No hot models. No action heros. No 'sappy' unrealistic love story. No intricate plot with twists and turns. Just arguably the best movie of 1997.
How? Great acting and a great story. Sounds too simple?
Basically, they took some odd, flawed characters that have little to do with each other, and make a great movie by bringing them together through some very unique circumstances and poking fun at all of them, but bringing you closer to them as you go. Character development is a large part of the movie.
I laughed at several scenes and felt moved in others. The funny scenes weren't corny and the heart-warming scenes weren't sappy. This movie is different than the normal movie, which is a big plus. The cast and their acting makes it all work. Probably the best all-around movie of 1997 in my opinion.