Plot
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck co-scripted and star in this drama, set in Boston and Cambridge, about rebellious 20-year-old MIT janitor Will Hunting (Damon), gifted with a photographic memory, who hangs out with his South Boston bar buddies, his best friend Chuckie (Affleck), and his affluent British girlfriend Skylar (Minnie Driver). After MIT professor Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgard) stumps students with a challenging math formula on a hallway blackboard, Will anonymously leaves the correct solution, prompting Lambeau to track the elusive young genius. As Will's problems with the police escalate, Lambeau offers an out, but with two conditions -- visits to a therapist and weekly math sessions. Will agrees to the latter but refuses to cooperate with a succession of therapists. Lambeau then contacts his former classmate, therapist Sean McGuire (Robin Williams), an instructor at Bunker Hill Community College. Both are equally stubborn, but Will is finally forced to deal with both his past and his future. ~ Bhob Stewart, RoviReview
Featuring a script by obscure actors Matt Damon and Ben Affleck and direction by Gus Van Sant, previously a director who avoided the mainstream, Good Will Hunting beat all odds to become a huge success. Powered by Miramax's marketing muscle, its real life rags-to-riches story mirrored the fortunes of titular, troubled math genius Will Hunting. The story is fairly conventional: equal parts love story, coming-of-age struggle, ode to friendship, and therapy session, the film didn't so much break new ground as till well-trod property. But its assured direction, strong production values, and heartfelt lead performances helped make it an out-of-nowhere success, propelled by the attractive synergy between its real story and its fictional story. In addition to raking in millions at the box office, it gave Robin Williams his first Oscar and won Best Original Screenplay for Damon and Affleck. The toast of Hollywood in the aftermath of their triumph, they had no trouble finding the sort of quality roles that had seemed so out of reach when they wrote their screenplay. Where many movies seem to speak from their wallets, here was one that spoke from the heart. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, RoviCast
- Matt Damon - Will Hunting
- Robin Williams - Sean McGuire
- Ben Affleck - Chuckie
- Minnie Driver - Skylar
- Stellan Skarsgård - Lambeau
Credit
Kerry Barden - Casting, Billy Hopkins - Casting, Suzanne Smith - Casting, Chris Moore - Co-producer, Beatrix Aruna Pasztor - Costume Designer, Gus Van Sant - Director, Pietro Scalia - Editor, Jonathan Gordon - Executive Producer, Su Armstrong - Executive Producer, Kevin Smith - Executive Producer, Bob Weinstein - Executive Producer, Harvey Weinstein - Executive Producer, Scott Mosier - Executive Producer, Danny Elfman - Composer (Music Score), Jeffrey Kimball - Musical Direction/Supervision, Elliott Smith - Songwriter, Melissa Stewart - Production Designer, Jean-Yves Escoffier - Cinematographer, Lawrence Bender - Producer, Matt Damon - Screen Story, Ben Affleck - Screenwriter, Matt Damon - Screenwriter, Robert Easton - Dialect Coach| Good To Go (1986 Film), Good Times, Wonderful Times (1965 Film) | |
| Good Women (1921 Film), Good and Bad at Games (1983 Film) |
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