As Good as it Gets (AGAIT) (Part 1)

Why Study this script?
Because James L. Brooks and Jack Nicholson have created one of the most unique and interesting characters in film history.

Things to Learn from this Script:

Introducing Characters:
1. A character's entrance scene should be well chosen. On Terry Rossio's great site, wordplayer.com, he says, "A character's entrance should be indicative of the character's traits. First impression of a character is most important." This principle is well applied in AGAIT.
- In Melvin's opening scene, he's a pain in the ass. It establishes his character. Note that Melvin is also an obsessive-compulsive, a professional writer and skilled piano player and his entrance could have shown him obsessing, writing or playing. But, those qualities are or lesser importance and would have made a weaker opening.
- Simon is introduced as an insecure artist. Overcoming insecurity is the spine of his character arc.
- In Carol's intro, she's a concerned mother, which well describes her.

2. A character's entrance in the script is a critical opportunity to establish them in the READER'S mind. It should be carefully worded and not include irrelevant description.
For example, Melvin's entrance reads, "...Well past 50... unliked, unloved, unsettling. A huge
pain in the ass to everyone he's ever met." Note it doesn't say how tall he is, color hair,
color eyes, high school honors or any other irrelevancies. In the script of North by Northwest,
Roger Thornhill's mother is described as, "a woman who has played so much bridge, she is
beginning to look like the Queen of Hearts." OK, the bridge analogy is dated but the
description is vivid. It creates a visual impression of the woman and her character in the
reader's mind in one sentence.

Concept:
AGAIT's concept is three NY people with intertwined lives, one an obnoxious obsessive
compulsive, the 2nd, a sensitive artist in money trouble and the 3rd is a sweet waitress with a
very sick kid. This is NOT an inherently fascinating concept. It works because it's executed
by a master. Jeffrey Katzenberg said, "...the idea is king. If a movie begins with a great,
original idea, chances are that it will be good, even if it is executed only marginally well.
However, if a film begins with a flawed idea, it will almost certainly fail, even if it is made
with A talent and marketed to the hilt". I think AGAIT is the rare exception, successful because of the great James L. Brooks.

Links:
Script is available here
IMDB
- Awards
BoxOfficeMojo
- Production Budget: $50 million
- Total Lifetime Worldwide Gross:$314,178,011
Wikipedia