“As Good as It Gets”
The scene from “As Good as It Gets” studied, complexed, and emotional movie. The film won two Oscars for best actor and best actress, Helen Hunt as Carol and Jack Nicholson as Melvin. The romantic novelist struggled with obsessive-compulsive disorder and who is very rude that he keeps insulting everyone. His regular waitress Carol is the only one in the cafe who could handle his constant outbursts and cruel comments. It is a gently comic movie and very sentimental.
In this situation, the context is Melvin’s comment about the restaurant, how they ask me to wear a jacket, and they allow you (Carol) to get here with a “house dress” Carol very offended about his comment and ask him for a compliment or she will leave. So, Melvin delivers one of the most memorable lines in the cinema, and Melvin said: “You make me want to be a better man.”
I will explore this scene from a narrative theory perspective. The scene offers a good illustration of how guilt is dealt with in comic terms. Melvin is a character that has no filter on his thoughts and brutally honest. He never follows the basic norms and acting against all the rules of the societies. Melvin is guilty in terms of the way treated and offended Carol. The only person could stand his misbehaving. However, Melvin is inevitably going to say something hurtful based on his character. Carol gives him a chance to reintegrate into the social hierarchy as a complex but acceptable person to the audience “pay me a compliment, and I need one.” Melvin fails to contain Carol’s anger, and the audience sees themselves in a similar situation by saying something that they shouldn’t say. But Melvin starts by building his case of how he is dealing with the guilt, is to punish himself. Melvin forced himself to take a medicine that he really hates. And he is doing that as a way of atoning action. “I hate pills; very dangerous thing pills. Hate, I’m using the word hate! here about pills” that lead to the most praised compliment, which in Melvin’s character is more effective because he is a very honest person. “You make me want to be a better man.”
The dialogue and performance in this scene were very effective and made the scene go from comedy to sentimental scene and highly emotional. This sentence, “You make me want to be a better man.” the way this sentence delivered to make this compliment perfection. Which became an unforgettable quote from As Good as It Gets it has been used in so many different forms for so many different purposes by musical artists, politicians, and your significant other.
