Page 62 - Middle Georgia State University - Knighted 2019

Is This As Good as It Gets?: Film, Social Perceptions, and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Sarah Istambouli

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental disorder that was first observed and
noted in the fifteenth century (Cefalu 44). “The fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM IV) defines obsessions as ‘persistent and intrusive
inappropriate ideas, thoughts, or impulses which cause marked anxiety and distress’” (44).
“Compulsions are defined as repetitive behaviors or mental acts whose goal is to prevent or
reduce such distress, not to provide pleasure or gratification” (44). While cases of OCD have
been documented for several hundred years, greater understanding of the disorder has evolved in
the last few decades (45). Within the media genre, films have introduced and portrayed
obsessive-compulsive disorder in a humorous fashion, yet there are serious implications
underlying the comedic representation of this disorder that deserve recognition and awareness. A
closer examination of OCD will enhance the understanding of the social stigmas and constructs
left behind in its wake.

Within the contemporary media representations of obsessive-compulsive disorder is the
1997 film As Good as It Gets, in which director James Brooks captures the perceived essence of
an obsessive in the lead character of Melvin Udall. Udall is a middle-aged romantic literary
author who suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder. His mental afflictions create an inability
to control his impulses, thus preventing him from acting normal, creating dissonance within the
world around him. Certain events occur in Udall’s life that begin to prompt change within
himself and within his relationships to those around him. These steps toward change shift the
dynamic of his relationships into acceptance and love.

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