In this essay review of As Good As It Gets I will discuss the genre of the film, the form of the film (narrative), and narrative elements within the film.
             One way to categorize a film is to determine what genre it is. Genres, by definition are various types of films that audiences and filmmakers recognize by their familiar narrative conventions (Bordwell et al. 503). The genre of the film As Good As It Gets would be classified as a romantic comedy. Genre conventions are common characteristics that reappear in a certain type of genre of a film again and again. In a romantic comedy one would anticipate a funny film with a romantic storyline between a man and a woman in a traditional sense.
             Genres can also be defined through conventional iconography, which are reoccurring symbols or images that carry meaning from film to film. Even certain actors can serve as iconography for a film.
             In this case, As Good As It Gets has many actors that are typically cast in comedies. Helen Hunt, who has been on a sit-com on television with Paul Riser, a real-life comedian, took her shot at the silver screen cast along side Jack Nicholson in the romantic comedy. Cuba Gooding Jr. who plays a small role in the film is best known for his comic roles. Nicholson who has an extensive resume in film has starred in many different roles from comedies, to drama, and horror. Therefore, one may associate certain actors with a specific type of genre of film.
             In addition to the genre of the film we can also consider the film's form. As Good As It Gets is a narrative, or story where a chain of events takes place that are derived from a cause and effect relationship. The narrative will start with a certain situation and through a cause and effect relationship a series of events will take place in the film that brings about a new situation for the outcome of the film.
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