Really quite slick and cool.

Rating: Null/10 (6 May 2001)

What I heard about this movie prior to seeing it sparked my interest more than usually happens, the Oscars didn't really have a lot of bearing but they helped, and what is more I am not disappointed with it.
Matt Damon plays a young Indiana Jones (IJATLC) sort of character, he knows history like the back of his hand, he can spout poetry, titles, quotes and even entire sentences from a specific book as easy as his name. With the winning script they do their best to avoid most of the cle she's, they do not glorify what he can do very much, just enough to establish the extent of it, they make a lot of mention of previous cases of genius discovered in a strange place just so that your disbelief retreats a little, and they down play the whole teacher relationship details and leave the inevitable kids change to accepting the teacher to a single, clear and early point.

It manages to be attractive and entertaining but also with relevance to reality and people relationships. Wills trouble with accepting people does not come off as corny and unbelievable but one of a few prominent aspects that have front row seats. You really have to like the movie for it's rich entertainment status. One unsettling thing is the lack of conclusion to the ending but it is probably better that way, what was shown at the ending would make the difference between one category and another, it keeps the focus on the right parts of the movie.
Williams never really reaches great in his performance, he basically just plays a recessive person and sincerely states some lines, compare his supporting performance to say, Christopher Walken in The Deer Hunter, there is a role with some content and depth, or, though I know this will cause trouble, Joaquin Phoenix in Gladiator, just as Crowe brought some winning depth to a done time-and-again character so too did Phoenix, through tears, amusement, heartbreak and rage he constructed an in depth performance. Williams win to some extent confirms the history of the award though, how did John Geilgud for his one track comedy role in Arthur, or Don Ameche for a single teary scene in Cocoon or Sean Connery for playing a mature version of the same character he had always played win, it's a career award, Williams has had an entire career of comedy roles and been nominated three times previous, such a change in this role and the fact that it was time brought the win.
Back on the movie, it really is cool, though not as impacting as Titanic it well deserved its nomination. This film gets a solid 8.5, it isn't 100% original so consequently can't take all the credit, but see this movie if you have not already, it is more than worth it.