As Good as it Gets (1997) James L. Brooks
Discussion Questions, Resources, and Viewing Guide
“Madness in Movies” Coordinated Studies
Brian Holt & JC Clapp, North Seattle Community College, 2012
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Look at how Melvin, Simon, and Carol’s apartments are portrayed. What about the miseen-scene reflects or communicates something about their character? Choose one of these
characters and carefully describe the details of their living space that give us insight into
their character traits.
Music is used in both diegetic and non-diegetic ways in this film. There are places where
the diegetic music is used as a sound bridge between scenes and then moves to being
non-diegetic. Discuss how music is used to communicate in a particular scene.
Throughout this film, Melvin is shown to be rude, arrogant, homophobic, and racist. He’s
also shown as having Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Notice the correlation
between how he becomes more tolerant of others as his OCD symptoms improve. What
does this connection lend to the film? Why might the connection have been made?
There are lots of extreme close-ups on the main characters faces. Why might that
technique have been used, and why?
This is film is a drama and follows the generic conventions that go along with it. As a
viewer, what do you expect when you go into a comedic drama like this? How does this
film follow the expectations of the genre? Does it break from them?
Draw out the narrative arc of this film. What are the narrative turns or turning scenes?
How does the pace of the film reflect the narration?
Is Melvin a protagonist or antagonist? With whom are we meant to identify in the film?
Which character(s) change, and how?
Most people with OCD fall into one of the following categories:
 Washers: Afraid of contamination and usually have cleaning or hand-washing
compulsions
 Checkers: Repeatedly check things (like doors or ovens) that they associate with
danger.
 Doubters/Sinners: Afraid if everything isn’t perfect something terrible will happen.
 Counters/Arrangers: Obsessed with order and symmetry, often superstitious
about certain numbers, colors, or arrangements.
 Hoarders: Fear something terrible will happen if they throw anything away.
In this film, Melvin is portrayed as having OCD with a variety of compulsions and
obsessions. Write down all of the ways he is shown to have OCD. Which of the above
categories might he fall into, and how do you know? Now consider ways in which he is
shown to have OCPD. Is this an accurate portrayal of the conditions? How? How not?