I had a hard time with the first five minutes: Jack Nicholson spewing completely vile, racist, homophobic invective and then throwing an adorable dog down a garbage chute. I really almost walked out, it was so offensive and awful and completely repellent.

Mr. Otter (as I remember) got me to stay. And I was so glad I did.

This is a wonderful, charming movie. Yes, the beginning is awful, but the intent is not to shock, but to show quickly and graphically how really socially disfunctional Jack Nicholson's character is...and from that point on, it gets better, you get to understand him, and if you don't ever actually like him (he's not really likeable) you at least sympathize with him and the people he has learned to accept into his life.

And the rest of the cast! Charming, genial Greg Kinnear actually doing a pretty good job of acting...Helen Hunt is BRILLIANT as the waitress, torn between revulsion and gratitude, and finally seeing the person under Nicholson's wierd and repellent character...and Cuba Gooding Jr, who is so adorable he would be in the running for Serious Honey if he didn't keep making those stupid comedies...but here, he's really good.

Mr. Otter watches this one often; I don't see it as much, but once in a while it's just right. So if you're in the mood for something that will make you feel good, make you laugh, make you look at the people around you a little differently...come and join us on the couch, we'll be glad to see it again.