Good Will Hunting

The movie, "Good Will Hunting" is a drama and a love story, but not just a normal love story. Matt Damon plays Will Hunt who is scrappy, young-blooded janitor at M.I.T., with an unnatural knack for complex mathematics. When he is given the option of prison or developing his skills or seeing a shrink. The Psychologist, Sean Macguire (Robin Williams) and Will form a great friendship through these sessions and his life finally startens to straighten out. As this is occurring, Will also becomes intrigued by a beautiful Harvard student named Skylar (Minnie Driver). Throughout this movie, Director Gus Van Sant keeps his audience thinking about whether Will will commit to the relationship and a career in math or will he keep his isolated, working class lifestyle.

In the book, The Art of Watching Films (Page 43) writer Neil Simon mentions that, "it's as important to me as writing the first scene, getting the title. I feel comfortable if it sounds right". With that being said, I feel as if "Good Will Hunting" is a perfect title for the film. When I first saw the title I thought of a poor man hunting for a better life, which wasn't too far off! I also feels as if the words Good, Will, and Hunt not only tell of the main character's name, but could describe the hunting or searching in Will's mind for the good will to make the right decision, which I believe he does at the end.

 The actors, Matt Damon and Robin Williams do a great job of showing the hardship, resilience, and depth that shrinks may have with a client. In the text, The Art of Watching Films (Page 44) states that a complication is when a conflict begins and develops clarity, intensity, and value. During "Good Will Hunting's" complication an important symbol between characters arises. During Sean's meeting at the pub with Professor "Gerry" Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgard), Sean supports letting Will take time to rationalize his decision for himself, while Gerry states that pushing Will to succeed against his wishes would be beneficial. I see Sean's viewpoint from the rationalist approach of early psychology and Gerry's as the empirical approach. In the end, just like "Kant's Synthesis" blended the two approaches for what become modern psychology, and psychology doesn't work without either approach. Will had to form a conclusion for what he felt was best and did so.

I believe this film not only pulls its audience in cognitively, but grabs them by the wrists with emotion during the climax. The Art of Watching Films states on page 44 that: when a climx occurs there is a high point of physical emotion as well as a brief period of calm. During Sean and Will's last counseling meeting they discuss Sean and Will's past of both having alcoholic fathers, while this occurs so much compassion is felt by both. Sean definitely takes the role of Will's father symbolically and tells Will four important words relating to the bad decisions he may have made, "It's not your fault". This scene aroused deep emotion in its audience, whether it was Will finally breaking down, getting a new job, or saying scratch that-- and chasing his love, Director Gus Van Sant does a great job of connecting the viewers with Sean Macguire and Will Hunt.

Boggs, Joseph, & Petrie, Dennis. (2012). The Art of watching films. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill College.