Good movie (although not a classic)

Rating: 8/10 (12 July 2001)

The story of this film is so simple (and contrived) , so everyday , so condensated , that you can write the plot summary on the back of a matchbox (!!!) . You see exactly what you KNOW that you will see . Nevertheless the result is very good and effective .
PLOT : Will Hunting ( Mat Damon )is a 20 year old with problematic domestic background . He lives alone and is a restless "boem" like character who has had a couple of problems with the law in the past . What many don 't know is that he is a mathematical genious and his IQ is much beyond average . When a professor in University discovers this genious accidentally , he wants to promote him . Of course Will is reluctant as always : he doesn 't believe much in himself and he refuses to cooperate. Naturally (as it always happens) his friends like the character of Ben Affleck encourage him to exploit his talents and leave them behind , since he deserves something better (how original !!) " You have the golden lottery ticket in your hands , but you are afraid of going to cash it in " . Middleway he forms an erotic relationship with a girl (Minnie Driver) but (what a surprise!!!!) the relationship fails due to his unobediant and non-trusting character
" So where are your 12 brothers ????? " (!!!!) she asks him wanting to expose his lies and his lack of trust . Perhaps the most original part is that the lead attends a psychiatrist . After he changes 5 doctors (noone could stand him !!!!) he ends up in the hands of Robin Williams who was witty enough to push the proper buttons and finally communicate with Will . Robin Williams gives not only the best performance of the film but one of the best in his carreer . The session scenes are DEFINATELY the best ones in the movie . Although when the screenplay was written the filmakers had no idea who the role would end up to , now I really cannot think of anyone else than Robin Williams playing the shrink that successfully . The supporting cast is credible . They are simply there to serve the movie and not outshine the central character (intentional probably) . Mat Damon is quite good . He convinces mostly as a spoiled brat who wants to poke his fun to everyone , doesn 't want commitments with anyone and simultaneously he is a misunderstood genious who can't fit in anywhere : the incarnation of a problem child . As I said this is no classic (like Crammer Vs Crammer or the Rainman ) but is is one of the best social dramas (like the Prince of Tides ) Hollywood has ever made . The direction is subtle ( VERY subtle ) and so is the supporting cast . So if you add the cliches of the script what do you have ? I believe the movie lays on the shoulders of Damon and Williams . Their chemistry works and gives us a dramatic story with dignity and not melodramatic tensions . If you are not convinced there is at least one reason why you must see this film . ****SPOILER ALERT***** In the end we see something extremely rare : Will finally bends his lack of communication he bursts into tears . His shrink hugs him tightly like a father figure and tries to confort him ******* This is one of the most heartbreaking scenes in cinema simply because it is REAL (although none dares to put it in films because they don 't want to show a man crying) . Even for that GWH deserves a solid
8 / 10