ABOUT the film: As Good As It Gets is a 1997 romantic comedy staring Jack Nicholson as a misanthropic, obsessive-compulsive novelist. He takes an interest in a waitress played by Helen Hunt, the only server at the restaurant he frequents who can tolerate his behavior. Nicholson and Hunt won Academy Awards for Best Actor and Best Actress.
WATCH the film: Available on home video for purchase and rental online and through local video stores.
DISCUSS the film: After you watch the film, return here to join in the discussion at the bottom of this page.
REVIEW by Julie: This film is one of my all time favorite films about OCD and was the first ever film I watched as a young adult that featured a main character with the disorder. Melvin is the kind of character that you hate and love at the same time, someone who you want to root for one on hand while at the same time wishing he would get a reality check and help himself out. It is clear that Melvin has real and legitimate OCD and I think the portrayal of it in this film is realistic in most parts while all the while keeping the comedic take on his struggles.
Although I doubt that someone with Melvin's cleanliness obsessions would be able to handle taking care of a dog it is clear that he tries to neutralize his obsessions by performing compulsions and that he engages in many avoidance and ritualistic behaviors characteristic of classic OCD. Throughout the movie we see that Melvin knows that his compulsions are unreasonable. He tells Carol that he sees a psychiatrist and started to take medicine in order to deal with his problem.
Even though obsessive intrusions can be distracting and frequently result in inefficient performance of cognitive tasks that require concentration, Melvin is portrayed as a successful author. Sometimes he complains that his neighbors distract him from his work, while his character's functioning as an author seems to remain mostly intact. But whenever anything disrupts his well-established routine, he becomes anxious and belligerent with people.
Melvin gradually overcomes his isolation of affect. He learns to recognize his feelings as well as the impact of his behavior on others. One of my favorite lines in the movie is when Melvin says to Carol "you make me want to be a better man." I think this sums up the struggle that we all have when dealing with our OCD. We have the disorder but we never give up hope that we can be better people despite it.
DISCUSS the film (in comments section below):
WATCH the film: Available on home video for purchase and rental online and through local video stores.
DISCUSS the film: After you watch the film, return here to join in the discussion at the bottom of this page.
REVIEW by Julie: This film is one of my all time favorite films about OCD and was the first ever film I watched as a young adult that featured a main character with the disorder. Melvin is the kind of character that you hate and love at the same time, someone who you want to root for one on hand while at the same time wishing he would get a reality check and help himself out. It is clear that Melvin has real and legitimate OCD and I think the portrayal of it in this film is realistic in most parts while all the while keeping the comedic take on his struggles.
Although I doubt that someone with Melvin's cleanliness obsessions would be able to handle taking care of a dog it is clear that he tries to neutralize his obsessions by performing compulsions and that he engages in many avoidance and ritualistic behaviors characteristic of classic OCD. Throughout the movie we see that Melvin knows that his compulsions are unreasonable. He tells Carol that he sees a psychiatrist and started to take medicine in order to deal with his problem.
Even though obsessive intrusions can be distracting and frequently result in inefficient performance of cognitive tasks that require concentration, Melvin is portrayed as a successful author. Sometimes he complains that his neighbors distract him from his work, while his character's functioning as an author seems to remain mostly intact. But whenever anything disrupts his well-established routine, he becomes anxious and belligerent with people.
Melvin gradually overcomes his isolation of affect. He learns to recognize his feelings as well as the impact of his behavior on others. One of my favorite lines in the movie is when Melvin says to Carol "you make me want to be a better man." I think this sums up the struggle that we all have when dealing with our OCD. We have the disorder but we never give up hope that we can be better people despite it.
DISCUSS the film (in comments section below):
- What motivates someone with OCD to "be a better person"? To work on recovery? Are the two related, and if so, how?
- If you or someone you know or love has OCD, how do you keep the humor in your life? How important is humor in dealing with it?
- Do you feel comfortable sharing your OCD struggles with other people in your life?
- How accurately do you think OCD is portrayed in this film?
While I enjoyed the movie, and agree with many of Julie's comments, there was one thing that irked me. It was the classic Hollywood happy ending. Now it's been a few years since I've seen the film, but as I remember the last scene, Melvin finds love and happiness and magically is able to step on the cracks on the sidewalk. OCD is not cured by waving a magic wand. It takes a lot of hard work. The ending trivializes the struggle.
ReplyDeleteI know there are some issues with this film in its depiction of Melvin, I think he is one of the dearest film characters. He struggles against himself and a world of distractions and annoyances, yet he finds ways to extend himself and be of real help to others. Where many "say" and not "do"...he takes the opposite path. I found him courageous and honorable.
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