As Good As It Gets

The game desert island is a simple, superficial way to get to know a person. It consists of choosing a category and then picking 5 things that fit into it as the five you would take with you to a desert island knowing they would be all you have for the remainder of your life. You can do this with books, albums and of course films. I mention all of this because As Good As It Gets is the first film I would pick when choosing my five desert island films.
Now don't get confused, I am not trying to argue the place of As Good As It Gets among the all time great films. It is flawed and in many ways it can be described as something of an unromantic romantic comedy. I know people who find it frustrating or are willing to say that it is good but forgettable.
So the question arises, why is this film one of my desert island films? It's difficult to give a measurable answer to that question but I can say that this film resonates with me like no other.
For those who are unfamiliar with the film, it's the story of a man who has no social skills who is quietly in love with a woman who seemingly has no interest in him. If that doesn't do much for you it may help to know that Jack Nicholson plays the lead character Melvin Udall. Melvin is an obsessive compulsive novelist who has created a life for people in which he keeps people away by being unconscionably rude. His love interest is a waitress who waits on him primarily because no one else is willing to deal with him. We also meet Melvin's neighbor Simon and as a result of a series of strange events the three find themselves on a road trip to Baltimore. To be completely honest, this is the best I can do at describing the films plot which is virtually non-existent for the films first hour and seems thrown in almost as an after thought.
So, what is that makes me love this film? First, I love the hope that film has for Melvin. I first saw this film in high school at a point in my life when I had been on zero dates. To be even more specific, the first time I ever asked a girl on a date it was with the idea of seeing this film with her. The date never happened though and I watched this film in a packed theater on a Sunday afternoon without anyone to share the experience with. What I saw was a character in Melvin that had created his social barriers but that hope still remained for him. That is what resonates with me to this day, the hope that remains for everyone no matter what obstacles they have created.
Of course I find the humor in the story to be effective. It is directed by James L. Brooks who as a producer for the Simpson's is usually credited with the shows more sentimental moments. He has a unique touch in which he cares for his characters regardless of their mistakes.
This is a film I could go on about, but for some reason I am feeling like I am coming down with a case of writers block. Perhaps I need to accept that there may not be a single person out there who feels the same way I do about this film. Of course, that is what I love about films, the way everyone is entitled to their own opinions and the way each film has the potential to have a different impact on every viewer.