Laughing to Keep from Crying: An Analysis of The Film As Good as it Gets

Americans function in a normative society, where outliers are either considered dangerous or laughable. The patriarchal ideals upon which the United States was founded placed white heterosexual males at the top of the social ladder, but in so doing, all those who fall short of this specific condition are left struggling to climb toward normalcy. This ideal, however, is challenged by the blithely offensive, obsessive-compulsive main character of the film, As Good as it Gets. It is difficult to imagine an actor besides Jack Nicholson playing the part of Melvin Udall, whose neurotic behavior is a part of his particular brand of charm. Noted film critic, Roger Ebert, gave the film a three-star rating, stating that, “It is some kind of twisted tribute to Nicholson that he’s able to use this dialogue in what is, after all, a comedy.” Melvin casually insults everyone with whom he comes into contact, his interactions with people limited to remarks that are purposely hurtful and derogatory. But he gets away with it because that is the nature of American film comedy. Comedies allow audiences to laugh at what makes them uncomfortable, offering them a way to deal with recognizable social anxieties (Belton 164). Melvin exposes these anxieties with every jab and jibe he makes, each a commentary on the theme of race, class, sexuality, and gender.

The film begins with Melvin shoving his gay neighbor’s dog into the trash chute, setting the stage for how the audience perceives his character. What kind of person is capable of doing such a thing? There must be something wrong with him, which is proven in the way that Melvin flips the light switch on and off, compulsively counting the number of times he locks and unlocks the front door. His behavior...

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...at the beginning of the film. What they probably did not expect was how funny mental disorder, gay bashing, and female exploitation could be. Melvin’s unmitigated behavior is the perfect catalyst for humor and in saying exactly what he means to say with complete disregard for the feelings of others, he gives voice to what audiences want to deny they are thinking. The characters of As Good as it Gets, with Melvin at the helm, rebel against an all-encompassing happy ending every step of the way, showing that people are set in their ways and, at times, have to laugh to keep from crying, because maybe this really is “as good as it gets.”

Works Cited

As Good as it Gets. Dir. James L. Brooks. Perf. Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt, Greg Kinnear, Cuba Gooding, Jr. TriStar, 1997. DVD.

Ebert, Roger. Rev. of As Good as it Gets. Rogerebert.com. 22 Dec. 1997. Web. 01 May 2014.