Good Will Hunting
Good Will Hunting
(1997)
A Review by Grant Kanigan
Directed by: Gus Van Sant
Written by: Matt Damon & Ben Affleck
Starring: Matt Damon, Robin Williams,
Ben Affleck, Stellan Skarsgård
Rating: PG
Release Date: January 9, 1998
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| Robin Williams & Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting © 1997 Miramax Pictures |
Good Will Hunting follows the eponymous Will. Bouncing from menial job to job and parole hearing to parole hearing for drunk and disorderly misdemeanours, Will lives to hang out with his buddies and get drunk. It's not until he solves a massively complex equation on a hallway chalkboard while working as a janitor at MIT, arguably the most prestigious technical schools in the world, (80 of MIT's alumni are Nobel Laureates), that he catches the attention of Professor Gerald Lambeau, (Stellan Skarsgård). The courts, tired of Will's continued acts of rebelliousness give him a choice: be under the supervision of Lambeau or go to prison. For Will, it's an easy choice. Only until Lambeau introduces Will to psychologist Sean Maguire, does Will face an insurmountable obstacle: himself.
Like some of the best movies ever made, their success is one of collaboration and trust. Damon and Affleck trusted director Gus Van Sant with their vision, and Van Sant then trusted Williams with the emotional heft of the film. Each nuance is important here, and each line Williams and Damon utter as their characters shows cracks in their depression and façade, respectively. Additionally, Damon and Affleck's insistence on maintaining the language of their Boston heritage creates a cutting verisimilitude throughout the film, fully fleshing out the characters as real people with real histories, real problems and real relationships. It's a brilliant script, and wholly deserving of the best original screenplay Oscar which Affleck and Damon received after Good Will Hunting's release. While each element of the film was stellar in and of itself, only through cooperative creativity does the film work. Even Minnie Driver, as Will's love interest Skylar, helps to subvert the formulaic female love interest. She's not there as eye candy - if Williams' Maguire is an intellectual foil to Will - Skylar is his emotional foil. Both are realistic, interesting characters, and help the audience understand Will's brilliance and brokenness deeply.
While the writing and characterization drive the film, it's the actors portraying the screenplay that truly sell it. Featuring a plethora of future A-List stars, (Ben and Casey Affleck, Cole Hauser, Skarsgård and Driver), who proved their worth with this film, and the unparalleled Williams, the audience is left with some transcendent scenes. The scene where Williams exudes a fatherly, platonic love through his character's quiet understanding, forcing Will to break down in tears is some of the best acting I've ever seen. Not a moment rings false. As well, the relationship between Affleck and Damon is touching. They may joke around, but when push comes to shove, the two would take a bullet for each other. The scene between Affleck and Damon where Chuckie tells Will he'll murder him if he hasn't used his intellect for a good future is poignant and leaves the audience floored. The fact the script is able to highlight such subtle moments is also a testament to director Gus Van Sant. Never pushing a moment when it's unnecessary, Gus Van Sant proved his worth as an auteur with Good Will Hunting, and has continued to prove his talents throughout the years with the brilliant films Elephant, Finding Forrester and Milk.
In closing, Good Will Hunting is a true American classic. A perfect mix of talent on screen and off, here's hoping Damon and Affleck don't forget what magic they were able to create in the mid 90's with Gus Van Sant. Watching Robin Williams' platonic and heartfelt performance is also a cruel reminder of what a truly talented man he was, on screen and off. It's rare films this meaningful can find their ways to a mass audience. If you haven't yet seen it, do yourself a favour and watch this rich and brilliant cinematic tour de force.
Grant's Rating: 5/5 Stars
Matt Damon & Ben Affleck in Good Will Hunting: "The Best Part of My Day"
Matt Damon & Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting: "It's Not Your Fault"
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