What Is Good Will Hunting About?

The film producer, Gus Van Sant, received support from both audiences and critics in alternative and independent film circles, back in the 90s. He had a penchant for marginal grades and for telling about the problems of people who do not fit into the mold box. Therefore, it was not surprising that he directed the film, Good Will Hunting. A movie that became a hit.

1997 was a simple year, and clearly positivist films flocked to the big screen. Good Will Hunting  is one such 90s movie. It has a simple plot, with little to no intrigue, and with a predictable outcome. However, the message captures the viewer’s attention right from the beginning.

Good Will Hunting

The film presents a difficult, charismatic, young man with a clear tendency to violence. Will, however, is quite clever, and, against all odds, he reveals a great talent for mathematics, along with a photographic memory.

He ends up having legal problems due to a fight that he is able to get out of, thanks to Professor Lambeau. He is a scientist in mathematics who sees something good in the boy.

The other side of the coin is that the young man must also go into therapy. Unfortunately,  he does not achieve good results with any psychologists until he comes in contact with Sean,  Lambeau’s former colleague.

The film gradually reveals the reasons why Will has acquired violent behavior and why he no longer wants to be associated with anything or anyone. Of course, Robin Williams shines as Sean, his mentor, who is a character who, to a large extent, reminds the audience of his role in the  Dead Poets Club  (Peter Weir, 1989).

A backdrop that works

Oddly enough, unlike other films of its kind,  Good Will Hunting does not have a literary precedent. That is, the manuscript is original.

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon were not so well known at this time. It is true that both had taken their first steps as actors with remarkable success, but they were still strangers to most people.

The script for Good Will Hunting began to take shape as an effort to do something different; something together, like friends. To begin with, the film was meant to be a thriller, but the end result was a major departure from this idea.

Likewise, the producer hesitated to include the two young actors in the cast, but, sooner or later, he gave up. In fact, one of the strongest points in the film lies precisely in the interpretations of these actors. Yes, Robin Williams was a rather unique actor, but the message of the film would not have penetrated so deeply without the work of Affleck and Damon.

In fact,  the scenes in which Williams and Damon interact were already an important part of the film industry in the 90s. Both perfectly personify their characters. So much so that their relationship seems authentic.

Soundtrack

Another success of this film is its soundtrack. It is composed by Danny Elfman. He was quite popular in the 90’s as lead singer in the new band, Oingo Boingo. While his name alone may not make a bell ring, you probably already know and love many of his songs.

His collaboration with Tim Burton is well known as they worked together in Edward Scissorhands ,  Mars Attacks and Sleepy Hollow, among others. Moreover, as you probably know, he also composed the popular song from  The Simpsons. 

In Good Will Hunting,  Elfman did a good job of highlighting the emotions of each of the characters with his music.

In short, the film has some great ingredients; the same ones that made it so successful. It received nine Oscar nominations, of which Robin Williams won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor (Best Supporting Actor), while for Best Original Screenplay (Best Original Screenplay) went to both Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.

Good Will Hunting has a clear message

The plot in Good Will Hunting is timeless because it conveys a positive, optimistic and affordable message. While this message may be boring because of its predictability, it is, in fact, effective because of the way the story unfolds.

The American film industry continues to contribute countless films of this type that do not age well and are either forgotten or lack credibility because their message is too superficial.

So how can it be that Good Will Hunting has survived the passage of time? This is probably because the cast fits the strength of the dialogues. This is because, far from just containing a wise message, it focuses on the most human parts of the main characters. 

Who has not seen a story like this before? A young man in the suburbs who is plagued by emotional deficiencies and unable to control his violence. A young man who finally overcomes his obstacles and becomes stronger from them. There is nothing new about that. It is not groundbreaking and, still, the film captures the audience.

There’s a rather memorable scene where Robin Williams’ character leaves Will speechless while sitting on a bench. The mentor proves that no one really knows how they feel or what they have been through, and, therefore, they do not actually know the world.

The power of books

Books and philosophy help people understand and know the world, but experiences are personal and subjective after all. Little by little, the audience witnesses Will’s progress, along with his learning process. 

The young man is not shown superficially. In fact, the film shows him through the eyes of his psychologist. He is a character who ends up opening Will’s eyes and who has empathy with him. Primarily because, like all human beings, he also carries a heavy burden on his back and has to confront his own demons.

The message of overcoming is easily captured by the viewer. The film, as a whole, ends up being entertaining, though it does not contain much action. It throws the viewer into a form of reconciliation with the past, acceptance and forgiveness.

A stormy past

As usual, the protagonist’s past has a direct impact on his present. And, even though the audience does not understand exactly, to begin with, what has happened, they know that something traumatic has happened in his childhood.  Perhaps the fact that he has been orphaned has had a huge impact on him and ruined his soul.

The viewer also gets to see how he relates to his friends. Apparently, they are the only people he trusts. This is quite evident in his attitude towards his work, and even in his relationship with Skylar, a young medical student.

Will does not seem to want to get involved, sentimentally or in any other way, with anything or anyone. He prefers not to be responsible. He does not want to be carried away by his emotions.

The abandonment he witnessed during his childhood has led to an irrational fear that keeps him from wanting stability. That’s exactly why he does not want to listen to Professor Lambeau’s instructions. He also does not want to travel with Skylar. In fact, he would rather go on with his life as it is.

Social pressure also has a role in the film. You may sometimes take it for granted that someone with great abilities needs to get the most out of them and follow a certain path. If so, then you may need to ask yourself what the real desires of a given individual are. You should not expect them to do what other people think is best for them.

Concluding remarks on Good Will Hunting

It is clear that Will is special and that he is a remarkable, talented, young man. Still, this does not mean he has to follow a certain path. Contrary to the pressure exerted by Professor Lambeau, Sean responds with understanding.

He tries to get the young man to decide what is best for him, to resolve his past conflicts. He also tries to get him to create his own path on his own.

In short, Good Will Hunting is about positive thinking and, by doing so, nothing new. It really is a 90s movie. However, the importance lies in the universality of its message and the way it manages to convey emotions. In conclusion, it provides the audience with an optimistic message without just being entertainment.