As Good As It Gets Quotes
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Source: As Good As It Gets
Speaker: Melvin Udall
You make me want to be a better man.
Context
This line is from the film As Good As It Gets, directed by James L. Brooks (1997).
Some people just can't ever say the right thing. They live constantly with foot-in-mouth disease. That's why it's so impressive when, occasionally, they say the right thing. Even more astonishing? When they say the perfect thing.
Enter famed author Melvin Udall. This guy is more stunted socially than someone who's been trapped in a bomb shelter since 1982. He offends someone nearly every time he opens his mouth… and yet, in this instance, he comes up with a doozy. He delivers this line to Carol, the object of his affection, and she goes from ready-to-slap-him to "I could actually love this guy."
The line works so well because Melvin is not somebody who would disclose any such personal feelings or risk making himself vulnerable. So when he admits that he's got all these imperfections, but that this woman in front of him makes him want to change all that… well, it hits her right in the feels.
So, either his deep, real feelings for Carol prompted this excellent response, or else Melvin's just a really talented writer with a knack for emotional manipulation. Maybe it's somewhere in the middle…
Where you've heard it
You know you've got a good movie quote when musical artists want to rip it off in one of their songs, like in this one... or this one. And that's not even counting when you get a shout-out in a pastor's blog.
You may also have heard it from your significant other, after he or she's done something they feel really guilty about. So, if somebody gives you that line… maybe it's time to start seeing other people. (Or maybe they're just uber-sweet. If so, hang onto that one.)
Pretentious Factor
If you were to drop this quote at a dinner party, would you get an in-unison "awww" or would everyone roll their eyes and never invite you back? Here it is, on a scale of 1-10.
Can you hear us making a gagging sound? "You make me want to be a better man"? Oh… come on. What's next? She completes you? She's the apple of your eye? The cream in your coffee? Barf.