Phew. Let's take a moment and collect ourselves.
In the past four months I've rehashed 95 of my 100 all-time favorite films. And now we are left with my top-five. Only five more to go.
For some - and by some I mean most - of you, my #1 movie will not be a surprise. If you've asked me in the last 15+ weeks then you already know. If you've followed this blog at all in the last 5+ years then you already know. If we've ever been friends in my 2+ decades of living then you already know. The real surprises will occur in the buildup to my #1.
Matt Barnes has already put four of my top five on his list, which leaves just one lonely film that hasn't appeared on our blogs.
That movie finds itself at #5 but within it you will find my all-time favorite movie quote. It comes in response to the question, "how do you write women so well?"
Director: James L. Brooks
Starring: Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt and Greg Kinnear
Academy Awards (2): Won Best Actor (J. Nicholson) and Best Actress (H. Hunt) (Nominated five more times including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor/G. Kinnear, Best Writing and Best Music).
Plot: "A single mother/waitress, a misanthropic author, and a gay artist form an unlikely friendship."
Stock: Holding
"I think of a man and I take away reason and accountability."
It's my favorite quote from one of my favorite movies spoken by one of my favorite actors playing arguably my favorite movie character. That's almost as good as it gets.
THE PLOT
Meet Melvin Udall (played by Jack Nicholson). To call him quirky would be an understatement. To call him rude would be the same. And to call him funny would be a disservice because he's much more than that. There isn't one word that can describe the essence of Melvin, especially when you watch him evolve as the film progresses.
Meet Carol Connelly (played by Helen Hunt). Or as Melvin calls her, "Carol the waitress." Carol waits on Melvin every day because no other waitress will. She puts up with his commentary and even dishes some of it back. Her life is centered around her sick child and her attempts to make sure he is getting decent health care.
Meet Simon Bishop (played by Greg Kinnear). Or as Melvin calls him, "Simon the fag." Simon is Melvin's neighbor who works as an artist. Simon, as with most everyone else in the world, doesn't get along with Melvin, but circumstances force them to get closer together when Simon is brutally attacked.
Melvin, Carol and Simon are the three main characters who start out merely as acquaintances and slowly turn into something else. Leave it to a dog named Verdell to bring them all together, but that's how it starts when Melvin starts looking after Simon's dog.
MY REACTION
These three main characters are just average people. They are a writer, a waitress, and a painter. They all have problems just like we do. Whether it be a disease, a sick child, or non-supportive parents, the fact is that problems exist everywhere in the world. What's so special about this movie is how memorable these characters become.
Much of the credit goes to the actors. They all delivered phenomenal performances. It's not too often that you see Oscar nominations for Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Supporting Actor from the same film. I'd go as far as saying it's the best performances of their careers (with a slight understanding that I haven't seen all of Jack's work).
While this movie may have several dramatic moments, it's based in comedic action. This is one of the funniest films I've ever watched. It's full of great one-liners and always has me constantly laughing. Much of that credit should go to Jack Nicholson because if anyone else played Melvin Udall there's no way the audience would go along with all of the racist/homophobic things he says.
WHY TOP FIVE?
Besides the incredible acting, the script is really good as well. It allows for these three memorable characters to interact, react, and eventually grow as individuals. Some would argue that this movie doesn't do a good enough job of fully utilizing that potential for growth, but that would undermine the over-arching theme of reality that this film is based in.
As this list has continued on, we've seen a bunch of great individual performances which have produced several outstanding individual characters. One of my all-time favorite characters is Melvin Udall, and for that, all the credit should go to Jack Nicholson. He somehow manages to steal every scene he's in and despite his crude comments, my admiration for him does not waver a bit.
There is a great scene in As Good As It Gets where Melvin, Carol and Simon are all in a tiny convertible. The focus of the conversation shifts to a tragic moment in Simon's childhood. Carol gives her utmost sympathy while Melvin couldn't care less. That scene conveys everything I love about Melvin. He has this uncanny ability to say the worst thing at the worst possible time, but yet, at the end, he's almost impossible not to like.
MEMORABLE QUOTES
"It's not true. Some of us have great stories, pretty stories that take place at lakes with boats and friends and noodle salad. Just no one in this car. But, a lot of people, that's their story. Good times, noodle salad. What makes it so hard is not that you had it bad, but that you're that pissed that so many others had it good." - Melvin Udall.
"When you first entered the restaurant, I thought you were handsome... and then, of course, you spoke." - Carol Connelly.
"Never, never, interrupt me, okay? Not if there's a fire, not even if you hear the sound of a thud from my home and one week later there's a smell coming from there that can only be a decaying human body and you have to hold a hanky to your face because the stench is so thick that you think you're going to faint. Even then, don't come knocking. Or, if it's election night, and you're excited and you wanna celebrate because some fudgepacker that you date has been elected the first queer president of the United States and he's going to have you down to Camp David, and you want someone to share the moment with. Even then, don't knock. Not on this door. Not for ANY reason. Do you get me, sweetheart?" - Melvin Udall.
"Where do they teach you to talk like this? In some Panama City 'Sailor wanna hump-hump' bar, or is it getaway day and your last shot at his whiskey? Sell crazy someplace else, we're all stocked up here." - Melvin Udall.
"The best thing you have going for you is your willingness to humiliate yourself." - Simon Bishop.
"This is New York, pal. If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere!" - Melvin Udall.
Until next time, "read it, roll it, hole it."
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