As Good As It Gets

The main character of the movie As Good as it Gets is a man named Melvin Udall. He lives a solitary life, working as a novelist and dealing with obsessive compulsive disorder. Choosing not to be treated for his disorder, he avoids interaction with people and limits his communication with anyone to what is absolutely necessary. It is made clear through his writing that he is a master of the English language, but does not portray himself in his life in a way that is consistent with the things that he writes. His body language is a constant indication of his discomfort, and his condescending tone of voice deters people from initiating or continuing a conversation. This lack of human contact, in addition to his mental condition, has left him completely unpracticed in methods of conversation. As a result, he seems incapable of having a conversation without insulting someone saying something entirely inappropriate. Even after establishing the basis of a functioning relationship with the other two main characters in the movie he speaks of them, and to them, in a manor that is inconsistent with friendship. When the other characters meet for the first time, Melvin says, in place of an introduction, "Carol the waitress, Simon the fag."

The second character, Carol Connelly, is the single mother who works as a waitress and is constantly worried about the health of her young son. She is one of the few people who speak with Melvin regularly, as he comes into her restaurant daily and insists on being seated in her section. She is very direct when speaking with Melvin or any other character in the movie. Though this ensures that the people she is speaking with understand her meaning, she does come across as rather abrasive at times. When Melvin comes to see her at her home, she rudely states, "Come on in, and try not to ruin everything by being you." Her facial expressions are also very revealing of how she is feeling about a conversation, person or