As Good as It Gets

Name: As Good as It Gets
Genre: Drama, Comedy, Romance
Released: 1997-12-19
Cast: Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt, Greg Kinnear, Cuba Gooding Jr., Shirley Knight

1997 | 139 min | Drama, Comedy, Romance

Friday Night Flick

Why it’s a Friday Night Flick

It won 2 Oscars, it made about 6 times its budget, it earned strong reviews (86% on Rotten Tomatoes) and audiences rate it highly (7.4 out of 10). Make plans for this one.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it: Made for romantics and anyone who wants a laugh. If you loved Rain Man, start here.
The mood: Funny with heart, romantic.
The pace: Takes its time with its characters, at 2 hr 19 min.
What might put you off: Nothing much: an easy pick for most people.

A misanthropic author, a single mother and waitress, and a gay artist form an unlikely friendship after the artist is assaulted in a robbery.

How it earned its rating

CriticsStrong
86% on Rotten Tomatoes
AudiencesStrong
7.4 out of 10
AwardsVery strong
Won 2 Oscars: Academy Awards: Best Actor, Academy Awards: Best Actress. Won 3 Golden Globes: Golden Globe Awards: Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Golden Globe Awards: Best Actor – Musical or Comedy, Golden Globe Awards: Best Actress – Musical or Comedy. Won 2 SAG Awards: Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role, Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role. Won 1 Critics' Choice Award: Critics' Choice Awards: Best Actor. Won 1 WGA Award: Writers Guild of America Awards: Best Screenplay – Written Directly for the Screen. Also nominated for 5 more Oscars, 3 more Golden Globes and 1 more SAG Award. Plus 19 other awards.
Box office & staying powerVery strong
$314 million worldwide on a $50 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 586K people sought it out in the past year