Good Will Hunting isn’t a terribly important movie. It didn’t skyrocket anybody’s career. It didn’t start any new major trend in cinema. It wasn’t groundbreaking. But what it does do is tell one of the most beautifully crafted and intimate stories in film history.
The film is centered around the title’s namesake, Will Hunting (Matt Damon), a lower-class, genius Boston construction worker. The story is pretty simple, a series of unorthodox therapy meetings leads MIT graduate and high school teacher Sean Maguire (Robin Williams) to treat Will’s childhood trauma and abuse.
The most impressive parts of the film are its acting and script. These two aspects allow for the movie to tell its intimate narrative phenomenally. Matt Damon and Robin Williams shine in their lead roles, but an incredible supporting cast assists them. Ben Afleck plays Will’s best friend, Chuckie, Minnie Driver plays Will’s girlfriend, Skylar, and Stellan Skarsgard plays MIT professor Gerald Lambeau. Since the film is so plot-driven, and the entire plot is centered around Will, it would fall flat if the leading performance was anything but great. This is why Matt Damon’s performance is so impressive. Director Gus Van Sant decided to put the pressure of the entire film on a 27-year-old actor, and it made for one of the best character studies in film. Damon displays all sides of his character perfectly, from his cocky, abrasive side to his vulnerable and emotional side; it all feels so authentic and connected.
Robin Williams was also incredible, delivering the most heartfelt, genuine and earnest performances in the film.
Good Will Hunting’s script is one of the most flawless in Hollywood history. The dialogue feels natural and personal, making the characters feel like real people on a screen. Countless iconic scenes and quotable moments are still prominent in pop culture today. Furthermore, the film tackles sensitive themes like childhood trauma and sexual abuse in such a careful way that it doesn’t feel insensitive or insulting.
The core of the film is the relationship between Will Hunting and Sean Maguire. At the start, they have a very professional therapist-client relationship. But as the story develops, their relationship develops with it. It turns into more of a personal relationship; Sean sees Will as the son he never had, and Will sees Sean as the father he never had. The two have multiple emotional moments throughout the film that prove to be some of the best scenes in the movie, including the famous “It’s not your fault” scene and the park bench scene.
Good Will Hunting is a film that many viewers will enjoy. It tells a simple and beautiful story effortlessly, about the healing of a mass amount of trauma on one individual, and how he grows and the relationships around him develop. These, accompanied by phenomenal performances and flawless script, makes for one of the best films in modern movie history.
