As Good As It Gets By Melvin Udall

As Good as It Gets
Melvin Udall is a successful author who lives the life of a recluse. All the neighbors in his Greenwich Village apartment building avoid him like the plague. He is a cantankerous bigoted, homophobic, dog hating, racist jerk. who does not care much for people any more than they care for him.
Melvin, diagnosed with OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder), avoids stepping on sidewalk cracks and touching other people, wears gloves, wipes off door handles, has to eat at the same restaurant every day, sit at the same table, insist on the same waitress Carol, and always orders the same meal.
Suddenly, Melvin 's life takes a turn. A group of robbers beats up his artist gay neighbor, Simon. Simon 's art dealer, Frank, forces Melvin to care for Simon 's dog during his owner 's recovery. Soon Melvin encounters another challenge, because his server is not at her job one day when her son is sick, Melvin has a meltdown. Expressing his frustrations, he becomes loud and rude. He finally is thrown out of the restaurant, and applause from the regulars begin. Melvin finds out where Carol lives and visits her. He offers to pay a doctor to care for the sick son if she promises to wait on him again.
Gradually, Melvin discovers his love for Carol and the little dog in his care. After coming to terms with his own failings, he begins to experience and demonstrate compassion. Of course, he does not change overnight. There are times when the old Melvin Udall rears his ugly head, leading to many plot complications.
Carol and Melvin have a date at a fancy restaurant where Melvin is made aware of a dress code. He needs to purchase a coat and tie, and Melvin finds challenge by these demands on him. He insults Carol, ...

... middle of paper ...

...r obsessions and compulsions, and therefore have no filtering skills concerning social context, and to other 's perception of them. Using interpersonal psychotherapy, the therapist highlights the ways in which the clients ' current functioning in relationships, and how expectations within these relationships may have been a cause of their problems. This helps them explore problem relationships and consider options to resolve them. When an obsession has a traumatic background, treatment methods designed for PTSD is the recommendation.
Overall, As Good as It Gets is a story of a lonely man with OCD. It is a depiction of how abnormal behavior disorders can affect the lives of both the one with the disorder and the lives of friends, family, and co-workers of people diagnosed with OCD. It has a good ending and there will be no spoiler here.

References