TW: Swearing, mentions of child abuse
Hiya, folks!
I recently watched Good Will Hunting (1997), and the urge to review it has overcome me!
Let me just begin by saying that I only gave it a shot because it stars Matt Damon (I love that man-- I mean, who doesn't?), and I'm really glad I took this chance, because this film is an experience.
Now, let me introduce you to the premise (without giving away too much, of course). It focuses on the eponymous protagonist, Will Hunting, a 20-year-old wunderkid with special talent in math. There's a catch though-- Will is a delinquent and has been in and out of prison for as long as he can remember. When he assaults a police officer and is arrested again, a math professor at MIT (where Will works as a janitor), having noticed the boy's staggering and unusual talent with numbers, bails him out on two conditions. The first is that he must attend regular math sessions with the professor in order to sharpen his genius, and the second is that he must see a therapist twice a week. Seems simple enough, right?
Except it's not.
"I'll do the math, but I don't need therapy," Will declares angrily. Oh boy, is he wrong. The rest of the film is spent unpacking the cartload of issues this boy carries around with him-- and some of his therapists outright give up on him. It's the last one who sticks and makes such an impact-- on Will as well as on the viewers-- that we're all left bawling our eyes out at the end.
This therapist is called Sean Maguire, played to ultimate perfection by the late Robin Williams. His dynamic with Will is brilliant; they act as perfect foils to each other before the audience realises that they're just two sides of the same coin. These sessions are portrayed with just the right mix of sensitivity and professionalism; the charm lies in the vulnerability shown by the patient as well as the therapist.
Will has a pretty good support system overall- he has a really good bestie called Chuckie (Ben Affleck), a smart and intuitive almost-girlfriend called Skylar (Minnie Driver), and, of course, Sean and Professor Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgard; the prof isn't exactly supportive, but he does help Will acknowledge his genius). I think the film does a pretty good job of showing how a little kindness can go a long way, and how it sometimes comes from the most unexpected people.
Is the plot predictable? Yes, it is, as many people have already said. C'mon, I knew Bad Will Hunting was going to turn into Good Will Hunting at the end (excuse the bad joke). However, that doesn't change the fact that it's still a great film, and deserves its spot as one of the classics.
Besides, the fact that Damon and Affleck wrote the screenplay themselves is very impressive. The film is buoyed by its stellar performances-- especially Damon, who portrays Will with a disarming mixture of false cockiness and vulnerability, and Robin Williams.
Overall, I think Good Will Hunting was a very satisfying watch. It's the kind of film that stays with you a long time after you've finished it! I would definitely recommend this one! ❤️
