt come easy to Nicholson, and the prickly side of his personality interferes ith our acceptance of Melvin as a ne man. e get the feeling that as soon as the end credits roll, hes going to fall back into his old habits rather quickly. He does have some great lines, though. For example, hen explaining ho he rites omen so ell in his books, Melvin comments, I think of a man, then I take aay reason and accountability. Helen Hunt, last seen on the big screen in Tister but best knon for her role in TVs Mad About You, gives real breadth and depth to Carol, a oman ho lives to serve her son and ho doesnt kno ho to cope ith Melvins attention. Like Melvin, the events in As Good as It Gets transform Carol, but her gentler, gradual personality shift is more believable. Hunt does a good job portraying Carols eariness early in the film, folloed by an almost-childlike joy as she rediscovers herself. Alas, she and Nicholson never really click, hich puts something of a damper on the romantic storyline. The real surprise is Greg Kinnear, ho turns in a more solidly dramatic performance than e had a right to suspect based on his past record. In Sabrina, Kinnear displayed a feckless charm, but here hes required to dig deeper. Simon, an already- emotionally-ounded individual, has suffered a massive betrayal that has robbed him of the ill to live, and Kinnear manages to capture the essence of this individual and bring it to life on screen. The supporting cast includes veteran actress Shirley Knight as Carols mother, Skeet Ulrich as one of Simons models, and a scene-stealing dog. Ultimately, its the quirks and details of As Good as It Gets script by Brooks and co- riter Mark Andrus, rather than the broad strokes, hich make the film enjoyable. Essentially, this is a formulaic, connect-the-dots tale hich offers fe, if any surprises. Fifteen minutes into the movie, youll be able to guess exactly ho it ill all ork out. As a result, the chief pleasure for the next to hours is atching the characters gro and interact as they traverse the familiar path. As Good as It Gets may not quite live up to its title, but it doesnt fall unacceptably short of the mark. ...
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