Movies of the Mind - As Good as it Gets - OCD Portrayed Brilliantly - 10/06/26
Jun, 10 2026
Renowned American actor Jack Nicolson has played a number of notable roles in his career. He’s played menacing characters such as in The Shining and villains like The Joker in Batman.
However, in 1997 he didn’t play the joker card. He took on a misanthropic, bigoted obsessive –compulsive character in a story directed by James L. Brooks co-written with Mark Andrus. ‘As Good as it Gets’ performed well at the box office. At the 70th Academy Awards, the film was nominated in seven categories, including Best Picture. Nicholson won for Best Actor and Hunt for Best Actress, making it the most recent film to win both lead acting awards. It is ranked 140th on Empire magazine's "The 500 Greatest Movies of All Time" list.
Let’s remind why it was so good with the following movie trailer -
The film was designed for entertainment purposes but for those suffering with obsessive compulsive disorder will agree it’s an incredibly serious and potentially frightening condition.
OCD can affect men, women and children. People can start having symptoms from as early as 6 years old, but it often begins around puberty and early adulthood.
If you have OCD, you'll usually experience frequent obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours.
An obsession is an unwanted and unpleasant thought, image or urge that repeatedly enters your mind, causing feelings of anxiety, disgust or unease.
A compulsion is a repetitive behaviour or mental act that you feel you need to do to temporarily relieve the unpleasant feelings brought on by the obsessive thought.
Jack Nicolson is a recognised American actor and although he doesn’t have OCD he would have had to study the condition to be able to appreciate the magnitude of it in order to portray the character to the best of his ability. In contrast the Canadian comedian and TV host Howie Mandel DOES have OCD and he speaks on the Ellen show here –
It’s clear that Howie’s life has been far from normal. As brought out in the film OCD can be triggered by a variety of factors –
- Family history – you're more likely to develop OCD if a family member has it. It may be learned behaviour, or possibly because of your genes
- Differences in the brain – some people with OCD have areas of unusually high activity in their brain or low levels of a chemical called serotonin
- Life events – OCD may be more common in people who have been bullied, abused or neglected, and it sometimes starts after an important life event, such as childbirth or a bereavement
- Personality – neat, meticulous, methodical people with high personal standards may be more likely to develop OCD, also people who are generally quite anxious or have a very strong sense of responsibility for themselves and others
But there is help available. If you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms of OCD or perhaps they have recently been diagnosed the following UK based website is an excellent source of guidance navigating you and your loved ones around this sensitive mental health condition –
Next year is the 30th anniversary of ‘As Good As it Gets’ and in the three decades since it was released I would imagine more people have been diagnosed with OCD. Why? Because we live in a fragile world and factors such as COVID -19 in 2020, a growing rise in teenage mental health and a vulnerability to the world around us can quickly escalate an OCD diagnosis.
However, as Howie showed people can live productive lives, have a career, raise a family and enjoy life. Yet the battle is still there. As Good As it Gets gives a slight glimpse into the daily fight OCD sufferers endure but they are not alone. With a team of support and a good network of friends and family they can maintain a level of relative normality.
^Alex Ashworth Director of Creativty.
