These are our favorite As Good as It Gets quotes that can definitely contribute to your growth!
As Good as It Gets focuses on the life of Melvin Udall, a successful author who suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder. Melvin is not interested in other people. In fact, he has the ability to anger and offend every person he encounters.
All of that changed, though, when Melvin was forced to take care of his neighbor’s dog due to an odd circumstance. Despite never enjoying having pets to take care of, Melvin grows emotionally attached to his neighbor’s dog.
Through that situation, Melvin starts to change for the better. He learns to make connections with people and shows how he cares for them. His newfound personality shows that a man with uncouth behavior can also become very generous, compassionate, and expressive of his love.
Indeed, this movie’s messages in life are worth taking to heart. So, if you want to witness Melvin’s improvements, read on!
And don’t forget to check out these Harold and Maude quotes and Rain Man quotes.
Best As Good as It Gets Quotes
1. Receptionist: “How do you write women so well?”
Melvin Udall: “I think of a man. And I take away reason and accountability.”
2. Carol Connelly: “I’m sorry. Whatever this is, is not gonna work.”
Melvin Udall: “I’m feeling—I’ve been f—.”
Carol Connelly: “What?”
Melvin Udall: “I’m feeling better, Carol.”
Carol Connelly: “Melvin.”
Melvin Udall: “Mm-hm.”
Carol Connelly: “Even though it may seem that way now, you don’t know me all that well. I’m not the answer for you.”
Melvin Udall: “Hey. I’ve got a great compliment for you.”
Carol Connelly: “You know what? I—.”
Melvin Udall: “Just let me—let me talk. Just, I might be the only person on the face of the earth that knows you’re the greatest woman on earth. I might be the only one who appreciates how amazing you are in every single thing that you do, and how you are with Spencer, Spence, and in every single thought that you have, and how you say what you mean and how you almost always something that’s all about being straight and good. And I think most people miss that about you, and I watch them, wondering how they can watch you bring their food and clear their tables and never get that they just met the greatest woman alive. And the fact that I get it makes me feel good about me. Is that something that’s, uh, bad for you to be around? For you?”
Carol Connelly: “No.”
Melvin Udall: “Gonna grab you. I didn’t mean for that to be a question. I’m gonna grab you. I know I can do better than that.”
Carol Connelly: “Oh, Melvin. Better. Definitely better.”
3. Melvin Udall: “Did you have sex with her?”
Carol Connelly: “Okay, so, you sure you don’t want your shampoos or anything?”
Melvin Udall: “Sorry. I didn’t know she was still here. Did you have sex with her?”
Carol Connelly: “To hell with sex. It was better than sex. We held each other. What I need, he gave me great. I’ll get dressed in a hurry.”
Simon Bishop: “Just love her.”
4. Carol Connelly: “You wanna dance?”
Melvin Udall: “Well, I’ve been thinking about that since you brought it up before.”
Carol Connelly: “And?”
Melvin Udall: “No. I don’t get this place. They make me buy a new outfit, and they let you in with a house dress. I don’t get it—what? Wait. No. Wait. Why? Where you going? No. Why? I mean, I, uh, I didn’t mean it that way. I mean, you gotta sit down. You can still give me the dirty look; just sit down and give it to me.”
Carol Connelly: “Pay me a compliment, Melvin. I need one. Quick. You have no idea how much what you said hurt my feelings.”
Melvin Udall: “The mono minute that someone gets that they need you, they threaten to walk out. It never fails.”
Carol Connelly: “A compliment is something nice about somebody else. Now or never.”
Melvin Udall: “Okay.”
Carol Connelly: “And mean it.”
Melvin Udall: “Can we order first? Um, two hard-shell crab dinners, a pitcher of ice-cold beer. Uh, baked or fried?”
Carol Connelly: “Fried.”
Melvin Udall: “Right. One baked, one fried.”
Waiter: “I’ll tell your waiter.”
Melvin Udall: “What a waiter. Okay. Now, I got a real great compliment for you, and it’s true.”
Carol Connelly: “I’m so afraid you’re about to say something awful.”
Melvin Udall: “Don’t be pessimistic. It’s not your style. Okay. Here I go. Clearly a mistake. I’ve got this what? Ailment. My doctor, a shrink that I used to go to all the time, he says that in 50 or 60% of the cases, a pill really helps. I hate pills. Very dangerous thing, pills. ‘Hate,’ I’m using the word ‘hate’ here about pills. ‘Hate.’ My compliment is that night when you came over and told me that you would never—.”
Carol Connelly: “Um.”
Melvin Udall: “Um, all right, well, you were there. You know. You know what you said. Well, my compliment to you is the next morning, I started taking the pills.”
Carol Connelly: “I don’t quite get how that’s a compliment for me.”
Melvin Udall: “You make me want to be a better man.”
Carol Connelly: “That’s maybe the best compliment of my life.”
Melvin Udall: “Well, maybe I overshot a little because I was aiming at just enough to keep you from walking out.”
Carol Connelly: “How’s it going with those pills? Good, I hopa hopa hopa. Hm.”
Melvin Udall: “It’s, uh, it’s little by little. It’s—it’s exhausting talking like this. Exhausting.”
Carol Connelly: “Do you ever let a romantic moment make you do something you know is stupid?”
Melvin Udall: “Never.”
Carol Connelly: “Here’s the trouble with never.”
5. Woman at Table: “I said, ‘You love me the way you do your remote control as long as I switch every time you press one of my buttons.’”
Man at Table: “That’s great! That’s terrific—.”
Melvin Udall: “People that talk in metaphors ought to shampoo my crotch. Eat up.”
6. Melvin Udall: “I’m hungry. You’ve ruined my whole day. I haven’t eaten.”
Carol Connelly: “What are you doing here?”
Melvin Udall: “This is not a sexist thing. If you were a waiter, I’d be saying the—.”
Carol Connelly: “Are you totally gone? This is my private home.”
Melvin Udall: “I’m trying to keep emotion out of this. Even though it’s an important issue to me, and I have very strong feelings on the subject.”
Carol Connelly: “What subject? That I wasn’t there to take crap from you and bring you eggs? Do you have any control over how creepy you allow yourself to get?”
Melvin Udall: “Yes, I do, as a matter of fact. And to prove it, I have not gotten personal, and you have. Why aren’t you at work? You sick? You don’t look sick. Just tired and bitter.”
Carol Connelly: “My son is sick, okay?”
Melvin Udall: “What about your mother?”
Carol Connelly: “How do you know about my mother?”
Melvin Udall: “I hear you talking while I wait.”
Spencer Connelly: “Mom, I finished my juice.”
Carol Connelly: “I’m sorry, honey. One sec.”
Spencer Connelly: “Mom.”
Melvin Udall: “How you doing? You should answer someone when they speak to you.”
Carol Connelly: “I’m sorry, Melvin! That’s it! I cannot handle you teaching my son manners!”
Melvin Udall: “Ow!”
7. Melvin Udall: “Can I ask you a personal question?”
Simon Bishop: “Sure.”
Melvin Udall: “Ever get an erection over a woman?”
Simon Bishop: “Melvin—.”
Melvin Udall: “I mean, wouldn’t your life be easier if you weren’t—.”
Simon Bishop: “You consider your life easy?”
Melvin Udall: “All right. I give you that one.”
8. Carol Connelly: “Hey, we all have these terrible stories to get over. You—.”
Melvin Udall: “That’s not true. Some of us have great stories. Pretty stories that take place at lakes with boats and friends and noodle salad. Just no one in this car. But, a lot of people, that’s their story—good times, noodle salad. What makes it so hard is not that you had it bad, but that you’re that pissed that so many others had it good.”
9. Melvin Udall: “Are you gonna talk to me or not?”
Simon Bishop: “I’m coming. What’d she say?”
Melvin Udall: “That I’m a great guy, extraordinary, and she doesn’t want contact with me. I’m dying here.”
Simon Bishop: “Because you love her.”
Melvin Udall: “No! And you people are supposed to be sensitive and sharp?”
Simon Bishop: “Then you tell me why! You’re the one who’s ‘dying here.’”
Melvin Udall: “I don’t know. Let me sleep on it.”
Simon Bishop: “Oh, come on.”
Melvin Udall: “I’ll figure it out.”
Simon Bishop: “Oh, please.”
Melvin Udall: “It’s, uh, I’m stuck. I can’t get back to my old life. She’s evicted me from my life.”
Simon Bishop: “Did you really like it that much?”
Melvin Udall: “Well, it’s better than this. Look, you, I’m very intelligent. If you’re gonna give me hope, you gotta do better than you’re doing. I mean, if you can’t be at least mildly interesting, then shut the hell up. I mean, I’m drowning here, and you’re describing the water!”
Simon Bishop: “Well, picking on me won’t help!”
Melvin Udall: “Well, if that’s true, I’m really in trouble.”
Simon Bishop: “But Melvin, do you know where you’re lucky? You know who you want. I would take your seat any day. So do something about it. Go over there. Now. Tonight. Don’t sleep on it. I mean, it’s not always good to let things calm down. You can do this, Melvin. You can do this. You can. Pull the stops. Tell her how you feel. You can do this. You can do this.”
Melvin Udall: “I’m charged here.”
Simon Bishop: “Yes, you are!”
Melvin Udall: “She might kill me if I go over.”
Simon Bishop: “Well, then get in your jammies, and I’ll read you a story! Listen, I really think you have a chance here. I mean, the best thing you have going for you is your willingness to humiliate yourself. So, go over there. Do this. Catch her off-guard.”
Melvin Udall: “Okay.”
Simon Bishop: “Okay.”
Melvin Udall: “Thanks a lot.”
Simon Bishop: “Okay.”
Melvin Udall: “Here I go.”
Simon Bishop: “What’s wrong?”
Melvin Udall: “I forgot to lock the door.”
10. Simon Bishop: “Have you seen Verdell?”
Melvin Udall: “What does he look like?”
Simon Bishop: “My dog. You know, my dog with the adorable face? Don’t you know what my dog looks like?”
Melvin Udall: “Oh, I got it. You were talking about your dog. I thought it was the name of that colored man I’ve been seeing in the halls.”
Simon Bishop: “Which color was that?”
Melvin Udall: “Uh, like thick molasses, with a broad nose. Perfect for smelling trouble and prison food.”
As Good as It Gets Quotes That Are Worth a Read
11. “Never, never interrupt me, okay? Not if there’s a fire, not even if you hear the sound of a thud from my home and one week later there’s a smell coming from there that can only be a decaying human body and you have to hold a hanky to your face because the stench is so thick that you think you’re going to faint. Even then, don’t come knocking.” – Melvin Udall
12. “What if this is as good as it gets?” – Melvin Udall
13. Melvin Udall: “How much more you got to eat? Appetites aren’t as big as your noses, huh?”
Woman at Table: “What?”
14. Melvin Udall: “Hi. Help!”
Dr. Green: “If you want to see me, you will not do this. You will make an appointment.”
Melvin Udall: “Dr. Green, how can you diagnose someone with an obsessive-compulsive disorder and then act as though I had some choice about barging in?”
Dr. Green: “There’s not going to be a debate. You must leave.”
Melvin Udall: “You said you could help me! What was that? A tease?”
Dr. Green: “I can help you if you take responsibility to keep regular appointments—.”
Melvin Udall: “You changed the room around.”
Dr. Green: “Two years ago. I also regrew my beard, but you’re not interested in changes in me. So, it’s like I always—.”
Melvin Udall: “Shh. I don’t have this mountain of available time. I have to get to my restaurant on time. Now, do you know how hard it was for me to come here?”
Dr. Green: “Yes.”
Melvin Udall: “Thank you.”
Dr. Green: “No, we’re not doing this now.”
Melvin Udall: “I changed just one pattern. You always said I should.”
Dr. Green: “No. Nope.”
15. Melvin Udall: “Hello?”
Carol Connelly: “Yeah.”
Melvin Udall: “How you doing?”
Carol Connelly: “Not so hot.”
Melvin Udall: “Why? What’s wrong?”
Carol Connelly: “I don’t know whether I’m being sensible or hard on you.”
Melvin Udall: “Maybe both. Maybe.”
Carol Connelly: “See, right there, I don’t know whether you’re being cute or crazy now.”
Melvin Udall: “Cute.”
Carol Connelly: “You don’t have to answer everything I say. Just listen to me, okay? Listen to me. It’s really something that you’re looking after Simon. And what I said on the street. That was a bad thing to say. And it made me sick to my stomach. It was a bad thing to say. And I’d be lying if I didn’t say I enjoy your company. But, the truth is you do bother me enormously, and I know that. Think that it’s—I think that it’s better for me to not have contact with you because you’re not ready, and you’re a pretty old guy to not be ready, and I’m too old to ignore that. But, there were extraordinary kindnesses that did take place. Huh. So, anyway, thanks for the trip. Good night. Good night.”
16. Simon Bishop: “Well, I always painted. And my mother always encouraged it. I mean, she was really sort of—she was sort of fabulous about it actually, and she used to, you know, I was too young to think anything wrong with it, and she was very natural. So, she used to pose nude for me, and I always thought, or I guess I assumed, that my father knew about it.”
Melvin Udall: “This stuff is pointless.”
Carol Connelly: “Hey! Let him finish, please.”
Melvin Udall: “You like sad stories? You wanna hear mine?”
Carol Connelly: “Stop! Go ahead. Really. Please don’t let him stop you.”
Simon Bishop: “Um, one day, he walked in, and he found us, and he just, he started screaming.”
Melvin Udall: “My father didn’t come out of his room for 11 years. He used to hit me on the hands with a yardstick if I made a mistake playing the piano. Huh?”
Carol Connelly: “Go ahead, Simon. So, you said he came in your room, and he was yelling?”
Simon Bishop: “Uh huh.”
Carol Connelly: “Please. Come on.”
Simon Bishop: “Um, he was, uh, um—.”
Carol Connelly: “Come on.”
Simon Bishop: “Yeah. I know. I mean, um, he was, I was—I remember I was defending my mother, and I was trying to, um, you know, make peace in the lamest way. I said, ‘She’s not naked. It’s art. And he started hitting me. And he beat me unconscious. And he talked to me less and less after that. I mean, you know, he knew what I was before I did. And the morning that I left for college, he walked into my room, and he held out his hand, and it was filled with money. A big, sweaty wad of money. And he said, ‘I don’t want you to ever come back.’ And I just grabbed him, and I hugged him, and he turned and walked out.”
17. Frank Sachs: “If there is some mental health foundation that raises money for people like you, please be sure to let me know.”
Melvin Udall: “Last word freak.”
18. Receptionist: “I can’t resist! You usually move through here so quickly, and I just have so many questions I want to ask you. You have no idea what your work means to me.”
Melvin Udall: “What does it mean to you?”
Receptionist: “When somebody out there knows what it’s like to be in here.”
Melvin Udall: “Oh God, this is like a nightmare.”
19. “When you first entered the restaurant, I thought you were handsome, and then, of course, you spoke.” – Carol Connelly
As Good as It Gets Quotes to Satisfy Your Curiosity About the Characters
20. “Carol the waitress, Simon the Fag.” – Melvin Udall
21. Carol Connelly: “What do you want, Melvin?”
Melvin Udall: “I’m sorry I woke you. I—Simon—.”
Carol Connelly: “I wasn’t asleep.”
Melvin Udall: “What a break.”
Carol Connelly: “Is it a secret what you’re doing here?”
Melvin Udall: “I had to see you.”
Carol Connelly: “Because?”
Melvin Udall: “It relaxes me. I’d feel better sitting outside your apartment on the curb than in any other place I can think of or imagine. No, no, no, no, wait. That’s overstating. I’d rather be sitting inside on the steps because I don’t want to get my feet in the gutter. What would that serve?”
Carol Connelly: “Stop it! Why can’t I have a normal boyfriend? Why? Just a regular boyfriend that doesn’t go nuts on me! I—.”
Beverly Connelly: “Everybody wants that, dear. It doesn’t exist.”
Carol Connelly: “I—.”
Beverly Connelly: “Oh, I’m sorry.”
Melvin Udall: “No.”
Beverly Connelly: “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
Melvin Udall: “Boyfriend.”
Carol Connelly: “Come in and try not to ruin everything by being you.”
Melvin Udall: “Maybe we could live without the wisecracks.”
Carol Connelly: “Maybe we could.”
22. Carol Connelly: “Melvin, wait!”
School Kids: “Melvin, wait! Melvin, wait! Melvin, wait! Melvin, wait! Melvin, wait! Melvin, wait!”
Melvin Udall: “Shut up, kids!”
Carol Connelly: “Give us a lift, would you, Melvin?”
Melvin Udall: “A lift? Okay? Cover your mouth while you cough, kid.”
Spencer Connelly: “I won’t.”
23. Carol Connelly: “Are you okay?”
Simon Bishop: “Don’t ask. I’m tired of my own complaints. I gotta get some new thoughts.”
Carol Connelly: “Why? What are you thinking about?”
Simon Bishop: “How to die, mostly.”
Carol Connelly: “Can you believe in our little mix you’re the good roommate?”
24. Beverly Connelly: “You are not still writing that thank you note?”
Carol Connelly: “I’m on my last page. How do you spell ‘conscience.’”
Beverly Connelly: “C-o-n-s-c-i-e-n-c-e. Look, I got Sean from the bakery to come babysit so we could go out.”
Carol Connelly: “I still don’t feel safe leaving Spencer with someone. Could you spell that again, please?”
Beverly Connelly: “Spencer’s okay. You better find something else to do with your free time. Sean, are you hungry?”
Sean: “Yeah.”
Beverly Connelly: “All right. We got pizza. Carol and I are going out. Sausage pepperoni. You wanna make this later for you and Spencer?”
Sean: “Great.”
Beverly Connelly: “We are going out like people do. If you can’t feel good about this break and step out a little. Then I think you ought to have Mr. Udall send you over a psychiatrist.”
Carol Connelly: “I don’t need one because I know what’s really going on here. I gotta finish this letter, or I’ll go nuts.”
Beverly Connelly: “Carol?”
Carol Connelly: “This can’t be right. Conscience?”
Beverly Connelly: “Carol? What?”
Carol Connelly: “It’s very weird now not feeling that stupid panic feeling inside me all the time. Without that, I just start thinking about myself, and what good does that ever get anybody? Today, on the bus, there was this adorable couple, and I felt myself giving them a dirty look. I just had no idea everything was—.”
Beverly Connelly: “Go ahead.”
Carol Connelly: “Moving in the wrong direction. Away from a time when I remembered what it was like to have a man to anything hold fucking sorry—.”
Beverly Connelly: “No, it’s okay.”
Carol Connelly: “Hands with, for Christ’s sake. And I felt almost really bad that Dr. Bettes was married. Which is probably why I make Spencer hug me more than he wants to. The poor kid doesn’t have enough problems. He has to make up for his mom not getting any. Who needs these thoughts?”
Beverly Connelly: “So, what, are you saying that you’re frustrated—.”
Carol Connelly: “Leave me be! Why are you doing this? What is it you want? I hope getting me thinking about everything that’s wrong when all I want to do is not do that has some purpose. Really, Mom, what is it you want? What?”
Beverly Connelly: “I want us to go out.”
Carol Connelly: “Okay.”
As Good as It Gets Quotes for Those Who Want to Recall Some Iconic Scenes
25. Melvin Udall: “How old are you?”
Carol Connelly: “Hah!”
Melvin Udall: “If I was gonna guess by your eyes, I’d say you were 50.”
Carol Connelly: “If I went by your eyes, I’d say you were kind. So, so much for eyes. But as long as you bring up age, how old are you?”
Melvin Udall: “Oh, no, no, no, I mean not—.”
Carol Connelly: “I mean because you brought it up.”
Melvin Udall: “In other words—.”
Carol Connelly: “No, I’m curious if you brought it up.”
Melvin Udall: “In other words, you’re not—not that you’re ugly, that’s not what I’m saying.”
Carol Connelly: “Easy, easy, pal. I can take the compliment, but my knees start knocking when you turn on the charm full blast.”
26. Melvin Udall: “Is he dead yet?”
Nora Manning: “No! I was wondering, would there be any way that you would be willing to walk his dog for him.”
Melvin Udall: “Absolutely.”
Nora Manning: “You’re a wonderful man. Two o’clock would be a good time, and here is the key in case he is asleep. Open the curtains for him, so he can see God’s beautiful work. And he’ll know that even things like this happen for the best.”
Melvin Udall: “Where did they teach you to talk like that, in some Panama City? ‘Sailor wanna hump-hump’ bar, or is it getaway day and your last shot at his whiskey? Sell crazy someplace else; we’re all stocked up here.”
27. Carol Connelly: “So what are you doing with a dog?”
Melvin Udall: “Suckered in. Set up. Pushed around.”
Carol Connolley: “You’re not worried someone might take it?”
Melvin Udall: “Well, not until now, for Christ’s sake!”
More As Good as It Gets Quotes That’ll Make You Want to Watch It Again
28. “The next thing I know, she’s sitting right there next to me. Well, it’s not right to go into details. I got nervous. I screwed up. I said the wrong thing, where if I hadn’t, I could be in bed right now with a woman who, if you make her laugh, you got a life. Instead, I’m here with you. No offense, but a moron pushing the last legal drug.” – Melvin Udall
29. Carol Connelly: “I’m not going to sleep with you. I will never sleep with you. Never, ever. Not ever.”
Melvin Udall: “I’m sorry, but we don’t open for the no-sex oaths until nine am.”
Carol Connelly: “I’m not kidding.”
Melvin Udall: “Okay. Anything else?”
30. Melvin Udall: “Oh, now I’m pissed! Now, I am really pissed! Oh! Don’t touch! Don’t touch!”
Frank Sachs: “Shh! Shh!”
Melvin Udall: “Don’t touch.”
Frank Sachs: “Shut up!”
Melvin Udall: “Don’t.”
Frank Sachs: “You think you can intimidate the whole world with your attitude, but you don’t intimidate me. I grew up in hell, homeboy! My grandmother had more attitude.”
Melvin Udall: “Police! Donut-munching morons! Help me! Help me!”
Frank Sachs: “Shh!”
Melvin Udall: “Help me!”
Frank Sachs: “Stop it! Shh!”
Melvin Udall: “Assault and battery, and you’re black!”
Frank Sachs: “I like Simon! I like him enough to batter you unrecognizable if you verbally abuse him or so much as touch that dog again. Meantime, I’m gonna think of some way that you can make it up to him. I hate doing this! I’m an art dealer. Have a nice day. Okay! Party!”
Did This Collection Inspire You to Strive for the Best Version of Yourself?
As Good as It Gets is perfect, from its cast to every dialogue! It portrays beneficial lessons that we need to embed in our hearts. For instance, Melvin’s development proves that even the crankiest and most irritating people can be better individuals.
If Melvin can achieve self-growth, so can we. Stop thinking that you’re too young or too old to make some changes in your life. Keep in mind that there is no timeline for personal development because our life is full of surprises.
As life progresses, it is expected that you’ll encounter a variety of circumstances, changing environments, and new roles. That said, your character must be ready to face it full blast and handle it wiser.
This is why self-growth is imperative in anyone’s life; it will help us handle the pressures of never-ending changes and challenges. Also, character development will push you out of your comfort zone, boost your confidence, and increase your happiness.
So, if you want to live your life to the fullest, start changing for the better. Surprise the whole world with the better version of yourself!
