Good Will Hunting Movie Review 1997

Good, if predictable, first effort from screenwriting actors Damon and Affleck. Troubled, young Will Hunting (Damon) is a janitor at MIT who also happens to be an unsung mathematical genius. This gift is discovered by big-shot Professor Lambeau (Skarsgard), who must vouch for Will with the parole board by giving him weekly math sessions and taking him to a therapist to work on his anger. Naturally, only the equally troubled shrink Sean Maguire (Williams) is willing to help Hunting get beyond his blue-collar roots. But Will resists the help--not sure that he wants to leave his neighborhood and best friends behind. The Damon/Williams scenes are affecting but the southie Boston accents offer an unexpected challenge.

Distribution

Miramax Film Corp., 8439 W Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069-1921, Phone: (323)650-2937, URL: http://www.miramax.com

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 126 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Screen Teams: Damon & Affleck, Boston, Buddies, Campus Capers, Shrinks, Top Grossing Films of 1998, Widows & Widowers, Mathemagicians

Screenplay

Matt Damon, Ben Affleck

Cast

Matt Damon, Robin Williams, Ben Affleck, Stellan Skarsgard, Minnie Driver, Casey Affleck, Cole Hauser

Cinematography

Jean-Yves Escoffier

Director

Gus Van Sant

Music

Danny Elfman

Producer

Lawrence Bender, Bob Weinstein, Harvey Weinstein, Jonathan Gordon, Miramax Films

Awards

Oscars 1997: Orig. Screenplay, Support. Actor (Williams); Golden Globes 1998: Screenplay; Screen Actors Guild 1997: Support. Actor (Williams); Broadcast Film Critics 1997: Breakthrough Perf. (Damon), Orig. Screenplay.