Good Will Hunting

Starring: Matt Damon, Robin Williams, Ben Affleck, Minnie Driver

Review by The Ranting WolfCastle

     I've heard this movie doesn't have an original plot.  I don't know why this allegation is made, I've never seen another movie like it.  Maybe I'm just not cultured enough.  However, I must warn you, this is my favorite movie right now.  So if you are hell bent on not liking it, you should probably not read this review, okay? 

     Matt Damon stars as the big brained tough kid from a bad neighborhood.  He has a photographic memory, (or something to that effect, it never really says) so therefore is incredibly smart.  He makes a living through manual labor jobs like janitorial work and deconstruction.  It isn't long before he and his friends end up scrapping with a band of local thugs.  For some reason, Will (Damon) is the only one that ends up in jail.  Professor Lambau (Stellan Skarsgard) gets him out of jail to work on math problems, (Sounds like a hoot) and get therapy.  Enter Sean McGuire (Williams,) the therapist who shares a strikingly similar group of complexes with Will.  Will meets a girl (Driver) and he must now decide what to do with his life, with the help of his best friend Chucky (Affleck), and all his new acquaintances.

     "Good Will Hunting" is a funny drama.  The dialogue is extremely witty.  I have heard many people complain about the amount of cussing in this film, but to tell you the truth, I never even noticed it.  I guess that just tells you how warped I am.  It does have a lot of "bad words" but not an excessive amount.  Plus, you have to expect it from this type of movie, it's about a bunch of kids that have never had it easy.  Why should they clean up their mouths for a world that never appreciated them?  Aside from the cussing, the lines are intelligent and humorous.

     The story line is also well put together.  With so many characters to establish, there isn't a better way to handle it then what was done.   It moves along very well, and even though I thought it was dragging a little at the end the second time I saw it, I've never actually checked my watch while viewing it.   It's amazing how the audience begins to sympathize with not just Will, but all of the characters, and their motivations.  This was an extremely well written, well directed piece of work.

    The plot and dialogue are great by themselves, but what really hooked me about this movie was the performances, by all the actors.  Matt Damon is the best actor of his generation.  He makes every character he plays believable, the only thing that sucks for him is that he's already being typecast.  "The Rainmaker", "Good Will Hunting", and "Rounders" all showcase his skills of portraying a rapid fire, smart ass, genius type, know it all kid.  But he's really busy now and will soon break that mold.  Ben Affleck is also very convincing as the friend that cares more about Will than himself.  Affleck is tremendously compassionate and often inspiring as he puts the punk Will in his place.  Affleck has been in films like "Dazed and Confused", and "Chasing Amy".  In the former, he plays a tough bully-like fellow, and has to wear a wig.  When I saw that movie, I never though that O'Banion would become one of the most popular heartthrobs in America.  Baffling.  I also liked his performance in "Chasing Amy" even though others didn't.  Minnie Driver is a great actress for the sole fact that she's British, and I didn't even know that until I saw this movie.  She's good in this film, but also she convinced me that she was American in films like "Grosse Point Blank" and "Circle of Friends".  And what can you say about Robin Williams?  He can play any character, it's astounding.

     So what did I think?  I think it's the best movie I've seen.  I'm sure it won't be forever, but for now it is.  I also think the only thing it needed was...well nothing.  I'm content with the way it is.  Damon and Affleck are incredibly talented.  It's amazing that their dream actually came true.   I'm envious, bastards.

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