jack nicholson be one of those actor who impress me the second ( and i be not overstate in the least bit ) he appear on screen . the moment i see jack face on screen and i get this feeling that everything go to be all right . he could do a pauly shore film and and elevate it quality with his mere presence . and i do not even get to his act . nicholson win a well deserved oscar for this movie . then again and i feel like he deserve an oscar for virtually everything he be in . hell and you can even give him an oscar nod for anger management . thats how great he be . he one of those actor who can communicate even more emotion when he not say anything than when he be . and of course and he have one of the cool movie star voice ever and so it make it a joy whenever he do speak . i still feel like you can not handle the truth . wouldn not be a priceless a line if jack do not yell it . he can say almost any line of dialogue and turn it into gold . in this movie it be you make me wan na be a good man . again and an otherwise forgettable line of dialogue make gold by jack . as good a it get be a flawed film and with scene that drag and an overlong running time and but it highly enjoyable and altogether pretty well write . aside from it many hilarious moment and it also quite touch . but i have to admit that it the comedy that stick out most in my memory . there some priceless gag like when a jewish couple be sit at jack usual table . he first intrude into their conversation say and people who speak in metaphor oughtta shampoo my crotch . he complain to helen hunt and his usual waitress and say i have jew at my table . he then intrude in the couple conversation again and notice the food on their table and say obviously your appetite aren not as big a your nose . now and i probably wouldn not want to personally know a man like melvin in my real life and but i still find those crack to be hysterically funny . the same when he attack greg kinnear gay character with constant homosexual slur . the performance be great all around . though jack pretty much steal the show and greg kinnear give a wonderfully endearing performance . he doesn not play out the gay stereotype and yet he sensitive and feminine enough to have me convince that he be gay ( unlike eric mccormack on will and grace who act like he gay for the sake of the show gimmick ) . it nice to see kinnear rise from the host of talk soup and the thankless late night talk show later to a fine actor . previously and i wouldn not have any notion that he could become what he be now . helen hunt also give a compelling and emotionally packed performance . and shirley knight and a her mother and provide a little bit of comic relief . cuba gooding jr. have a small but interesting role and and he make the best of it . the film do have it dull moment and but jack one of a kind performance make it all worthwhile . there be nobody and and i mean nobody and who could have play melvin well than him . i read in the trivia that john travolta be originally offer the role . now and i like travolta and but in this type of role he wouldn not hold a candle to jack . my score represent 7 ( out of 10 ) .