2026年8月23日 星期日

《愛在心裡口難開》(英語:As Good as It Gets,The phrase "as good as it gets" means that a situation, place, or thing has reached its highest possible peak. It cannot get any better, and you should not expect it to improve.新加坡譯《天成佳偶》,中國大陸譯《盡善盡美》,香港譯《貓屎先生》)是一部1997年的電影,其講述了一名患有潔癖強迫症,脾氣壞並憎惡同性戀的作家(傑克·尼克遜飾)之故事。

 

The phrase "as good as it gets" means that a situation, place, or thing has reached its highest possible peak. It cannot get any better, and you should not expect it to improve. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Core Meanings
  • The Peak of Quality: Something is as wonderful as it can possibly be. You cannot ask for anything better.
  • Accepting Limits: A situation is imperfect or bad, but it is the best you will get. It will not improve, so you must accept it. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Common Uses

  • Enjoying a great moment: "Sitting by the beach with a cold drink—this is as good as it gets."
  • Accepting a low expectation: "The apartment is small and old, but for this price, it's as good as it gets."

愛在心裡口難開》(英語:As Good as It Gets,新加坡譯《天成佳偶》,中國大陸譯《盡善盡美》,香港譯《貓屎先生》)是一部1997年的電影,其講述了一名患有潔癖強迫症,脾氣壞並憎惡同性戀的作家(傑克·尼克遜飾)之故事。

愛在心裡口難開
As Good as It Gets

劇情簡介


憤世嫉俗的紐約暢銷言情小說家梅爾文尤德爾患有強迫症。他只用一塊肥皂洗手,用紙巾觸摸公共洗手間的水龍頭和門把手,避免踩到人行道上的裂縫,對開關和鎖有儀式感,堅持嚴格的作息規律,並且總是在同一家餐廳的同一張桌子上吃早餐,自帶塑料餐具。卡羅爾康奈利是這家餐廳裡唯一能容忍他粗魯和強迫行為的服務生。


梅爾文的公寓鄰居,同性戀藝術家西蒙·畢肖普,開始與一位新模特兒文森特·洛皮亞諾合作。文森特藉此機會踩點西蒙的公寓,並讓他的朋友進入。這群人在搶劫過程中襲擊了西蒙,差點將他殺死。西蒙的經紀人弗蘭克·薩克斯脅迫梅爾文在西蒙住院期間照顧他的寵物狗維德爾,一隻布魯塞爾格里芬犬。雖然梅爾文起初不喜歡照顧這隻狗,但他漸漸對它產生了感情。西蒙出院後,梅爾文為了能繼續見維德爾,勉強與他保持鄰居般的關係。


卡羅爾決定在布魯克林離家更近的地方工作,以便更好地照顧患有嚴重哮喘的兒子斯賓塞,這加劇了梅爾文對規律生活的強迫性需求和對變化的厭惡。由於無法適應新的服務員,梅爾文提出如果卡羅爾回到餐廳工作,他將承擔斯賓塞高昂的居家醫療費用。卡羅爾雖然對梅爾文的慷慨感激不盡,連連道謝,但她對他的動機卻心存疑慮,並斬釘截鐵地表示她永遠不會和他發生性關係。梅爾文感到十分羞辱。


與此同時,西蒙的傷勢、缺乏醫療保險以及高昂的醫療費用導致他破產,並陷入了憂鬱。法蘭克勸說他去巴爾的摩向疏遠的父母要錢。在法蘭克的勸說下,梅爾文勉強同意送正在康復的西蒙去巴爾的摩。法蘭克把他的薩博900敞篷車借給了梅爾文。梅爾文莫名其妙地擔心西蒙會對他動手動腳(這是他編造的藉口),於是邀請卡羅爾同行,並提醒她欠他一個人情,卡羅爾勉強答應了。在旅途中,三人之間的關係逐漸發展:西蒙向他傾訴了與父母疏遠的根源——父母無法接受他的同性戀身份;卡羅爾表示同情;梅爾文尖刻的言辭也漸漸變得充滿同情。


到了巴爾的摩後,卡蘿說服梅爾文請她吃飯。晚餐時,梅爾文的談話一開始讓她覺得受寵若驚——他告訴她,正是她「禁慾誓言」讓他開始服用藥物,努力成為一個更好的人。當卡蘿追問梅爾文,讓他承認邀請她一起旅行是因為喜歡她時,尷尬笨拙的梅爾文再次支支吾吾地迴避了這個問題。他尷尬地回答說,他邀請她一起去或許是為了和西蒙發生性關係,好讓他「治好」同性戀。卡蘿被暗示性服務是用來買賣的,感到很生氣,憤然離去。她到西蒙的飯店房間尋求安慰,兩人之間的情感交流重新激發了西蒙的創作靈感。他為卡蘿畫了一幅近乎全裸的素描,讓她感受到自己女性魅力的欣賞,而這種欣賞並非出於性慾。受到卡蘿的鼓舞,西蒙重拾信心,與母親短暫地恢復了聯繫,並沒有向她要錢,而是告訴她自己一切都會好起來的。


回到紐約後,卡羅爾告訴梅爾文,她不想再和他有任何瓜葛,因為他貶低了她。由於西蒙仍然身無分文,而且他的公寓已經被轉租出去,梅爾文安排他住在自己的客房裡。得知梅爾文的舉動和進步,卡羅爾後悔自己之前的苛刻,打電話向梅爾文道歉。梅爾文和卡羅爾的關係仍然複雜,直到西蒙勸說失眠的梅爾文向她告白。凌晨四點,梅爾文去找卡羅爾,卡羅爾猶豫了一下,最後同意嘗試和他發展關係。她的母親鼓勵她,說沒有完美的感情。梅爾文在麵包店為卡羅爾開門時,不小心踩到了人行道上的裂縫,但他似乎並不在意。兩人走進店裡,像一對情侶一樣交談著。

Plot

Misanthropic NYC best-selling romance novelist Melvin Udall has OCD. He uses soap bars only once to wash his hands, and paper towels to touch public restroom faucets and door handles, avoids stepping on sidewalk cracks, has rituals with switches and locks, sticks to rigid routines, and always eats breakfast at the same table in the same restaurant while bringing his own plastic flatware. Carol Connelly is the only server at the restaurant who tolerates his rude and compulsive behavior.

Melvin's apartment neighbor, gay artist Simon Bishop, starts working with a new model, Vincent Lopiano. Vincent uses the opportunity to case Simon's apartment and give entry to his friends, who assault and nearly kill Simon during a robbery. Simon's agent, Frank Sachs, intimidates Melvin into caring for Simon's pet dog Verdell, a Griffon Bruxellois, while Simon is hospitalized. Although Melvin initially does not enjoy caring for the dog, he becomes emotionally attached to it. When Simon is released from the hospital, Melvin tolerates a neighborly relationship with him so he can continue to see Verdell.

Melvin's compulsive need for routine and aversion to change is aggravated when Carol decides to work closer to home in Brooklyn to be more accessible for her acutely asthmatic son, Spencer. Unable to adjust to a different waitress, Melvin arranges to pay for Spencer's considerable medical expenses for at-home care―if Carol returns to the restaurant. While Carol is overwhelmed by Melvin's generosity, thanking him profusely, she is suspicious of his motives, declaring emphatically that she will never have sex with him. Melvin is humiliated.

Meanwhile, Simon's injuries, lack of medical insurance, and high medical bills cause him to go bankrupt and fall into depression. Frank persuades him to go to Baltimore to ask his estranged parents for money. Pushed by Frank, Melvin reluctantly agrees to take a recuperating Simon to Baltimore. Frank lends Melvin his Saab 900 convertible for the trip. Irrationally fearing Simon may make a pass at him (his cover story), Melvin invites Carol along on the trip, reminding her that she owes him a favor, so she reluctantly accepts. Relationships develop among the three on the trip as Simon discusses the root of his estrangement with his parents, who cannot accept his homosexuality; Carol commiserates; and Melvin's acerbic remarks gradually become more sympathetic.

Once in Baltimore, Carol persuades Melvin to take her out for dinner. His conversation during the dinner initially flatters her—he tells her that her "no-sex oath" made him start taking medication to become a better man. When Carol presses Melvin to admit that he invited her on the trip because he has feelings for her, an embarrassed and fumbling Melvin again clumsily deflects. He awkwardly responds that he invited her along to maybe have sex with Simon to cure his homosexuality. Upset at the implication that her sexual favors are for sale, Carol abruptly leaves. Going to Simon's hotel room for consolation, their emotional intimacy rekindles his creative desire to paint. He sketches Carol, nearly nude, making her feel her femininity appreciated in a non-sexual way. With confidence inspired by Carol, Simon briefly reconnects with his mother, without asking her for money, telling her that he will be fine.

After returning to New York, Carol tells Melvin she does not want him in her life anymore as he disparages her. Since Simon is still broke and his apartment has been sublet, Melvin arranges for him to stay in his spare bedroom. On learning of Melvin's enormous gesture and sign of growth, Carol regrets her harshness and apologizes to Melvin by phone. The relationship between Melvin and Carol remains complicated until Simon persuades insomniac Melvin to declare his love for her. At 4 am, Melvin goes to see Carol, who hesitantly agrees to try establishing a relationship with him. She is encouraged by her mother, who declares that no relationship is perfect. As Melvin opens the door for Carol at the bakery, he realizes that he has stepped on a pavement crack to no apparent unease. They walk into the shop conversing as a couple.

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