Good Will Hunting (1997)
8.157 /10
13279 Reviews
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Headstrong yet aimless, Will Hunting has a genius-level IQ but chooses to work as a janitor at MIT. When he secretly solves highly difficult graduate-level math problems, his talents are discovered by Professor Gerald Lambeau, who decides to help the misguided youth reach his potential. When Will is arrested for attacking a police officer, Professor Lambeau makes a deal to get leniency for him if he gets court-ordered therapy. Eventually, therapist Dr. Sean Maguire helps Will confront the demons that are holding him back.
Videos & Photos
cast
... Will Hunting
... Sean Maguire
... Chuckie Sullivan
... Gerald Lambeau
... Skylar
User reviews
Will Hunting, is a working class 20 year old mathematical genius, and yet chooses to shun a university education, preferring instead to be a janitor at Harvard university.
At a social level he is headstrong, arrogant, likes getting into fights as well as ending up in police cells for his regular anti-social behaviour.
Despite having friends, they are not shining beacons leading him into a better light. He is happy with his lot, shuns commitment and his best form of defence is attack both physically and verbally against those who want to impose their will on him for better or worse.
At the same university a professor of mathematics throws out a complex mathematical challenge to his students, asking them to complete the formula on a blackboard in the hall outside of his classroom. Will is cleaning floors one morning, comes across the blackboard and within seconds he has completed the formula before carrying on his duties while the professor wonders who it was!
It turns out Will was abused in his youth, and has moved on from one foster family to the next, but none of them were seemingly any better, and never reached out to his needs leaving him feeling bitter and angry.
A psychology professor (Robin Williams), spends various sessions with Will, and slowly, ever so slowly, Will begins to open up his darker side until both Will and the professor find a bond.
Make no mistake the premise is original but predictable. However, the acting performances are terrific, especially from Damon, whom I never really had much time for up until this film.
I was also impressed by the performance of Will's girlfriend, played by Minnie Driver. She soon fell in love with him, only to find that he never reciprocated and pushed her away just as had done to other people who tried to get too close to him in the past.
It is very much a feel-good film with a nice satisfying ending. It pulls at the heartstrings sometimes, but you just know everything will work out right in the end.
Director:
Genres:
Release Date:
1997-12-05
Run Time:
127 min
MMPA Rating:
R
Reviews of
Good Will Hunting
Will Hunting, is a working class 20 year old mathematical genius, and yet chooses to shun a university education, preferring instead to be a janitor at Harvard university.
At a social level he is headstrong, arrogant, likes getting into fights as well as ending up in police cells for his regular anti-social behaviour.
Despite having friends, they are not shining beacons leading him into a better light. He is happy with his lot, shuns commitment and his best form of defence is attack both physically and verbally against those who want to impose their will on him for better or worse.
At the same university a professor of mathematics throws out a complex mathematical challenge to his students, asking them to complete the formula on a blackboard in the hall outside of his classroom. Will is cleaning floors one morning, comes across the blackboard and within seconds he has completed the formula before carrying on his duties while the professor wonders who it was!
It turns out Will was abused in his youth, and has moved on from one foster family to the next, but none of them were seemingly any better, and never reached out to his needs leaving him feeling bitter and angry.
A psychology professor (Robin Williams), spends various sessions with Will, and slowly, ever so slowly, Will begins to open up his darker side until both Will and the professor find a bond.
Make no mistake the premise is original but predictable. However, the acting performances are terrific, especially from Damon, whom I never really had much time for up until this film.
I was also impressed by the performance of Will's girlfriend, played by Minnie Driver. She soon fell in love with him, only to find that he never reciprocated and pushed her away just as had done to other people who tried to get too close to him in the past.
It is very much a feel-good film with a nice satisfying ending. It pulls at the heartstrings sometimes, but you just know everything will work out right in the end.
So great!
'Good Will Hunting' is a film I had heard many a great thing about but had never actually seen it so didn't know anything about the plot - so much so that I genuinely thought it was about the good will of hunting or something... and certainly not about a character named Will Hunting! The poster makes it look like a film of that sort, in my defence.
I also didn't realise, aside from the lead two, that the cast list was so stacked until the credits came up at the start. The names didn't let me down either, as the acting is superb across the board. Matt Damon and Robin Williams are truly outstanding together, I already rate them from other productions so I'm glad I can add another cracker to their respective filmographies.
Even away from Messrs Damon and Williams, you've got very good displays from the likes of Stellan Skarsgård, Minnie Driver (emotionally, particularly, excellent) and Ben Affleck. Pretty impressive that it was written by both Affleck and Damon too!
The plot is great, the way the friendship builds between Will (Damon) and Sean (Williams) is so beautifully done. Both characters are very interesting, even if I didn't buy the genius of Will at all at first but I quickly let that go as the film does such a grand job at crafting everything together around it.
In short, it's ace! Glad I finally checked it out.
"Will" (Matt Damon) is a rudderless character who works as a caretaker. He's an attitudinal pain in the neck whom, aside from his best friend "Chuckie" (Ben Affleck), is pretty much shunned by everyone. "Professor Lambeau" (Stellan Skarsgård) spots some potential in this wayward lad, especially when he realises that he has an amazing ability to solve mathematical problems. To that end he sends him to see the eccentric psychologist "Sean" (Robin Williams) who proves remarkably adept at cutting down the young man's defences and at beginning to rebuild the character of the man in a more positive and life-affirming fashion. The film combines some excellent performances from all four men, but especially a bang on-form Williams as the penetrative, but flawed, route to salvation for an equally flawed and angry almost younger version of himself in the genius "Will". Damon is entirely convincing as his temper and his prodigious nature are juggled adeptly and aided by a powerful script that allows the actors to take and keep centre stage as the potency of the plot becomes more and more focussed, we are presented here with a ground-breaking and thought-provoking look at what makes a great teacher as well as what makes a human being tick, what makes one happy and fulfilled - and what makes one the opposite! For my money, Gus Van Sant's finest interpretative work and well worth watching a few times, for more detail emerges to appreciate each time you see it.
**A very good film, but with some flaws and problems that deserve attention.**
This film is about a boy from Boston, who comes from very poor backgrounds, but who has a gift for mathematics, easily solving theorems and advanced problems that leave Harvard professors unanswered. He is discovered after solving one, at night and without telling anyone, and one of the professors at the university decides to help him be someone and make use of his gift. The problem is that he doesn't want to, he's not able to trust anyone, and he's seriously stuck with justice. Therefore, he will recruit an irreverent psychiatrist to try to help the boy.
The film's premise is very good, and the story has merits that we cannot ignore or minimize. It's one of those delicious movies to watch, that leaves us without feeling the time that passes. We really know that guy is not a bad person, but it's not easy to like the character due to his options and his bad social attitude. However, what bothered me the most was the construction of Robin Williams' character and his whole way of acting and accompanying that patient. I think anyone who has ever had the need to see a psychiatrist knows that they have strict rules about what they can and cannot do, and Williams' character breaks a good number of them.
And this leads us to talk about actors. I really enjoyed Williams' work, but he is a long way from the best that the actor has given us. Matt Damon also did a good job, perhaps one of the best of his career, and one that opened more doors for him in his professional life. Stellan Skarsgard also intelligently took advantage of the opportunity to impose himself on the American cinematic scene, with a job well done and of great merit. Minnie Driver also did an interesting job, perhaps even more so than Ben Affleck, whose character doesn't have as much visibility or relevance.
Technically, the film has many merits, starting with the excellent cinematography, a good set of sets and interesting costumes. The effects are understated, but they work quite well, and the soundtrack also does a pretty good job. It is not, however, a film that stands out for its technical aspects, nor could it be. The important thing in this film is the story it brings us and the work of the cast.
Psychological drama well in the beginning of Ben Aflleck and Matt Damon in their careers - they star (with Matt in the role of the protagonist) and wrote the script together. The director was Gus Van Sant (Drugstore Cowboy).
The movie tells a story about a irish-descendant boy in Boston that works as janitor in a mathematics faculty, and it is a self-taught genius, with a troubled past and present - some mathematical riddles are left by the head of the chair in the faculty (Skarsgård) and mysteriously solved by night. Catching up with Matt Damon character Will he can be out of parole if he gets a job and consult with a psychiatrist what shows to be a tid bit tough thing.
The film received positive reviews from critics and grossed over $225 million during its theatrical run against a $10 million budget, and received nominations in nine categories, including Best Picture and Best Director, and won in two: Best Supporting Actor for Williams and Best Original Screenplay for Affleck and Damon. Nothing bad, at all for someone being just out of Harvard University. Anther curiosity: character Skylar in the movie have the same name and background of Matt Damon's girlfriend back then.
Robin Williams acts as the psychiatrist that could connect with this troubled boy, in a solid role - speaking of solid role it was nice to see Matt Damon out of some action movie in really nice drama scenes. Another actor that shows up is Stellan Skarsgård, yes the father of the four sons the most known being Bill (of "It").
Nice heartwarming moving movie thought the end with a solid script. I would scorre it a 8.0 out of 10.0 / B+. It is strange that I didn't even reminded this one back in 97, but then I remembered that that year I was in the 3rd year of Medicine so not much time to seeing movies I guess.
Cast & Crew of
Good Will Hunting
Cast
... Will Hunting
... Sean Maguire
... Chuckie Sullivan
... Gerald Lambeau
... Skylar
... Morgan O'Mally
... Billy McBride
... MIT Student
... Tom
... Krystyn
... Cathy
... Barbershop Quartet #1
... Barbershop Quartet #2
... Barbershop Quartet #3
... Barbershop Quartet #4
... MIT Student
... MIT Student
... Girl on Street
... Carmine Scarpaglia
... Carmine Friend #1
... Lydia
... Clark
... Head Custodian
... Assistant Custodian
... Courtroom Guard
... Judge Malone
... Prosecutor
... Court Officer
... Psychologist
... Hypnotist
... Bunker Hill Student
... Bunker Hill Student
... Toy Store Cashier
... MIT Professor
... Timmy
... Executive #1
... Executive #2
... Executive #3
... NSA Agent
... NSA Agent #2
... Security Guard
... Reunion Guest (uncredited)
... Student (uncredited)
... MIT Student (uncredited)
... Hervé (uncredited)
... Waiter (uncredited)
... Race Track Fan (uncredited)
... MIT Student (uncredited)
... Bartender (uncredited)
Crew
... Director
... Producer
... Executive Producer
... Executive Producer
... Executive Producer
... Executive Producer
... Director of Photography
... Editor
... Casting
... Casting
... Casting
... Production Design
... Art Direction
... Set Decoration
... Intern
... First Assistant Director
... Second Assistant Director
... Second Assistant Director
... Production Accountant
... Wardrobe Supervisor
... Set Costumer
... Set Costumer
... Assistant Costume Designer
... Key Grip
... Best Boy Grip
... Dolly Grip
... Property Master
... Assistant Sound Editor
... ADR Mixer
... ADR Recordist
... Foley Artist
... Foley Artist
... Foley Artist
... Foley Recordist
... Third Assistant Director
... Transportation Coordinator
... Transportation Captain
... Negative Cutter
... Color Timer
... Music Supervisor
... Music Editor
... Sound Re-Recording Mixer
... Sound Re-Recording Mixer
... Sound Re-Recording Mixer
... Supervising Sound Editor
... Sound Editor
... Sound Editor
... Sound Editor
... Still Photographer
... Gaffer
... Rigging Gaffer
... Stunt Coordinator
... Makeup Artist
... Hairstylist
... Co-Producer
... Co-Executive Producer
... Co-Executive Producer
... Writer
... Writer
... Utility Stunts
... Unit Production Manager
... Unit Production Manager
... Post Production Supervisor
... Post Production Supervisor
... Post Production Consulting
... Production Coordinator
... Casting Associate
... Hairstylist
... Special Effects
... Special Effects Coordinator
... Dialect Coach
... Unit Publicist
... Thanks
... Thanks
... Thanks
... Thanks
... Thanks
... First Assistant Editor
... Songs
... Assistant Editor
... Original Music Composer
... Driver
... Title Designer
... Dialogue Editor
... Costume Designer
... Travel Coordinator
... First Assistant Accountant
... Script Supervisor
... Location Manager
... Assistant Location Manager
... First Assistant Camera
... Second Assistant Camera
... Camera Trainee
... Sound Mixer
... Boom Operator
... Boom Operator
... Best Boy Electric
... Electrician
... Electrician
... Electrician
... Electrician
... Electrician
... Grip
... Grip
... Grip
... Grip
... Grip
... First Assistant Art Direction
... First Assistant Art Direction
... Second Assistant Art Director
... Assistant Decorator
... On Set Dresser
... Set Decoration Buyer
... Assistant Property Master
... Greensman
... Key Scenic Artist
... Construction Coordinator
... Construction Foreman
... Head Carpenter
... First Assistant Editor
... Assistant Editor
... Sound Recordist
... ADR Editor
... Assistant Sound Editor
... Foley Mixer
... Post Production Coordinator
... Post Production Accountant
... Locale Casting Director
... Extras Casting
... Casting Assistant
... Stand In
... Stand In
... Stand In
... Stand In
... Stand In
... Stand In
... Stand In
... Stand In
... Stand In
... Stand In
... Stand In
... Stand In
... Producer's Assistant
... Executive Producer's Assistant
... Actor's Assistant
... Executive Producer's Assistant
... Actor's Assistant
... Location Production Assistant
... Set Production Assistant
... In Memory Of
... In Memory Of
... Head Driver
... Driver
... Driver
... Driver
... Driver
... Driver
... Driver
... Driver
... Driver
... Driver
... Legal Services
... Legal Services
... Legal Services
... Legal Services
... Legal Services
... Legal Services
... Loop Group Coordinator
... Production Supervisor
... Production Coordinator
... Production Coordinator
... Production Secretary
... First Assistant Accountant
... Location Manager
... Assistant Location Manager
... Second Second Assistant Director
... Camera Operator
... Second Assistant Camera
... Camera Loader
... Additional Hairstylist
... Wardrobe Supervisor
... Set Costumer
... Set Costumer
... Set Costumer
... Boom Operator
... Best Boy Electric
... Electrician
... Electrician
... Electrician
... Best Boy Grip
... Dolly Grip
... Grip
... Grip
... Grip
... Art Direction
... Set Decoration
... Leadman
... On Set Dresser
... Set Decoration Buyer
... Conductor
... Scoring Mixer
... Orchestrator
... Craft Service
... Special Effects
... Special Effects
... Local Casting
... Extras Casting
... Extras Casting Assistant
... Location Production Assistant
... Carpenter
... Carpenter
... Scenic Artist
... Scenic Artist
... Scenic Artist
... Scenic Artist
... Charge Scenic Artist
... Set Designer
... Construction Coordinator
... Construction Foreman
... Assistant Property Master
... Art Department Coordinator
... Art Department Assistant
... Set Dresser
... Set Dresser
... Set Dresser
... Set Dresser
... Transportation Captain
... Transportation Coordinator
... Production Assistant
... Production Assistant
... Production Assistant
... Production Assistant
... Production Assistant
... Production Assistant
... Production Assistant
... Production Assistant
... Driver
... Driver
... Driver
... Driver
... Driver
... Driver
... Driver
... Driver
... Driver
... Driver
... Driver
... Driver
... Driver
... Driver
... Driver
... Driver
... Driver
... Thanks
... Thanks
... Thanks
... Thanks
... Thanks
... Thanks
... Thanks
... Thanks
... Thanks
... Thanks
... Thanks
... Thanks
... Thanks
... Thanks
... Thanks
... Thanks
... Thanks
... Thanks
... Thanks
... Thanks
... Thanks
... Thanks
Videos & Photos of
Good Will Hunting
Videos (2)
![GOOD WILL HUNTING Official Trailer [1997]](https://img.youtube.com/vi/_X0XUBOcsxI/mqdefault.jpg)
Photos 16
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