As Good as It Gets
A comedy from the heart that goes for the throat. Brace yourself for Melvin.
1997
Rated
PG-13
139
minutes
Comedy, Drama, Romance
Wikipedia
Directed By:
James L. Brooks
Melvin Udall, a cranky, bigoted, obsessive-compulsive writer of romantic fiction, is rude to everyone he meets, including his gay neighbor, Simon. After Simon is hospitalized, Melvin finds his life turned upside down when he has to look after Simon's dog. In addition, Carol, the only waitress at the local diner who will tolerate him, must leave work to care for her sick son, making it impossible for Melvin to eat breakfast.
Language
English
Release Date
December 19, 1997
Budget
$50,000,000
Revenue
$314,178,011
Academy Awards
Best Actress
Best Actor
Golden Globe Awards
Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
Cast
Jack Nicholson
Melvin Udall
Helen Hunt
Carol Connelly
Greg Kinnear
Simon Bishop
Cuba Gooding Jr.
Frank Sachs
Shirley Knight
Beverly Connelly
Jesse James
Spencer Connelly
Yeardley Smith
Jackie Simpson
Lupe Ontiveros
Nora Manning
Skeet Ulrich
Vincent Lopiano
Harold Ramis
Dr. Bettes
Bibi Osterwald
Neighbor Woman
Ross Bleckner
Carl
Bernadette Balagtas
Caterer
Jaffe Cohen
Partygoer
Laurie Kilpatrick
Partygoer
Alice Vaughn
Partygoer
Brian Doyle-Murray
Handyman
Kristi Zea
Mother at Table
Annie Maginnis Tippe
Daughter at Table
Patricia Childress
Cafe 24 Waitress
Rebekah Johnson
Cafe 24 Waitress
Missi Pyle
Cafe 24 Waitress
Leslie Stefanson
Cafe 24 Waitress
Tara Subkoff
Cafe 24 Waitress
Shane Black
Cafe 24 Manager
Peter Jacobson
Man at Table
Lisa Edelstein
Woman at Table
Stan Bly
Cafe 24 Customer
Randall Batinkoff
Carol's Date
Jamie Kennedy
Street Hustler
Justin Herwick
Street Hustler
Maya Rudolph
Policewoman
John F. O'Donohue
Detective Ray
David A. Kipper
Hospital Doctor
Mary Elizabeth Still
Nurse Receptionist
Chloe Brooks
Child at Cafe 24
Cooper Brooks
Child at Cafe 24
Sharon L. Alexander
Female Passerby
Holly Denys
Female Passerby
Lawrence Kasdan
Dr. Green
Alison Rose
Psychiatric Patient
Kathryn Morris
Psychiatric Patient
Wood Harris
Cafe 24 Busboy
Linda Gehringer
Publisher
Julie Benz
Receptionist
Antonia Jones
Nurse
Kaitlin Hopkins
Woman in Lobby
Jimmy Workman
Sean from the Bakery
Todd Solondz
Man on Bus
Tom McGowan
Maitre D'
Danielle Brisebois
Singer
Matt Malloy
Men's Store Salesman
Paul Greenberg
Bar Waiter
Kirk Ringberg
Food Waiter
Dave Hawthorne
Bartender
Alex Ballar
Flower Store Customer (uncredited)
Dunya Djordjevic
Art Dealer (uncredited)
Frank Slaten
Miffed Party Goer (uncredited)
Laura Mayes Byrnes
Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
Oriana Nicole Tavoularis
Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
Roger Ferreira
Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
Jason Thomas Campbell
Valet (uncredited)
Amy Anzel
Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Eliza Harris
Ballet Dancer (uncredited)
Eddie L. Fauria
NYC Transit Cop (uncredited)
Bronwyn Cornelius
Bartender (uncredited)
Maurice LaMarche
Fred Bishop - Simon's Dad on Phone (voice) (uncredited)
Show Full Crew
Directing
James L. Brooks
Director
Aldric La'Auli Porter
First Assistant Director
William M. Connor
Second Assistant Director
Hans Berggren
Other
Susan Perlman
Other
Ray Quiroz
Script Supervisor
Writing
Production
Owen Wilson
Associate Producer
James L. Brooks
Producer
Francine Maisler
Casting
Richard Sakai
Executive Producer
Barbara Harris
ADR Voice Casting
Laura Ziskin
Executive Producer
Kristi Zea
Producer
Laurence Mark
Executive Producer
Aldric La'Auli Porter
Associate Producer
Jake Jacobson
Unit Production Manager
Richard Marks
Co-Producer
Maria Kavanaugh
Associate Producer
Bridget Johnson
Producer
Yvonne Yaconelli
Production Office Coordinator
Karen E. Etcoff
Casting
Ralph Coleman
Location Manager
John D. Schofield
Co-Producer
John D. Schofield
Unit Production Manager
S. Todd Christensen
Assistant Location Manager
Crew
Gene LeBell
Stunts
Walter Scott
Stunt Coordinator
BJ Davis
Stunt Double
Julia Davis
Stunt Coordinator
Julia Davis
Stunt Double
Denise Lynne Roberts
Stunts
David LeBell
Stunts
Chester E. Tripp III
Stunts
Felipe Savahge
Stunts
Julie Ansell
Thanks
Ken Fritz
Stunt Coordinator
Bruce Gregory
Stunts
William B. Doane
Special Effects Coordinator
Phil O'Dell
Stunts
Michael Besman
Thanks
Gary Holland
Cableman
Camera
Michael Martinez
Second Assistant Camera
Michael Stone
Camera Operator
John Bailey
Director of Photography
Ralph Nelson Jr.
Still Photographer
Donald E. Thorin Jr.
First Assistant Camera
Michael M. Krevitt
Key Grip
Michael Connors
Dolly Grip
Thomas Wazney
Best Boy Grip
Editing
Theresa Repola Mohammed
Negative Cutter
Gena Bleier
Assistant Editor
Dale E. Grahn
Color Timer
Richard Marks
Editor
Hilary Schroeder
Assistant Editor
Art
Martin Charles
Graphic Designer
Masako Masuda
Assistant Art Director
Bill Brzeski
Production Design
Philip Toolin
Art Direction
Pablo Ferro
Title Designer
John Naehrlich
Leadman
Clay A. Griffith
Set Decoration
Scott G. Jones
Set Dresser
Gary Deaton
Construction Coordinator
Brana Rosenfeld
Assistant Set Decoration
Bart C. Hubenthal
Set Dresser
John Maskovich
Set Dresser
Mark Wade
Property Master
John Hammer Maxwell
Set Dresser
Costume & Make-Up
Molly Maginnis
Costume Design
Joy Zapata
Hairstylist
Linda Arnold
Hair Supervisor
Michèle Burke
Makeup Supervisor
Donna Casey-Aira
Assistant Costume Designer
Stacye P. Branche
Makeup Artist
James Lapidus
Costumer
Mary Elizabeth Still
Costumer
Darrell Redleaf-Fielder
Hairstylist
Elaine Ramires
Wardrobe Supervisor
Carrie Angland
Makeup Artist
Sound
Hans Zimmer
Original Music Composer
Richard Duarte
Foley Mixer
Christopher Flick
Foley Editor
Andy Malcolm
Foley Artist
Ron Bartlett
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Don Coufal
Boom Operator
David Giammarco
Supervising Sound Editor
Thomas J. O'Connell
ADR Mixer
Renée Tondelli
ADR Supervisor
Armen Ksajikian
Musician
Zigmund Gron
Music Editor
Jeff Gomillion
ADR Mixer
Adam Milo Smalley
Music Editor
Cindy Marty
Sound Effects Editor
Bruce Fowler
Orchestrator
Patrick Drummond
Sound Effects Editor
Galen Goodpaster
First Assistant Sound Editor
Chris Jenkins
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Dennis Drummond
Supervising Sound Editor
Bill Ward
Assistant Sound Editor
Jonathan Klein
Foley Editor
Matt Colleran
Sound Recordist
Kira Edmunds
Assistant Sound Editor
Nicholas Korda
ADR Editor
Rudy Pi
Sound Recordist
Mark Smith
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Jeffrey Pollack
Music Supervisor
Jeff Wexler
Sound Mixer
Lighting
Mike Moyer
Chief Lighting Technician
David Burnett
Assistant Chief Lighting Technician
Greg Addison
Lighting Technician
Visual Effects