Following the struggles of Melvin Udall, a well known and intelligent novelist of romantic fiction, who treats all people with indifference and in a cruel way, but when he has to care for the dog of his gay neighbour, everything changes, as he begins to be kind and soften his relationship with the only waitress that afford his rude way.
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.
The trouble lies in the rambling narrative, Brooks' cautious direction and the cosy tone which renders the whole thing reminiscent of an extended sitcom.
Not only one of the best romantic comedies of the year, but one of the best films in ages.
The New Republic
January 01, 2000
Nicholson struggles for the core of the man but never gets it; so, in most scenes, he resorts to working his face, with grimaces and sneering smiles and lip-pursings in place of acting.
TV Guide
September 03, 2008
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.
It's a mark of how magically written, directed and acted As Good as It Gets is that we end up loving this film despite knowing how haphazard, scattershot and almost indefinable its charm is.
