Good Will Hunting Movie Review

Good Will Hunting (1997)

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Written by: Matt Damon & Ben Affleck
Directed by: Gus Van Sant
Starring: Robin Williams, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Stellan Skarsgård, Minnie Driver, Casey Affleck, Cole Hauser
Rated: R
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Plot
Will Hunting, a janitor at MIT, has a gift for mathematics but needs help from a psychologist to find direction in his life.

Verdict
It's a fun premise, a twist on the underdog story. The smartest man at MIT is the one mopping the floors. He has all the talent in the world, but can he find opportunity and overcome his insecurities? This isn't a new story, but the movie does it so extremely well that it feels new, aided by the setting and leads.
Watch It.

Review
The script started as an assignment in Damon's play writing class at Harvard. Damon asked Affleck to help him with the script and they completed it as a thriller in 1994 before it was later revised to focus more on interpersonal relationships.

Will (Matt Damon) has been in and out of trouble his entire life. He's on parole, working as a janitor at MIT. When he solves a difficult equation that was a challenge to students, Professor Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgård) immediately becomes intrigued. He's jealous of the raw talent and shocked that Will isn't a student. Lambeau intervenes to get Will out of jail, hoping to harness the talent in the pursuit of academics. Lambeau is a well regarded mathematician, but he recognizes that Will is more capable despite so little training.

Matt Damon plays Will Hunting

Lambeau hopes to put Will in therapy and straighten him out, but Will is too smart for these games. He runs through a few therapists until he lands on Dr. Sean Maguire (Robin Williams). Lambeau considers his classmate Sean a failure due to his potential but landing at a community college. Sean's from the same neighborhood as Will and is keen to Will's games.

Will is such an interesting character, full of contradictions. As smart as he is, he's a janitor. He's capable but insecure. It's the premiere story of someone with all of the talent and none of the opportunity. More than that, he doesn't want the opportunity, content to waste it and hang out with friends. Will has created defenses to block the outside world, isolating himself and preventing disappointment. It limits his chances but keeps him safe.

Matt Damon, Robin Williams play Will Hunting, Sean Maguire

Lambeau sees Will as wasted opportunity. If you have the ability you should aspire to the highest ranks of your profession, like Lambeau did. Sean realizes that Will needs to find his own way. The most prestigious assignment doesn't always lead to happiness. Sean could have chased fame and awards, but he didn't want it. He's completely happy teaching at a community college, something unfathomable to Lambeau. Will has these two mentors and must decide which path he desires. He could derive happiness from either, but only Will can make the choice.