Director: Gus Van Sant
Writers: Matt Damon, Ben Affleck
Starring: Robin Williams, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Minnie Driver, Stellan Skarsgard
Length: 126 min.
Released: 1997
Rather than being your typical college film of binge drinking, sex, and drugs, Good Will Hunting captures the essence of a uplifting, heartfelt drama.
Set in Boston and Cambridge Massachusetts, the film follows Will Hunting (Matt Damon), a janitor at the prestigious Massachusetts Institution of Technology. Hunting is a defiant, troublesome 20-year-old who, is gifted with a photographic memory. After MIT professor Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgard) challenges his students with an extremely complex math problem, Will solves it in a day, leaving the answer on the hallway blackboard, while simultaneously leaving everyone else anxious to find out who actually solved it. Lambeau finally discovers Will and as an alternative to going to jail, offers him an out with two conditions: weekly math and therapy sessions. Will refuses to cooperate with the therapy sessions and after driving away five other therapists, he finally gets sent to Sean McGuire (Robin Williams), Lambeau's former classmate. This is where the real journey begins as you watch Will and Sean deal with Will's past, present, and future together.
Directed by Gus Van Sant, Good Will Hunting easily combines a heavy story with comedic undertones. This film toyed with my emotions, compelling me to be sad in one scene and burst out with laughter in another. Though the plot line is pretty predictable, there are enough twists and turns to keep you alert and focused. Will's relationship with the equally damaged Sean McGuire is the core to this film. Viewers witness Will transforming from a troubled boy to a driven man. With Harvard girl, Skylar (Minnie Driver) as his love interest, this throws even more curve balls into the plot.
Keep in mind, despite the fact this is an inspiring story, the film is rated R for good reason. A chunk of the movie contains foul language and sexual content not suitable for younger viewers. As an adult, the word choices of the writers only made the film better. Seeing as Will Hunting is a working class guy, he hangs out with his bar-hopping South Boston pals, who are more like brothers to him. Their foul mouths and crude jokes only make their characters more genuine. Lines like, "Morgan! If you're watching pornos in my mom's room again, I'm gonna give you a f***ing beating!" add a great deal of comedy into the film. Will's best friend Chuckie (Ben Affleck) and the rest of the crew set Good Will Hunting apart from all the other sappy films about kids from bad areas overcoming their hardships. They make the film more relatable, real, and light.
Nominated for nine oscars, winning two, Good Will Hunting is clearly a must see. Between romance, drama, and comedy, there's something in there for everyone. I also have to mention that it didn't hurt staring at Matt Damon for about 126 min. either. I would definitely recommend this triumphant film to anyone and I plan on seeing it again in the future.
