Jack Nicholson proves to us once again that there is no other actor, living or dead
who can play crazy better than he. Jack plays Melvin, a rather prolific,
successful novelist. He is terribly reclusive, diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and just a generally disagreeable bigot. Part of Melvin's OCD ritual is to have breakfast every morning at the same restaurant, at the same table, using the same waitress. The waitress is Carol (Helen Hunt). Carol is what many would consider to be a typical New Yorker; she takes shit off of no one and can deliver a comeback line faster than a 9mm can discharge a round. Carol has a son, Spence, who is ill, inadequately diagnosed by a government hospital system, and failing in his health. This causes Carol to begin to miss many days of work and eventually to reconsider working at all. This is, of course, intolerable for Melvin, so he devises a way to get Carol back to work.
Melvin also has a gay neighbor, Simon (Gregg Kinnear). Simon is an artist who has his studio in his apartment. Simon also has dog, a dog who has a bad habit of urinating in the hallways. For an OCD sufferer with a Lady MacBeth Complex, this too is intolerable. Melvin catches the dog about to urinate on a wall and decides to handle the situation once and for all. He puts the dog down the trash chute. Melvin is confronted by Simon and Simon's Art Dealer (Cuba Gooding, Jr.), but Simon being a gentle soul exacts no retribution. Our Art Dealer is not so kind. He returns to Melvin's apartment moments later and lets Melvin know that if he ever bothers Simon or the dog again, he will do great bodily harm to Melvin. Melvin is afforded the opportunity to make restitution when Simon's apartment is broken into and he is savagely beaten by three pieces of human garbage. There is no one to take the dog. Yes, Melvin now has two choices, take the dog or live with broken knee caps. He takes the dog.
Melvin comes to care for the dog greatly, and is quite upset about having to return him. But the connection doesn't end here. Melvin agrees to walk the dog regularly for Simon, who is first in a wheelchair and then using a walker, while Simon attempts to put his life back in order. The beating and subsequent recovery, with no medical insurance, has wiped him out. He needs to go to Baltimore to see his parents about money, but has no way of getting there. Carol, who did return to work-due to Melvin arranging for a private physician to diagnose and care for Spence-is having a hard time dealing with the largess, is looking for the catch. Melvin, as a way of mitigating her unease, suggests that Carol accompany him on the trip to Baltimore, getting her out of the city, which is something she informed him she was now capable of doing because of his generosity. Carol agrees and Melvin informs Simon that he will drive him to Baltimore, thus allowing him to spend time with Carol, and to get Simon to his parents so that he won't loose his apartment, thus putting Melvin's life back into its Obsessive Compulsive routine.
This movie is about epiphany. Each of the main characters has one. Carol's is about finding light in a dark tunnel; Simon's is about self-actualization; Melvin's is about finding the dark corners in a lighted tunnel. I know this sounds esoteric, but this movie is truly an existential experience. The dialogue is endlessly entertaining, the plot is smooth as silk and the theme is redemptive. This is a movie that must be seen.
