Good Will Hunting (1997)

Director:

Gus Van Sant

Writers (WGA):

Matt Damon (written by) &
Ben Affleck (written by)

Release Date:

9 January 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Some people can never believe in themselves, until someone believes in them.

Plot:

Will Hunting, a janitor at MIT, has a gift for mathematics but needs help from a psychologist to find direction in his life.

Plot Keywords:

Janitor | Genius | Mathematics | Jail | Professor

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 16 wins & 35 nominations

Cast

Robin Williams	...	Sean Maguire
Matt Damon	...	Will Hunting
Ben Affleck	...	Chuckie Sullivan
Stellan Skarsgård	...	Prof. Gerald Lambeau
Minnie Driver	...	Skylar
Casey Affleck	...	Morgan O'Mally
Cole Hauser	...	Billy McBride
John Mighton	...	Tom - Lambeau's Teaching Assistant
Rachel Majorowski	...	Krystyn
Colleen McCauley	...	Cathy
Matt Mercier	...	Barbershop Quartet #1
Ralph St. George	...	Barbershop Quartet #2
Rob Lynds	...	Barbershop Quartet #3
Dan Washington	...	Barbershop Quartet #4
Alison Folland	...	M.I.T. Student #1

MPAA:

Rated R for strong language, including some sex-related dialogue.

Runtime:

126 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:14A (Alberta) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:PG (British Columbia) | USA:R (certificate #35614) | South Korea:12 | Philippines:PG-13 (cut) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Belgium:KT | Brazil:14 | Chile:14 | Czech Republic:12 | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Germany:12 | Mexico:B | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG (cut) | Spain:T | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | Israel:PG | Singapore:NC-16

Filming Locations:

Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Company:

Be Gentlemen Limited Partnership

Trivia:

The mathematical equations seen in the opening credits are part of a math technique called "Fourier Analysis" which approximates functions by sines and cosines. It's used a lot in physics and engineering.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: The person at the bar being served looks at the camera.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Lambeau: Mod fx... squared... dx. So please finish Parceval, by next time. I know many of you had this as undergraduates, but it won't hurt to brush up.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Nowhere Fast (2006/II)

Soundtrack:

Say Yes

Good doesn't describe it!

I am totally dumbfounded by some of the reactions to this film. I'm imagining that the people who call this film boring are of the frame of mind, that unless a film has at least three explosions then it's not worth the price of a cinema ticket. Then there are the people calling it unrealistic. Now forgive me but I come from a similar background to the central character Will and I believe myself to be intelligent, but I didn't use my intelligence until very recently. Instead I took to taking drugs and drinking and swearing! Only a few years ago I was working as a cleaner, but now I'm studying programming and media technology at the best technical University in the UK. Now if I can identify with this film's realism (and I live in England) why can't so many others? This film is a veritable jewel. The script is one of the best I've ever seen. The way it mixes thought provoking ideas and witticisms with the kind of colloquial dialogue which we have read in things like ‘The Catcher in the Rye'. Now I agree with the sentiment that some people have put across, ‘get in touch with your inner Robin Williams'. But thankfully the script or Gus Van Sant or whatever prevented it from going over board. Look at the final scene where they're hugging and saying their farewells. Now this could have overlapped into a typical slushy moment, but no the lines `Doesn't this contravene the Doctor, patient relationship?' `Only if you grab my ass' were uttered so as to diffuse it. Then bear in mind that you never actually see the reunion between Skylar and Will! I could go on forever arguing against people's criticisms. But what's the point if certain viewers can't appreciate the subtly evocative direction of Van Sant, the quick fire script and the superb performances by the cast. It's these same viewers who shall, until the end of their days sit and watch the vacuous outpourings of Hollywood mainstream. Let them watch this ‘chewing gum for the mind' and we discerning few will lap up the droplets of quality cinema. I think a quote is in order here directed to all you viewers who deemed this film boring or unrealistic `If ignorance is bliss, there should be more happy people.'