Strong film; recommended

Rating: 7/10 (29 February 2012)

While I am not quite as enamored with this film as are many, it is very good. I had never watched it somehow until 2012, although I remembered well the rise of Matt Damon because of this film. And, of course, it was written by Ben Affleck and Damon.
The plot is simple, Damon plays a brilliant laborer who is forced to see a therapist (ultimately Robin Williams) and study advanced mathematics with a renowned professor (Stellan Skarsgård) in order to avoid serving jail time for a bloody brawl and a past record. Williams "gets it" and finally begins to help Damon, although the journey is not an easy one. Meanwhile, love for Damon enters the picture through college student Minnie Driver. One of the most touching scenes, in my view, is when fellow laborer and pal Affleck tells Damon that his greatest hope is that he leaves his present life and becomes a success.
Perhaps the very best performance of the film is that of Minnie Driver, who was nominated for best supporting Oscar. Robin Williams was excellent...and controlled here...which did garner him the best supporting actor Oscar.
What was most interesting for me was that I had a little difficulty getting into Damon's performance...not because it wasn't good...it was great. But because -- having not seen the movie previously -- I know how I feel about the Matt Damon we have come to know over the past decade or so, and here he plays against type. The sort of bad guy, instead of man we mostly see now as being very responsible. I'm sort of glad I waited to see it after all these years.
Strong film. Recommended.