The trouble lies in the rambling narrative, Brooks' cautious direction and the cosy tone which renders the whole thing reminiscent of an extended sitcom.
Comment
06/24/06
As Good as It Gets (1997)
85
%
Tomatometer
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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... [More]
Starring: Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt, Greg Kinnear, Cuba Gooding
Director: James L. Brooks
Reviews for As Good as It Gets
Top CriticStruggles longer than you expect it will to deliver a happy ending.
01/01/00
Top CriticThe greatest pleasures come from the acting.
03/29/09
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.
09/03/08
A sporadically funny romantic comedy with all the dramatic plausibility and tonal consistency of a TV variety show.
07/02/08
Top CriticNot only one of the best romantic comedies of the year, but one of the best films in ages.
12/30/06
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.
02/24/06
An inflated TV show by a sitcom creator.
02/09/06
The character is written as the most unlikable person one could ever meet. Despite this fact, Jack manages to make the character sympathetic.
12/06/05
The unpredictable and fresh 'As Good As It Gets' is peppered with memorable Brooks lines and physical schtick.
05/28/05
Mildly likable.
04/09/05
...a precariously balanced movie, one that flirts with smugness. That it isn't awful is in some respects amazing.
01/27/05
... it coaxes us to be more open to each other, more compassionate, and more loving.
12/06/04
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.
06/25/04
Even the familiar scenes and situations look refreshing.
01/08/04
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05/20/03
Humorous, romantic, personal.
02/08/03
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.
01/10/03
An honest, original comedy about recognizable human beings.
10/15/02
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.
10/11/02
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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