As Good As It Gets
US (1997): Comedy/Drama/Romance
For all of its conventional plotting about an obsessive-compulsive curmudgeon (Jack Nicholson) who improves his personality at the urging of his gay neighbor (Greg Kinnear) and a waitress (Helen Hunt) who inspires his best behavior, this is one of the sharpest Hollywood comedies of the 1990s. Nicholson could play his role in his sleep (the Oscar® he won should have gone to Robert Duvall for The Apostle), but his mischievous persona is precisely necessary to give heart to his seemingly heartless character, who is of all things a successful romance novelist. As a single mom with a chronically asthmatic young son, Hunt gives the film its conscience and integrity (along with plenty of wry humor), and she also won an Oscar® for her wonderful performance. Greg Kinnear had to settle for an Oscar nomination (while cowriter-director James L. Brooks was inexplicably snubbed by Oscar that year), but his work was also singled out in the film's near-unanimous chorus of critical praise. It's questionable whether a romance between Hunt and the much older Nicholson is entirely believable, but this movie's smart enough -- and charmingly funny enough -- to make it seem endearingly possible. (Amazon.com)
7 nominations, 2 Awards
· Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role 1997: Jack Nicholson
· Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role 1997: Helen Hunt
· Best Picture of the Year 1997: James L. Brooks, Bridget Johnson & Kristi Zea, producers (Gracie Films, Tristar)
· Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role 1997: Greg Kinnear
· Achievement in Writing (Screenplay Writted Directly for the Screen) 1997: Mark Andrus & James L. Brooks; Story by Mark Andrus
· Achievement in Film Editing 1997: Richard Marks
· Achievement in Music (Original Musical or Comedy Score) 1997: Hans Zimmer