Movie #118 - As Good as It Gets

"Brace yourself for Melvin."

Winner of two Academy Awards (Helen Hunt and Jack Nicholson - both for Best Actor/Actress) and also nominated for five more awards, this movie was one of the surprise hits of 1997. Not only was this film well cast from top to bottom, with Hunt and Nicholson leading the way, but it was definitely well-written.

James L. Brooks, probably more famous nowadays for his lifetime of work on the television blockbuster cartoon, The Simpsons, is the main person responsible for this movie. However, James L. Brooks has had a distinguished career in both television and film. From the television side of things, beyond The Simpsons, Brooks has been a writer for such hits as The Mary Tyler Moore Show and its spin-off Rhoda, not to mention an extended run behind Taxi. As for the big screen, Brooks is best known for Terms of Endearment and Broadcast News.

Casting Nicholson as a neurotic, rude, paranoid, crazy man wasn't much of a stretch. In fact, most of Nicholson's current roles now play on his Melvin character from this film - which probably is not a real stretch from his personality in real life, hence its so easy for him to play this type of character. Helen Hunt was the surprise of this film, but deserved her Oscar due to the ability to play alongside Nicholson throughout this film and having the uncanny ability to steal some scenes from the great actor as well.

The other cast members really make this movie work, from Greg Kinnear, Cuba Gooding Jr., and even a rare live appearance of Simpsons' alumnus Yeardley Smith, the voice of Lisa Simpson, who coincidentally is playing a character named Jackie Simpson. The real show-stopper was the pet dog, Vardell. This dog was the real driving force behind the friendship of the Kinnear and Nicholson characters, but was definitely well cast and well trained.

Anyhow, this movie is a treat for all you Jack Nicholson fans out there, however, it is the start of many movies similar to this in his resume. I'd like to see Jack begin to branch back into playing an evil villain similar to what he accomplished in The Departed or his earlier 90's roles such as in A Few Good Men. However, because this type-cast character is so successful and comedic at the same time, I doubt we'll ever be rid of this version of Jack anytime soon.

Movie #30 - Little Miss Sunshine

"Where's Olive?"

Simple tag-line for a witty film. To be honest, I actually didn't enjoy this movie in its entirety. This may come as a surprise, but like other Hollywood band-wagon films such as Brokeback Mountain or Philadelphia, I just didn't get on the wagon.

I liked many scenes of this movie and the casting of Steve Carell as a suicidal brother-in-law / slash crazy uncle alongside Greg Kinnear and Alan Arkin was great. However, unlike most Hollywood critics and pundits alike, I actually did not care much for the acting achieved by little Abigail Breslin.

This comes back to an old theory of mine about child actors. There is a point for a child actor where a bridge is crossed between cuteness to annoyance. Let's just say, throughout this film, Breslin not only crosses that bridge, she helps build it. I do not find her role very appealing and find her acting quite annoying... tough to put that wrap on a young actress, but give me a young Sarah Polley, Drew Barrymore, Dakota Fanning, or even Lindsey Lohan and you got a more appealing young actress to cast in a role like this.

Beyond that, I enjoyed many aspects of this film. The character of Richard Hoover (Greg Kinnear) is desperate, something that Kinnear captures well. As an audience, you truly believe that Carell is suicidal, however, you see a little bit of Michael Scott (television - The Office) in every word of this character... maybe its just his poignant, dead-pan delivery of all lines that gets the comparison.

Either way, the premise of this movie is enjoyable - having to get to a beauty pageant across country and dealing with the various ups and downs associated with this trip. I loved the concept because it reminds movie goers about their dreaded family road-trips and how dis-functional they can be... however, in this case, this trip would win out in every retrospective comparison.

If you like Carell despite his recent case of over-exposure (or how I'd like to call it the Tommy Lee Jones syndrome) or if you dig witty Kinnear roles or if you are an avid fan of the side roles of Alan Arkin, then I suggest watching this movie. If you bought into the Hollywood propaganda of the wonderful acting of Ms. Abigail Breslin, then I hope you aren't too disappointed by the end of the movie.

In the end, enjoy the dis-functionality, its what makes movies fun to watch!

Reference: I originally published this article on Helium.com.