--- title: "As Good as It Gets" year: 1997 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/as-good-as-it-gets" fi1m_id: "as-good-as-it-gets" imdb_id: "tt0119822" tmdb_id: 2898 wikidata_id: "Q221594" fi1m_score: 77 critics_score: 65 critics_reviews: 13 published: "2026-09-13" updated: "2026-09-18T08:38:19.827224+00:00" region: "US" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # As Good as It Gets (1997) Directed by James L. Brooks · 2h 19m · MPA PG-13 · Drama, Comedy, Romance ## Identity As Good as It Gets - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/as-good-as-it-gets - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** as-good-as-it-gets - **IMDb ID:** tt0119822 - **TMDB ID:** 2898 - **Wikidata ID:** Q221594 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119822/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/2898, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q221594 **Fi1m score: 77** · Critics 65 from 13 reviews *In a sentence:* Jack Nicholson makes a persuasive case for laughing at a man we would never invite round > James L. Brooks’s romantic comedy is worth an evening for Helen Hunt and Greg Kinnear, who give Jack Nicholson’s insults consequences. It is funny and affecting, though its efforts to make Melvin lovable can feel like special pleading. ## Synopsis Melvin Udall (Jack Nicholson) is an obsessive-compulsive novelist whose dealings with other people tend towards insult. Carol Connelly (Helen Hunt), a waitress, becomes involved with him, while Simon Bishop (Greg Kinnear) also finds himself contending with Melvin’s antisocial behaviour. Caring for a dog gives the novelist responsibilities beyond his own routines. As these relationships develop, his wish to keep other people at a distance runs up against his growing dependence on them. James L. Brooks directs this comedy-drama about an unlikely romance and the demands of getting along with others. ## Review *As Good as It Gets* asks us to spend a long evening with a man who makes most encounters unpleasant, then to take an interest in his chances of romance. James L. Brooks makes that proposition work often enough for us to recommend it, chiefly because Helen Hunt and Greg Kinnear give the film people worth staying for. Jack Nicholson is funny, sometimes exhaustingly so, as Melvin Udall. The trouble comes when the screenplay expects our pleasure in watching him to explain why anyone would want him around. Nicholson understands how much amusement can come from a man who regards every encounter as an unreasonable demand on his time. We laughed at Melvin’s tirades, then felt uneasy about how readily we had accepted his cruelty as part of the entertainment. The force and precision of Nicholson’s delivery account for both reactions. Brooks and co-writer Mark Andrus are less convincing when they treat a small improvement in Melvin’s behaviour as a substantial change. Hunt, as Carol Connelly, gives those exchanges a reason to keep listening after the joke. Her waitress has enough feeling and resistance to stop the romance becoming an exercise in admiring a difficult man. We were more moved by her exasperation than by the film’s more deliberate attempts at tenderness, because she makes the effort of dealing with Melvin seem tiring. The writing does not always make her interest in him persuasive, but Hunt makes the possibility worth considering. Kinnear’s Simon Bishop is just as important, bringing a gentleness that does not feel like a standing invitation to be mistreated. He gives the scenes with Melvin a vulnerability that Nicholson’s comic attack would otherwise crowd out. Even the business of Melvin caring for a dog works better than it ought to; an immediate responsibility gives his improving behaviour some practical basis. These relationships are more engaging when Brooks lets them remain awkward, rather than asking us to measure how much nicer his leading man has become. John Bailey’s cinematography gives the actors room without adding much urgency, which suits the comedy better than the romantic uncertainty. Bill Brzeski’s production design is equally discreet; we seldom find the surroundings as revealing as the performances. Richard Marks’s editing makes the verbal exchanges satisfying, but across 139 minutes the accumulation of complaints becomes wearing. Hans Zimmer’s music is sometimes too eager to encourage tenderness where Hunt and Kinnear have already supplied it. As a romantic comedy, it has the welcome confidence to make conversation the principal attraction. Brooks and Andrus write lines with enough bite to make the softer passages feel earned for a while, and they allow unpleasantness to linger beyond an easy laugh. Yet the conventional romance asks us to accept changes that the individual scenes have not quite established. Melvin’s obsessive-compulsive disorder also needs more care than a story so keen to associate becoming less difficult with becoming happier can comfortably give it. Come for the company rather than a lesson in becoming a better person. Hunt and Kinnear deserve attention even when Nicholson has the line everyone will remember. We recommend it to anyone with a taste for romantic comedy that allows its people to be wearing. Allow for a leisurely evening, and do not expect to approve of everyone in it. *Fi1m score 77, published 13 September 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics like it, and nearly all of them like it for the same reason: the acting. Jack Nicholson’s Melvin is the draw, a misanthrope whose tirades and compulsions are made watchable, even sympathetic, by the performance, and several reviews argue that Helen Hunt’s waitress is the better piece of work. Beyond the cast, the praise goes to James L. Brooks’s dialogue: barbed, quick, and funny enough to carry a mean comedy towards warmth without ringing false. The reservations are about everything around the performances. The film is called too long, sitcom-like in its rhythms, and predictable in its arc, with a happy ending that even admirers describe as a compromise. The spread is wide. Variety finds the tonal shifts messy and the characters tiresome; The New Yorker finds it manipulative; The Times says it leans on Nicholson’s familiar tics and spoon-feeds sentiment. Radio Times calls the direction lazy and still recommends it. ## Straight answers **Is As Good as It Gets worth watching?** *As Good as It Gets* is worth an evening for anyone who enjoys romantic comedy with an abrasive lead, and we scored it 77. Jack Nicholson is funny, sometimes exhaustingly so, but Helen Hunt and Greg Kinnear give his insults consequences and make the film worth staying with. Its efforts to make Melvin lovable can feel like special pleading, and 139 minutes of complaints becomes wearing. **How long is As Good as It Gets, and what is it rated?** *As Good as It Gets* runs 2h 19m and is rated PG-13 by the MPA in the US. It is a drama and comedy film. **Where can I watch As Good as It Gets in the US?** *As Good as It Gets* is streaming on Amazon Prime Video in the US, and it is also available to rent from Amazon Prime Video from $3.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service. **How does As Good as It Gets compare to The Apartment?** *As Good as It Gets* and [*The Apartment*](https://film.one/film/the-apartment) are both romantic comedies that let loneliness complicate the laughs, and Billy Wilder's film is the better of the two. *The Apartment* is funnier, sadder and more patient with people who ought to know better, though its second half runs long. Brooks's film is the choice for those who want Nicholson's comic attack; Wilder's for anyone who wants the unhappiness to matter more than the jokes. **What should I watch after As Good as It Gets?** After *As Good as It Gets*, try [*The Apartment*](https://film.one/film/the-apartment) (1960, Fi1m 91): For another romantic comedy that lets loneliness complicate the laughs. Then [*The Lunchbox*](https://film.one/film/the-lunchbox) (2013, Fi1m 75): A quieter romance, equally attentive to routine, loneliness and unexpected connection; and [*The Holdovers*](https://film.one/film/the-holdovers) (2023, Fi1m 81): Abrasive company becomes worth keeping through performances that resist easy sweetness. ### Reviews we read (13) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, Duane Byrge (90/100, inferred): The critic finds the acidic love story warms the heart despite its testy elements and calls it mature adult entertainment at its best. Strong praise goes to the lead performances by Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/as-good-as-it-gets-review-movie-1997-1248806/) - **Empire**, Angie Errigo (80/100, inferred): Nicholson delivers a top performance as the misanthropic Melvin whose OCD and tirades are central to this politically incorrect comedy. The story follows his gradual, self-interested redemption aided by caring for a dog and interactions with Hunt and Kinnear, resulting in a well-paced and amusing redemption arc. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/good-gets-review/) - **Radio Times**, Adrian Turner (4/5): The critic finds the film lazily directed and overly long but praises Helen Hunt's revelatory performance as the waitress, which outshines Jack Nicholson's grouchy lead and earned her an Oscar alongside his. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-quc3mv/as-good-as-it-gets/) - **The AV Club**, Stephen Thompson (80/100, inferred): The critic highlights the strong script and affecting key performances that allow the film to mix mean-spirited comedy with heart-tugging drama without dragging or ringing false. Brooks is praised for evoking sympathy for the lead character and for the thoughtful examination of relationships. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/as-good-as-it-gets-1798196321) - **RogerEbert.com**, Roger Ebert (75/100, inferred): The film creates memorable characters but settles for a conventional romantic arc that feels like a compromise. Strong dialogue and performances stand out despite the predictable happy ending. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/as-good-as-it-gets-1997) - **Slant Magazine**, Jaime N. Christley (70/100, inferred): The critic views the film as a well-crafted romantic comedy with strong performances, especially from Helen Hunt, and clever scripting that balances sweetness and friction in its redemption arc. Praise centers on the nuanced character work and comic verve, while noting the Blu-ray transfer is subpar. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/dvd/as-good-as-it-gets/) - **The Independent** (HH): The film is a bittersweet comedy about an obsessive-compulsive novelist and a waitress forming an unlikely romance. Nicholson's performance is the main draw allowing the anti-social behaviour to work, though the film is enjoyable but falls short of its title's promise. [Read](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/video-reviews-1199269.html) - **The New York Times**, Janet Maslin (70/100, inferred): Brooks backs his high-strung characters into happiness with quirky appeal and right-on zingers. The film succeeds through barbed wit and enjoyment of its characters' stubborn tics. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/1997/12/23/movies/film-review-hates-everyone-is-mean-to-dogs.html) - **The New Yorker**, Daphne Merkin (30/100, inferred): The critic views the film as an unconvincing sitcom-style confection filled with trendy pieties and manipulativeness that leaves her grumpy. She singles out its improbable trio of characters and misty-eyed resolution for complaint. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1998/01/05/spin-the-tale) - **The Times**, Geoff Brown (30/100, inferred): The critic finds the film a predictable comedy of redemption that relies too heavily on Jack Nicholson's familiar tics and spoon-feeds its audience with sentiment rather than genuine emotion. While acknowledging its commercial success and Oscar nominations, the review suggests it lacks real depth despite strong performances from Helen Hunt and Greg Kinnear. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/article/as-good-as-it-gets-d702cjfz87b) - **Variety**, Todd McCarthy (30/100, inferred): Sitcom roots show in this sporadically funny but tonally inconsistent romantic comedy. Nicholson's one-liners and crowd-pleasing elements work, but the messy shifts make characters tiresome. [Read](https://variety.com/1997/film/reviews/as-good-as-it-gets-1117329556/) - **Collider**, William Fischer (A-): The critic highlights Jack Nicholson's Oscar-winning performance as the standout element that makes the film work despite its implausibilities. They note the strong chemistry between leads and the old-fashioned Hollywood charm delivered by director James L. Brooks. [Read](https://collider.com/as-good-as-it-gets-review-jack-nicholson/) - **Eye for Film**, Angus Wolfe Murray (50/100, inferred): The critic finds the film overly long and sitcom-like but praises the star performances that make an unlikeable protagonist endearing. Nicholson excels in a showy role, Hunt brings genuine feeling, and Kinnear avoids clichés. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/as-good-as-it-gets-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray) ## Details - **Director:** James L. Brooks - **Director:** James L. Brooks - **Screenplay:** Mark Andrus, James L. Brooks - **Story:** Mark Andrus - **Cinematography:** John Bailey - **Editor:** Richard Marks - **Music:** Hans Zimmer - **Production design:** Bill Brzeski - **Producer:** Bridget Johnson, Kristi Zea, James L. Brooks - **Cast:** Jack Nicholson as Melvin Udall; Helen Hunt as Carol Connelly; Greg Kinnear as Simon Bishop; Cuba Gooding Jr. as Frank Sachs; Shirley Knight as Beverly Connelly; Jesse James as Spencer Connelly; Yeardley Smith as Jackie Simpson; Lupe Ontiveros as Nora Manning - **Runtime:** 2h 19m - **Certificate (MPA):** PG-13 - **Release (the US):** 19 December 1997 - **Genres:** Drama, Comedy, Romance - **Also in:** [Best Picture winners](https://film.one/collections/oscar-best-picture.md) (Nominee, 1997); [Golden Globe Best Musical or Comedy winners](https://film.one/collections/golden-globe-comedy.md) (Winner, 1997) - **Budget:** $50 million - **Box office:** $314 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2d89afgtqg ## Where to watch in the US - Amazon Prime Video: add-on, uhd - Amazon Prime Video: rent $3.99, hd - Amazon Prime Video: buy $12.99, hd *Checked 2026-09-13.* Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, ES, FI, FR, GB, HR, HU, IE, IN, IS, IT, JP, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SI, TR, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## Awards - Academy Awards 1998: Best Film Editing (nominated); Best Original Musical or Comedy Score (nominated); Best Picture (nominated); Best Supporting Actor (nominated); Best Writing, Original Screenplay (nominated); Best Actor (won); Best Actress (won) ## If you liked this - *The Apartment* (1960), Fi1m 91: For another romantic comedy that lets loneliness complicate the laughs. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-apartment.md) - *The Lunchbox* (2013), Fi1m 75: A quieter romance, equally attentive to routine, loneliness and unexpected connection. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-lunchbox.md) - *A Man Called Ove* (2015): Another difficult neighbour finds other people inconveniently hard to keep out. - *Enough Said* (2013): Adult attraction complicated by bad habits, sharp judgements and believable embarrassment. - *The Holdovers* (2023), Fi1m 81: Abrasive company becomes worth keeping through performances that resist easy sweetness. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-holdovers.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/as-good-as-it-gets