Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

As Good As It Gets

It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

Truly, one of the most tenderhearted movies I've seen. If you like to feel pure goodness and deep friendship, this movie is for you. It contains the hardships and achievements of two young teenage boys, one, a big, lonely slow student, and the other, a little handicapped genius, who, despite their barriers, show to us and themselves the possibilities of positive fantasy role playing.At first, they are neighbors who don't really know one another. Soon, they become inseparable, joined by a deep brotherly love.Through a series of events away from home, their attachment and dependence deepens. Unavoidably, there are realities that come into play for both of them, the last of which will cause tears to run down your face. Your feelings will surface, so keep the Kleenex close by.Sharon Stone, in 1998, was without question easy on the eyes, and although this movie doesn't set out to display that unquestionable fact, the camera is completely unable to free us from the truth. As a caring, loving mother, she shows an understanding and sensitivity both to her son and his condition, inventiveness and intellect, responding with loving words, even while she takes risks.

In the mid 1990s, a streak of coming-of-age flicks were released, each trying to emulate the tone and style of Rob Reiner's "Stand by me" (1986). And so "Stand by Me" led to the TV series "The Wonder Years" (1988), which led to Woody Allen's "Radio Days", "Brighton Beach Memoirs", "Radio Flyer" (1992), "Man in the Moon" (1991), "Jack the Bear" (1993), "This Boys Life" (1993), "King of the Hill", "Now and Then" (1995), "Unsung Heroes" (1995), "The Mighty" (1998), "Simon Birch" (1998) etc etc.These films all employed a rich and romantic visual style which recalled the paintings of Norman Rockwell. They featured older and wiser narrators who reminisced about their childhood days, revolved around small groups of young boys, largely took place in the 60s and early 70s, and oozed a sense of nostalgia.Significantly, all these films also yearned for escape. These kids (or rather their future adult selves) are all searching for a romanticised version of Americana. A forgotten, or perhaps nonexistent, age of white picket fences, carefree wandering, pop sodas and family dinners. Behind all this comfortable nostalgia, though, is a sense of menace. Abuse, suicide, murder, the lingering effects of the Vietnam war and drunken fathers, all linger in the background.Covertly, these films are also implicitly about how early circumstances influence a person's later identity. They're all told from the point of view of an adult, looking back at his past life.This trend started in the 80, by artists who were born post WW2 and became young men in the mid 60s. By the late 90s the "unseen enemy" of these films stopped being about war, poverty, absent fathers, abuse and alcoholism, and started to be about disease and genetic disorders. The idealised Norman Rockwell version of Americana was still there, but now Generation X seemed to obsess over diseases and genetics. For Generation X, misery seemed to be all about ailments and genetic predisposition, like the kids with Morquio's syndrome in "The Mighty" and "Simon Birch" or AIDS in "The Cure". "Stand by Me"- 8/10, "The Mighty"- 7.9/10, "Simon Birch"- 7/10, "The Cure"- 5/10, "Radio Flyer"- 4/10, "Jack the Bear"- 7.5/10, "This boys life"- 8/10, "Now and then"- 3/10, "Man in the moon"- 7.5/10I think these films are interesting if you treat them as a single batch. Stuff like "Radio Flyer" and "Now and Then" have that whole kitschy Spielberg vibe. They're pretty worthless. The Tom Hanks cheesefest "Radio Flyer" and the Rosie O Donnell travesty "Now and Then" are pretty terrible. "The Mighty's" somewhere in the middle.

Less importantly, I can't figure out why Sharon Stone is the number one credit when the story isn't really about her character. Other than that, this movie has good intentions and a great story. However, there were a few scenes that just felt overly tense, such as when--possible spoilers--Kevin begins choking on his food and loses consciousness, as well as the scene where Loretta is strangled (but not killed), which is otherwise understandable. This seemingly is supposed to be a family-friendly film, but with these scenes the filmmakers make it look more like a thriller. If the filmmakers had not done this, I believe this film could very easily have been given a PG rating. -6 stars for the tension.

We rented THE MIGHTY after doing a JAMES GANDOLFINI search. Big T is in this picture, as is Sharon Stone. Both play excellent supporting roles, but the focus is not on them, but on two kids and the drama of how an overgrown hulk and a smart squirt on crutches team us to overcome the bad guys and be pals for lifetime is exceptional and real. If you like true life stories about real kids --- not Hollywood style smart mouths, it's hard to imagine a better recent film.One of the kids is played by Mccauley Calkin's kid brother and it just brings to mind how "Mack's" real life never-married parents brought 7 kids into the world, apparently raised with no values and bled dry. Mack Calkin had no talent to speak of when he was "luckily" tossed into the "Home Alone" series. With that and Columbia's charmless "My Girl" Mack (or his unmarried child-breeding parents) grabbed up $17 million and Mack was burned out at age 14. Then he gets involved with Michael Jackson; but before that happened the parents are hawking the younger kids trading off Mack's star power. Gag me, please.A $17 million income by age 14 might be nice, but is no guarantee of a full life. Of all the rotten parents in Hollywood, one might be hard pressed to name worse than those of Drew Barrymore, Maccauly Calkin or Winona Ryder. Drew bottomed-out by age 12 and raised herself up on her own mettle; Winona had LSD guru Timothy Leary as a godparent and is still clueless about her shoplifting downfall, then there's the Calkin kids. God help them.