If you don't know this film by now, where have you been for the past quarter of a century??
Director: Gus Van Sant
Starring: Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Robin Williams
Running time: 126 minutes
Few films are more iconic than 1997’s Good Will Hunting. It took home two Academy Awards. It launched the careers of two of Hollywood’s most successful stars. And it’s been parodied countless times in the 25 years since its release - with every show from Cougar Town to It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia paying homage to the nineties classic.
Yet it still feels easy to forget just how good Good Will Hunting is. Following, wouldn’t you know it, Will Hunting (Matt Damon), this is the ultimate tale of one man finding - or, rather, struggling to find - purpose in his life. It’s deeply moving but incredibly funny, whip smart but isn’t above fart jokes. To put it simply, it’s a masterpiece.
One of this film’s Oscar successes came for Best Original Screenplay, and there are very few scripts that are more effective than the one put together by an infamously out-of-luck Damon and Ben Affleck. Ultimately, very little happens in Hunting’s two-hour runtime, and yet every scene is gripping in its own way. Each character feels real and fleshed out, without the need for clumsy exposition. No line of dialogue is wasted, no beat missing its mark. To anyone looking to write their own script, study this with a keen eye.
For all Damon and Affleck have already achieved, and will likely go on to achieve, it is difficult to imagine that they’ll ever top the artistry of Good Will Hunting
That said, a great script still requires a great cast to ensure it reaches its full potential, and this movie is frankly littered with talent. Damon, at only 26, delivers a brilliantly layered performance, expressing the internal, existential dilemma his character is facing with remarkable maturity. It’s a breakout performance that laid the groundbreak for a memorable career, and the Bostonian has certainly made the most of it - becoming one of the most versatile, consistent actors of his generation.
And, of course, Robin Williams puts in a career best display as the thoroughly likeable psychologist, Sean. A once-in-a-generation talent, some of his comedic scenes have cemented themselves in the Hollywood hall of fame. Yet it’s in the more emotional, sensitive moments that Williams’ skill really shines through. It’s a difficult task creating a character that is warm but stern, familiar but mysterious, but he manages it with ease. There’s a reason the “it’s not your fault” scene is so impactful, after all.
For all Damon and Affleck have already achieved, and will likely go on to achieve, it is difficult to imagine that they’ll ever top the artistry of Good Will Hunting. Even a quarter of a century later, it remains their finest hour.
Did you know? The very first day of the shooting, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck started crying out of happiness, because it was a scene between Robin Williams and Stellan Skarsgård, accomplished actors, doing Damon's and Affleck's scene verbatim, and they had waited so long (five years) for this to happen
We have a favour to ask
LeftLion is Nottingham’s meeting point for information about what’s going on in our city, from the established organisations to the grassroots. We want to keep what we do free to all to access, but increasingly we are relying on revenue from our readers to continue. Can you spare a few quid each month to support us?
