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IMDbPro

As Good as It Gets

  • 19971997
  • PG-13PG-13
  • 2h 19m
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
297K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,725
85
Jack Nicholson in As Good as It Gets (1997)
Home Video Trailer from Columbia Tristar
Play trailer0:32
1 Video
99+ Photos
ComedyDramaRomance
A single mother and waitress, a misanthropic author, and a gay artist form an unlikely friendship after the artist is assaulted in a robbery.A single mother and waitress, a misanthropic author, and a gay artist form an unlikely friendship after the artist is assaulted in a robbery.A single mother and waitress, a misanthropic author, and a gay artist form an unlikely friendship after the artist is assaulted in a robbery.
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
297K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,725
85
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • James L. Brooks
    • Writers
      • Mark Andrus(story)
      • James L. Brooks(screenplay)
    • Stars
      • Jack Nicholson
      • Helen Hunt
      • Greg Kinnear
    Top credits
    • Director
      • James L. Brooks
    • Writers
      • Mark Andrus(story)
      • James L. Brooks(screenplay)
    • Stars
      • Jack Nicholson
      • Helen Hunt
      • Greg Kinnear
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 606User reviews
    • 136Critic reviews
    • 67Metascore
    • Won 2 Oscars
      • 38 wins & 54 nominations total

    Videos1

    As Good As It Gets
    Trailer 0:32
    As Good As It Gets

    Photos108

    Jack Nicholson and Jill the Dog in As Good as It Gets (1997)
    Melvin, Carol & Simon
    Melvin & Verdell
    Jack Nicholson as Melvin
    Simon & Frank
    Greg Kinnear as Simon
    Verdell
    Cuba Gooding Jr. as Frank
    Simon & Verdell
    Melvin, Simon & Verdell
    Helen Hunt as Carol
    Carol & Melvin

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jack Nicholson
    Jack Nicholson
    • Melvin Udall
    Helen Hunt
    Helen Hunt
    • Carol Connelly
    Greg Kinnear
    Greg Kinnear
    • Simon Bishop
    Cuba Gooding Jr.
    Cuba Gooding Jr.
    • Frank Sachs
    Skeet Ulrich
    Skeet Ulrich
    • Vincent
    Shirley Knight
    Shirley Knight
    • Beverly
    Yeardley Smith
    Yeardley Smith
    • Jackie
    Lupe Ontiveros
    Lupe Ontiveros
    • Nora
    Jill the Dog
    Jill the Dog
    • Verdell
    • (as Jill)
    Timer the Dog
    • Supporting Dog
    • (as Timer)
    Billy the Dog
    • Supporting Dog
    • (as Billy)
    Bibi Osterwald
    Bibi Osterwald
    • Neighbor Woman
    Ross Bleckner
    • Carl
    Bernadette Balagtas
    Bernadette Balagtas
    • Caterer
    Jaffe Cohen
    Jaffe Cohen
    • Partygoer
    Laurie Kilpatrick
    Laurie Kilpatrick
    • Partygoer
    Alice Vaughn
    Alice Vaughn
    • Partygoer
    Brian Doyle-Murray
    Brian Doyle-Murray
    • Handyman
    • Director
      • James L. Brooks
    • Writers
      • Mark Andrus(story) (screenplay)
      • James L. Brooks(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      In one scene the dog starts mimicking Jack Nicholson by stepping over the cracks in the sidewalk. The filmmakers accomplished this by placing little obstacles on the cracks so that the dog had to step over them. They then removed the obstacles digitally in post-production.
    • Goofs
      When Melvin and Carol walk past the bakery at the end of the movie, the lights come on and the staff in the bakery can be seen working. Before the lights came on, the staff must have been working in pitch black.
    • Quotes

      Melvin Udall: Now, I got a real great compliment for you, and it's true.

      Carol Connelly: I'm so afraid you're about to say something awful.

      Melvin Udall: Don't be pessimistic, it's not your style. Okay. Here I go. Clearly a mistake.

      [shifts in his seat uncomfortably]

      Melvin Udall: I've got this, what, ailment? My doctor, a shrink that I used to go to all the time, he says that in fifty or sixty percent of the cases, a pill really helps. I hate pills. Very dangerous thing, pills. Hate. I'm using the word "hate" here, about pills. Hate. My compliment is, that night when you came over and told me that you would never... all right, well, you were there, you know what you said. Well, my compliment to you is, the next morning, I started taking the pills.

      Carol Connelly: I don't quite get how that's a compliment for me.

      Melvin Udall: You make me want to be a better man.

      [pause]

      Carol Connelly: [stunned] That's maybe the best compliment of my life.

      Melvin Udall: Well, maybe I overshot a little, because I was aiming at just enough to keep you from walking out.

    • Crazy credits
      Just after the disclaimer of the American Humane Association (The animals used in this film were in no way mistreated...) there is a second disclaimer stating "The actors used in this film were in no way mistreated."
    • Connections
      Edited into Doggiewoggiez! Poochiewoochiez! (2012)
    • Soundtracks
      Temple (Sanctuary Mix)
      Written & Performed by Jane Siberry

      Courtesy of Reprise Records

      By Arrangement with Warner Special Products

    User reviews606

    Review
    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    How to create something out of nothing? Ask Mark Andrus and Jim L. Brooks
    Really, how to make something original, fresh and odd out of absolutely nothing except a few characters? Using characters, only characters and nothing except characters. That's the simple formula Brooks uses in all of his work, but, for me, he has never created so much charm, warmth and sensibility as he did in `As good as it gets'.

    Characters write the screenplay in this movie, and everything that happens - happens because of what they are. They are nothing special – they are ordinary people we meet in the street every day and that have the same problems a lot of other people have. This movie presents the example of how much you can pull out of that. And if that is written as well as it is in this case, not even a happy ending can bother you. Because, in real life, shown here, what is the end?

    Everything is good and warm in this movie, everything is fresh and vivacious, understandable and well performed. Jack Nicholson brings one of the best performances of his career, that terrific Helen Hunt finally got a chance to show how skilfully an actor can connect naturalism with the laws of the camera performance, and Greg Kinnear shows the most convincing emotions coming from a gay character I've ever seen.

    The relationships between the characters are created in the way that you can't predict anything that's going to happen, eventhough you know in advance what could come out of their mouth and what kind of attitude they'll have in a certain situation.

    You can simply feel the progressive collaboration that occurred between Brooks and the actors and the mutual understanding they developed, and it's not often that you see that kind of artistic superstructure shining on the screen so much as it does here.

    I find `As good as it gets' complexed, vital, intelligent, emotionally deep and studied, fresh, original, amusing, cheerful, funny, and one of the best films of 1997.
    helpful•234
    40
    • matanovi
    • Apr 19, 2000

    FAQ5

    • What is that song Vincent plays in Simon's studio?
    • What is the song Melvin plays in his car marked 'To Use As Icebreaker'?
    • What Breed of Dog is Verdell?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 25, 1997 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Old Friends
    • Filming locations
      • Khoury's Restaurant - 110 N. Marina Drive, Long Beach, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • TriStar Pictures
      • Gracie Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $50,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $148,478,011
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $12,606,928
      • Dec 28, 1997
    • Gross worldwide
      • $314,178,011
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 19 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • SDDS
      • Dolby
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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