this film be really not about anything . it start off simply introduce some of the character who you will soon never forget . we be immediately introduce to a crumudgen name melvin play by jack nicholson . melvin in short be a sob . he be rude and racist and paranoid and homophobic and and just a horrible person . our first introduction to him we wittness him take his gay neighbour dog run around and chuck it down the garbage chute . when simon find out ( play by greg kineear ) he decide to take a stand but be so intimidate by melvin antic that even when he try to confront him he just break down . this also lead to a diatribe melvin say to simon that be so brutal that you can not help but feel bad but laugh at hystericaly . this be pretty much the pace of the film . all the character have their shining moment . melvin have several and simon have many and and even simon lover play by cuba gooding jr. have a great confrontation scene with melvin tell him to lay off simon . there be a reason for melvin antic and which isn not explain until about half way through the film and and that be he have ocd ( obsessive compulsive disorder ) . in short this be a bit of a flaw cause it make the viewer not sympathize with melvin right away . instead many people witness his antic may just end up hat him so much cause his behaviour be without reason and ( walk in to the same restaurant every day and at the exact time and demand to be serve by the same waitress [ helen hunt ] and bring his own plastic cutlery and while bad mouth everyone else in the place be a good example ) . when he finally get kick out by the owner all the patron stand up and cheer . to some degree that may be the reaction some people watch this film may have by walk out of this film before it even 1/4 through . it a testament to jack performance for create someone who be truly an absolute unbearable person to witness . melvin seem very real . but in short all these character come together in the end out of bizarre circumstance and life change for the good . it an enjoyable film and with some great performance particularly for jack best actor performance and and kineear wounded like of simon . the film also have a very well train memorable dog that be amaze in it personality . this dog even have good act chop than most actor in film i have see . the film do try to create a romance between melvin and the waitress which be ok but get a bit overlong ( the restaurant scene be a bit lengthy ) and but still highly recommendedgreat feel good film . rating positive .