As Good as It Gets

As Good As It Gets (1997)

Melvin Udall, the main character in this movie, was expressing certain symptoms of a disorder called Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. According to the DSM IV such obsessions or compulsions that "cause marked distress, are time consuming (take more than 1 hour a day), or significantly interfere with the person's normal routine, occupational (or academic) functioning, or usual social activities or relationships" are categorized under OCD. Melvin had these compulsions. He tapped his toes a certain number before he put his shoes on, and he had to eat at the same diner, with the same server and clean plastic silverware every morning. Some of his obsessions were that he could not walk on a crack on the floor, and things had to be clean.

The lovely waitress at the diner that Melvin had to have each morning was Carol Connelly. She had many life problems of her own, being a single mom, and living with her mom so that she could help take care of Spenser, Carol's son, who was very ill. I do not think that Carol would have been diagnosed with a disorder, just an overwhelming amount of stress is apparent in her life. She has to deal with her son's sickness, her mother living with her, being a single parent, and not only working but having the same man complain and bug her everyday that she is at work.

Melvin was also homophobic, which did not help him since he had a queer neighbor named Simon Bishop. Poor Simon was painting a portrait when his apartment got broken into and he wound up in the hospital. Melvin was also not so fond of Simon's dog, but after Simon was placed in the hospital, the dog needed a temporary place to stay. Melvin allowed the dog to stay with him and care for him until Simon got home. Simon is like any typical queer feminine man out there, very emotional. I do not think that this constitutes for a mental disorder. All he has is everyday stress of being a queer man, his parents resenting him for past doings, and trying to make a living with his art work.

Simon's pal, Frank Sachs, was the one who convinced Melvin to take the dog. He has an ease about him, a calming attitude about him. When things got crazy back at the apartment complex, Frank was able to calm things down. He was there as support for Simon also, being queer himself, they could share some hardships to each other. He wasn't mentioned or filmed a lot in this