Predictable plot lets down an otherwise great film

Rating: 7/10 (27 April 2017)

(Spoilers) Good Will Hunting, was, as the title suggests, good. Matt Damon plays a realistic, if profane, twenty year old Will Hunting, who struggles to find purpose in his life, despite his uncanny math ability. This changes once he is arrested for starting a fight and forced into mandatory psychology with Sean Maguire (played by Robin Williams). Throughout his therapy sessions, they form a bond and Maguire (predictably) convinces Will to do something with his life. The plot is predictable and cliché, starting with the classic unrealised genius character and ending with his life turning out perfectly. This dull plot development does help create a realistic main character, but Will Hunting is already believable due to his dialogue and portrayal by Matt Damon. However, believability does not create interest. Many of the "interesting" aspects of Will are simply generic character archetypes. The orphan. The prodigy. Maguire pulls out the other parts of interest, but simply by stating them, and this should not be the case. Although one might blame it on the fact that Will is a self-guarded orphan and requires therapy for a reason, the film should not be so dependent on archetypes to make the viewers interested. Will's friend (who drives him around), on the other hand, had no cliché background, and viewers learnt about his comradery and down to Earth approach through his honesty while he convinced Will into doing something with his life. The writers clearly had the ability to create interesting characters, so why did they have to rely on archetypes for main characters? Dialogue was spot-on and breathed believability into the characters, which makes it more painful to see such clichéd mains. The symbolism was limited but effective, such as the train symbolising Will's previous one-track path through life, and then him receiving the car for his 21st, which allows him to go places he wants to, symbolising where his math ability can take him. However, these might not be related at all, and the car is simply there as an economically realistic way for Will to follow Skylar to California so the writers can tie up lose ends and finish the film in a positive, albeit predictable, way. The film shines when it comes to cinematography and camera angles, using a range of them effectively, such as the camera panning to a new location when a character enters the room, symbolising a change in tone. The film could improve on setting the scene, as many locations were ill defined. Many scene changes were set by a generic birds eye view of a standard city block, and then transitioned immediately to another scene, without specifying where that particular room was. For example, viewers never saw the building Maguire's psychology office was in, or the outside of the college he was a janitor at. However, that is one of the only areas for improvement. Warm colours are used in places where Will feels happy and safe, such as Maguire's office and Skylar's room. Cold colours are used in places like where he works to convey a sense of hostility. This can be expected from a Hollywood film. Dramatic elements are also used well. High and low angle shots are alternated between during fight and argument scenes to convey a power dynamic, and costumes accurately represent the personalities of the characters, such as Maguire's classic psychologist beard. There's not much to say about the dramatic elements, as they were effectively used. Again, something to be expected from a Hollywood film. This film has all the necessary dramatic and cinematic aspects to be a recommended view, but the clichéd storyline lets it down where it needs it most. Relying on likable but archetypal characters and a predictable heartwarming ending, Good Will Hunting is likable and satisfying, but you don't need to be a psychic to tell how the film will end.