Good Will Hunting: Encyclopedia - Good Will Hunting

Good Will Hunting

Good Will Hunting is a 1997 film directed by Gus Van Sant set in greater Boston, Massachusetts, which tells the story of Will Hunting, a troubled young prodigy who works as a janitor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology even though his knowledge of and facility with mathematics is superior to that of all of the school's faculty. Will must come to the realization that his abusive past is not his fault so that he can let go of the past and move on with his life. Good Will Hunting shows the story of a young man as he struggles to love his inner-self so that he can love others and start using his unique intellectual potential.

The movie was written by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. The widely-spread rumor that Good Will Hunting was written by legendary screenwriter William Goldman was refuted in Goldman's book Which Lie Did I Tell? as a joke that got out of hand.

It is often compared to J.D. Salinger's novel The Catcher in the Rye, and some claim that it was written with a certain amount of influence from the novel. The protagonist of the movie also has notable similarities to Srinivasa Ramanujan or to the late George Dantzig.

Good Will Hunting - Primary cast

• Robin Williams: Sean Maguire
• Matt Damon: Will Hunting
• Ben Affleck: Chuckie Sullivan
• Stellan Skarsgård: Gerald Lambeau
• Minnie Driver: Skylar
• Casey Affleck: Morgan O'Mally
• Cole Hauser: Billy McBride

Good Will Hunting - Making the Film

Good Will Hunting was directed and produced by Gus Van Sant in 1996. The setting of the movie was shot in the Great Boston Area, including bar scenes reflecting parts of downtown Boston. Originally, Mel Gibson had agreed to produce and direct this movie, but as Gus Van Sant read the script, he became eager to direct it. Matt Damon loved Van Sant's direction in other movies, including Drugstore Cowboy, released in 1989. Matt especially liked Van Sant's dry direction in dealing with emotions of complex characters. The movie was shot in under 5 months and was released in 1997.

Good Will Hunting - Synopsis

Set in South Boston (Southie), Good Will Hunting is about Will Hunting (Matt Damon), a young man who immersed himself in books to release his anger and frustration with his abusive foster family. Will and his friend Chuckie Sullivan (Ben Affleck) are two drifters who hang out together with their friends, drinking and fighting in Southie. Will works as a janitor, construction worker, auto mechanic, and in other low-end jobs, hiding his genius and talents for memorizing facts and solving complex math equations (including Parseval's theorem).

Will and his friends pick a fight with a man who had picked on him in kindergarten, an act for which he is arrested. During the few days he is waiting for his trial, he meets Skylar (Minnie Driver) at a Harvard bar and she gives him her phone number. Also during this time, while Will is working as a janitor for MIT, he solves Parseval's theorem, which is left on a chalkboard in the hallway. The math problem was assigned to a graduate class by Professor Gerald Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgård), a Fields Medalist and combinatorialist, with no intentions of anyone being able to complete it. Once Professor Lambeau discovers that Will is the one who solved the problem, he recognizes his talent and decides to help him turn his life around. One of the conditions to keep Will out of prison is that he must see a psychiatrist regularly. After unsuccessful attempts with several psychiatrists, Gerry takes Will to meet his former college friend and specialist, Sean Maguire (Robin Williams).

After a rough start, Sean concludes that Will's defensiveness is the result of years of abuse and violence. The two work together to break through Will's barriers and expose his true thoughts and feelings, while at the same time, Lambeau is attempting to push Will to excel in his direction, not seeing that Will is a sensitive being who can easily snap when pressured. After calling Skylar and seeing her many times, she eventually asks Will to move to California with her. In a tense emotional scene, he refuses and leaves her. Despite thinking that his buddies are like a rock for him, Will is exposed to the harsh truth while enjoying a break during work with Chuckie. As the two split a six pack, Chuckie lets Will know how he really feels. Chuckie tells Will that his unusual talent and smarts are what have him "sittin' on a winnin' lottery ticket." Chuckie also resentfully confesses that he would do anything to possess what Will has and hates the fact that his friend is wasting his potential by hanging out with him and his buddies, living the same impoverished life every day. Chuckie says that one of his great hopes is that one day when he picks Will up for work in his car, he won't be there, indicating to Chuckie that Will has escaped their mundane life and gone onto better things.

At the end of the movie, upon reflecting on his options and current path in life, Will decides to take a risk. He decides to follow his heart and go to California to be with Skylar, instead of continuing his life in Boston; thus, he is setting aside the safe opportunities that Lambeau has offered him, and risking being hurt just to win Skylar back.

Good Will Hunting - Themes

There are multiple themes that show through in Good Will Hunting. The themes of self love, expectations of society, and friendship all play a role in helping Will face his past and eventually embrace his future. Many scenes through out the movie show Will contradicting the expectations society has on him. The ever-lasting love Sean, Skylar, and Chuckie have for Will is the only thing that keeps him going, until he finally changes his life around. Another defining theme that makes the film unique is that there is no tangible antagonist. The film accomplishes this by never introducing an actual human “villain” or power into the plot to act against Will. Instead, an intangible battle is fought within him, making the one thing he must overcome his very own abusive past. By suppressing his intellectual abilities and running away from relationships before they have the chance to “go bad”, it becomes obvious the struggle this young man faces is completely internal.

Another really important theme in Good Will Hunting is re-learning to trust people as well as taking risks after a haunting past. As a result of Will's abusive father, he only trusts his closest friends who would fight for him no matter what. As the film progresses, new characters appear into Will's life that he immediately attempts to push away. Here, his fear and inability to trust are evident. Sean is the one character that uses tough love to slowly break down Will's fears. This is especially obvious in the office scene where Sean repetatively states, "Will, it's not your fault." By allowing Will to face his past and let down his guard, Will can move forward and take the huge risk of moving from Boston to California to be with Skylar, unsure of what lies ahead. The last scene of the movie, in which Will drives off into the night, also symbolizes his ability to take risks.

Good Will Hunting - Box Office

Released in US: December 5, 1997

Opening Weekend: $1,720,000

Studio: Miramax

Total US Gross: $138,433,435

Production Budget: $10,000,000

Rentals: $53,988,000

Worldwide Gross: $225,900,000

Good Will Hunting - Reception

The film reviews from this film are, for the most part, very favorable. Many film critics loved the ideas the film explored, and the majority of them gave it a good review. Out of the people who gave this film a bad review, most gave the reason for its bad language and content. Overall the average rating from one to ten was about a seven.

According to the Box Office reports, Good Will Hunting grossed an impressive $225 million internationally. Although the opening weekend did not go particularly well, the film reviews and reception by the American public improved its performance at the box office, and the film received international praise, in part due to the brilliant acting of Robin Williams and Matt Damon, both of whom were nominated for Academy Awards for the film. According to many critics, Good Will Hunting provides key elements for the success of a movie: a heartfelt protagonist, a beautiful love interest, and comedic and philosophic one-liners that can apply to all types of audiences all across the world.

Good Will Hunting - Quotes

Will: "Do you like apples?"

Clark: "Yeah?"

Will: "Well, I got her number. How do you like them apples?"

Sean: "But you've never looked at a woman and been totally vulnerable- known someone that could level you with her eyes. Feeling like God put an angel on Earth just for you. And you wouldn't know how it felt to be her angel. To have the love be there for her forever. Through anything, through cancer. You wouldn't know about sleeping sitting up in a hospital room for two months holding her hand and not leaving because the doctors could see in your eyes that the term "visiting hours" didn't apply to you. And you wouldn't know about real loss, because that only occurs when you lose something you love more than yourself. I doubt you've never dared to love anything that much."

Sean: "You're not perfect, sport, and let me save you the suspense, this girl you've met- she isn't perfect either. But the question is whether or not you're perfect for each other. That's the whole deal. That's what intimacy is all about. Now you can know everything in the world, sport, but the only way you're finding that one out is by giving it a shot."

Will [In a note to Sean]: "Sean, if the professor calls about that job, just tell him sorry- I had to go see about a girl. -Will."

Sean: "Son of a bitch. Stole my line."

Sean: "My wife used to fart when she was nervous. She had all sorts of wonderful little idiosyncrasies. She used to fart in her sleep. One night it was so loud she woke herself up. Ah, But, Will... she's been dead for two years, and that's the shit I remember. Those are the things I miss the most. The little idiosyncrasies that only I know about. That's what made her my wife. People call these things imperfections, but they're not. That's the good stuff."

Skylar: "What if I said I would not sleep with you again, until you let me meet your friends?"

Will: [A pause]. "Mmm... I'd say it's like four-thirty in the morning, they're prob'ly up." [Picks up Skylar's phone and begins dialing]

Skylar: [Laughing] "Oh my God... men are shameless. If you're not thinking with your weiner then you're acting directly on its behalf."

Will: "You bet. And on behalf of my weiner, can I get like, an advanced payment?" [the phone picks up] Chuckie: "Eh! What the fuck?"

Will: "Nothing Chuckie, go back to sleep." [Hangs up the phone]

Sean: "See you Monday. We'll be talking about Freud and why he did enough cocaine to kill a small horse."

Chuckie: "Morgan wanted to get you a T-Pass"

Morgan: "That's not what I was sayin'!"

Chuckie: "But, uh... you're twenty-one now, so-"

Billy: "-You're legally allowed to drink, so we figured the best thing for ya, kid, was a car. How do you like?"

Will: "This is like... this's the ugliest fuckin' car I've ever seen my life. How'd you guys do this?"

Will: "What is this, a Taster's Choice moment between two guys?"

Good Will Hunting - Soundtrack

1. Between the Bars - by Elliott Smith
2. As the Rain - by Jeb Loy Nichols
3. Angeles - by Elliott Smith
4. No Name #3 - by Elliott Smith
5. Fisherman's Blues - by The Waterboys
6. Why Do I Lie? - by Luscious Jackson
7. Will Hunting (Main Titles) - by Danny Elfman
8. Between the Bars - by Elliott Smith
9. Say Yes - by Elliott Smith
10. Baker Street - by Gerry Rafferty
11. Somebody's Baby - by Andru Donalds
12. Boys Better - by The Dandy Warhols
13. How Can You Mend a Broken Heart - by Al Green
14. Miss Misery - by Elliott Smith
15. Weepy Donuts - by Danny Elfman

The soundtrack for Good Will Hunting provides a simple and tuneful sound to the atmosphere of white, working-class Bostoninans. The soundtrack mirrors the have-lived lifes of many of the characters and depicts messages of doubt and unrequitted love through a solem, senstive music style. Elliott Smith contributes the most to this soundtrack and was nominated for "Best Song" for his work in "Miss Misery."

Good Will Hunting - Award wins

• Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor – Robin Williams
• Academy Award for Writing Original Screenplay - Matt Damon & Ben Affleck
• Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay - Motion Picture - Matt Damon & Ben Affleck
• Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Actor - Video - Matt Damon

Good Will Hunting - Award nominations

• Academy Award for Best Picture
• Academy Award for Best Actor - Matt Damon
• Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress - Minnie Driver
• Academy Award for Directing - Gus Van Sant
• Academy Award for Best Song – Elliott Smith (song "Miss Misery")
• Academy Award for Original Music Score - Danny Elfman
• Academy Award for Film Editing - Pietro Scalia
• Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture - Drama
• Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture Actor - Drama - Matt Damon
• Golden Globe Award Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture - Robin Williams
• Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures - Gus Van Sant
• Writers Guild of America Award for Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen - Matt Damon & Ben Affleck

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Good Will Hunting", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki