After reading “n” reviews about this movie, I thought I’d give it a try just once and one thing I’d want to say is that --- not one person has actually exaggerated about this movie. It is just a simple story about life, it’s meaning, happiness and living to the fullest.
All this is presented from the point of view of the three lead characters – Melvin, an eccentric romance novelist, Carol, a waitress whose principal aim is to earn money to pay the bills for her son’s treatment and Simon, a gay painter who has a number of friends and literally adores his dog, Verdell.
The film commences by showing the obsessive, compulsive disorders of Melvin, where he has to turn the knob of the door five times before locking it, switch the lights on and off a number of times and always avoids the cracks on the streets which gives him a rather queer way of walking. He can never love anybody and also goes to the same restaurant daily where he has to be served only by Carol. He brings his own plastic spoons to the place.
The film begins in true sense when Simon is mugged, hit and robbed by some robbers. During his period of hospitalization, his lawyer and friend, Frank (Cuba Gooding, Jr) looks for someone to take care of Verdell. He immediately hits on Melvin, with whom he doesn’t have a pleasant relationship But, Melvin who always fears Frank because of his initial threats is forced to look after the dog. It is here that we can see the change in Melvin’s outlook of life, where he begins to act as a good guardian for the dog, trying feed him and taking him out for walks. This is better shown when Frank tries to take Verdell back, but the dog prefers his temporary caretaker, Melvin. Also, in the meantime, we find that Carol has to take time off work to tend to her sick child’s needs. But as Melvin is “himself”, he is forced to go hungry because of the absence of Carol. So, he goes out of the way to help Carol with her son’s doctors and hospital fees just to get Carol back to work. Inorder to thank Melvin for all his “help”, she agrees to go with him and Simon on a trip to meet Simon’s parents. This arrangement is made, thanks to Frank who figures out that Simon is broke. This is the trip, which makes all of them realize what truly makes them happy and what life real significance is and changes everyone’s outlook towards others.
The movie is wonderfully directed and every character can actually be imagined as a real-life persona. Melvin’s attitude change, Carol’s confused state of mind and Simon’s lack of understanding of his dog’s behaviour are excellently potrayed. Jack Nicholson as Melvin has lived the role. He was able to play the part of the cruel person who loves to hurt people and also that of a nice man who was able to win the heart of Carol with just one compliment – “ You make me want to be a better man” , with ease. Helen Hunt acts the character of Carol and has done justice to the part. She can show the maternal love with just her eyes. Greg Kienner as Simon is also good. But, the dog which plays Verdell steals the show. It is just adorable.
On the whole, it is a “feel-good” movie which one can watch in any situation and understand that life hasn’t lost it’s worth yet. It always keeps getting better day by day. It is just that people’s view towards it has to change.