As Good as It Gets (PG-13, 1997)

common sense media says

Funny, but not a light comedy for youngsters.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this film deals candidly with homophobia, violence, mortality, and mental disorders. It includes a very violent and disturbing attack on one of the main characters, which leaves the man hospitalized and disfigured. A character verbally abuses others as a means of coping with his own extreme self-centered and (clinically) obsessive-compulsive behavior.

Positive messages: One main character exhibits hostile and obsessive compulsive behavior toward others. The same character also deals with his homophobia and a fear of intimacy. Other main characters include a gay man struggling to rebuild his life after an attack and a working-class single mom trying to get by while caring for herself and her chronically ill child.
Violence: One very graphic homophobic assault and the horrific wounds left as a result.
Sex: Slurs about gay sex, female sexual frustration, male prostitution. Nudity is portrayed in artwork.
Language: One character uses a large amount of profane, sexually and culturally insensitive language. However, it is used to illustrate both the intolerance of the main character and the pain and frustration of the other two leads.
Consumerism: Includes Nick-at-Nite advertising.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Various moments of social drinking. A character takes anti-depressants.

More on As Good as It Gets

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about issues such as tolerance, mental illness, and personal strength. What is at the bottom of Melvin's homophobic remarks toward Simon? What helps him overcome these feelings? The film illustrates the struggles of a single mother attempting to care for her chronically ill child and live a life of her own. Parents may want to use this opportunity to discuss a topic seldom considered by adolescents: the lives of parents beyond the needs of their children.

What's the story?

What's the story?

In AS GOOD AS IT GETS, Jack Nicholson plays Melvin, a hostile, reclusive, obsessive-compulsive romance writer who lives his life eating with plastic flatware, avoiding stepping on cracks, and steering clear of dirt, human contact, or disorder. The film follows the intersecting lives of Melvin, his gay artist neighbor Simon (Greg Kinnear), and a local waitress, Carol (Helen Hunt), the mother of a chronically ill child. After a brutal attack on Simon, Melvin is forced to disrupt his orderly life to care for his neighbor's dog (and in the process Simon). Ultimately, the film examines the trio's initial disdain for each other and the ways in which their circumstances can assist them in achieving physical and mental well-being.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

Helen Hunt (Mad About You) and Jack Nicholson (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest) garnered well-deserved Academy Awards and a nomination for Kinnear (Talk Soup)for their true-to-life performances. Often pitched as a romantic comedy, As Good as it Gets eschews the saccharine aftertaste of many such films. Instead, it provides sometimes-painful moments of self-discovery and the possibility for a pleasant (though less than "normal") tomorrow for its trio characters.

Parents might want to consider their child's level of maturity before allowing them to watch this movie.

Movie themes & details

Movie Details
Studio: Columbia Tristar
Director: James L. Brooks
Cast: Cuba Gooding Jr., Helen Hunt, Jack Nicholson
Genre: Comedy
Run time: 139 minutes
Theatrical release: December 25, 1997
DVD release: May 19, 1998
MPAA Rating: PG-13
MPAA explanation: appeal for strong language, thematic elements, nudity and a beating

This review was written by Kelly Kessler
 
 

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Most useful reviews by all members

gbsfan
teen, 17 years old
 
Stereotypical
Didn't like the way it portrayed people with mental disorders at all. Also, I didn't find the storyline very interesting. It had too much bad language in it for my likings.

bubbleboy
teen, 15 years old
 
One of my faves
This is one of my favorite films, for many reasons. First off, it has tremendous acting (most notably by masterful Jack Nicholson) and a wonderful plot, that's a bit "Little Miss Sunshine"-esque. It has many redeeming qualities, although Nicholson's character is a grouchy old racist. It tells us to accept others although Nicholson's character shows strong homophobia toward Kinnear's character. It tells us that violence hurts more than just the body, although Kinnear's character is brutally beaten in a nearly glorified manner. And finally, it tells us that anyone can fall in love, even though the three leads have immense romantic troubles. So, please, see this film. You WILL NOT be sorry.

mr. movie
teen, 15 years old
 
BEST FILM EVER MADE
The most TOUCHING INSPIRING ROMANTIC film ever made a must see for teens and kids 12 and up Nickilson gives a show stopping preformance as Melvin Udall a grumpy rude author who has severe Obssieve complution dissorder but when his neighborSimon is in a life threatning situtaion and is in the hospital melvin has no choice but to watch simons dog. After that he becomes a caring kind person and learns what love is all about. rating green=OK yellow= so-so red= not OK Sex yellow volience yellow drugs green laungage RED over 5 f@*s

uhya
teen, 13 years old
 
extremely great dramedy, but there's a beating with horrible results, some sexual content and nude posing, plus 3 f-words used by the same character (Helen Hunt). However, it's an amazing film.

 
This movie was pretty funny. I was laughing alot actually but theres more to thisd then comedy as well. There is really only one scene thats violent but Its pretty violent, strong language for PG-13 and sexuality. Good movie but should of been R-rated.

moviebash
teen, 15 years old
 
Terrific!
Wonderful film!!!!

asam
teen, 14 years old
 
Watch out
I Think Its Great, Just Watch Our For Surprise F-Bombs (There Are only 3 f-bombs in the movie) (Ages 14+)

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