When it comes to romance and the likelihood of it happening between two souls, this film dances on the edges until the very end.
The performance by Jack Nicholson is simply astounding. He embodies the role of a moderately successful writer with obsessive-compulsive disorder living his life in Manhattan, New York. If you are already a fan of Nicholson you'll be pleased to hear that his usual charm is present and somewhat bolstered by the short-tempered and often oblivious character he potrays.
Carol Kennedy (Helen Hunt) is starring as the Manhattan waitress making ends meet to support her family, all the while having the pleasure of dealing with the arduous Melvin Udall (Nicholson) on a regular basis at the restaurant where she works.
Their interactions are a mixture of explosive emotion, pleasant wisecracks, and unsuspecting kindness which keeps the viewer guessing where their relationship will unknowingly end up.
There are also frequent encounters between Melvin and his neighbour Simon (Greg Kinnear) who lives in his apartment block. This gives way for some on the edge humour as well as an unexpected string of events which leads to interesting developments in both their lives.
It's a real feel-good movie with some subtle nuances which amplify the production quality to great heights. I'll be looking out for other films with a similar appeal.
Budget: $50M
Box Office: $314.1M
Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer 85% - Audience 86%