Replies

What I really loved about the movie As Good as it Gets is that it painted a much more realistic picture of the homo lifestyle than Hollywood is willing to admit to. In it, an outspoken “homophobe” author, Melvin, as the main character often has caustic interactions with a “gay” neighbor in his building. The “gay” artist neighbor, Simon, hires a prostituting young man from the street to model for ideas for his art projects. When the project nears completion, the homo hooker brings in some of his “gay” partners-in-crime into Simon’s apartment to rob him, beating him up badly in the process.

Melvin is subtly drawn into the artist’s dilemma of not being able to pay rent because of his injuries and lack of artistic output, and grudgingly helps him out in various ways. What’s glaring is that none of Simon’s own “community” seems to be around to help him out, not even his “gay” agent/promoter, who instead relies on Melvin to do what the agent should have been doing.

Melvin’s benevolence at the end is truly inspiring, although he never jettisons his distaste for homosexuality or his epithets about “Simon the fag.” Today’s movies would have castigated such a character as Melvin as a hater bound for damnation.