Good Will Hunting

Dir Gus Van Sant

Robin Williams, Matt Damon, Minnie Driver, Ben Affleck, Stellan Skarsgard.

Will Hunting (Damon) is a intellectually gifted former foster child from Boston. One day he is unable to sweet talk himself out of a jail after starting a fight and assaulting a police officer. However he has recently attracted the attention of the maths professor Jerry Lambeau (Skarsgard), after Will solved one of the most challenging maths formulas.

Lambeau demands that Will both work with him, and see a therapist, and he will retract the bail – and Will will go back to jail. After many failed ‘auditions’ of therapists, Jerry asks his recently widowed long time friend Sean (Williams), as Sean grew up in the same neighbourhood as Will

Very ambitious film, written by the then unknowns Damon and Affleck – is one of the most dramatic films of the 90s. The relationships between Will and the four other characters in the film are all unique. There are the three new people in his life; the professor Lambeau, who nurtures his intellectual talent, there is Sean who works with his emotional needs, and there is Skylar who he begins his romantic feelings for the first time. Finally there is Chucky (Affleck) who is his long time friend, desperate to have the gift that Will does.

The screenplay is brilliant and deserving of the Oscar for Damon and Affleck. The performances are all top tier, and for each of the cast possibly the best performances they had each given or gave. Williams also won an Oscar for Best Supporting Oscar gives a tour de force, and completely 180 from what he is best known for.

Deeply moving, and deeply impressive. One of the most emotional and mature movies I’ve watched in a while. It also has a very moving score from Danny Elfman, who is usually famous for his own collaboration with Tim Burton, and

4.5/5