Will Hunting (Matt Damon) has a gift in mathematics

Rating: 9/10 (14 September 2010)

Will Hunting (Matt Damon) has a gift in mathematics; however, he has had struggles growing up as an orphan. He struggles to find a purpose in his life. Hanging around with his friends Chuckie Sullivan (Ben Affleck), Morgan O'Malley (Casey Affleck), and Billy McBride (Cole Hauser) and going to clubs after work are the norm for Will and his pals. Professor Gerald Lambeau (Stellan Skarsguard) works at the local university where Will is employed as a custodian. Professor Lambeau gets a sense of Will's gift when a question he has posted on a board outside of his classroom mysteriously becomes solved by someone outside of his class. Will, is in fact the one that has been providing the solutions. After a run-in with the law, Professor Lambeau, wants to give Will a chance to use his skills. Professor Lambeau, being a mathematician himself, takes on the responsibility of Will and posts bail for him. The only conditions for Will are to assist Professor Lambeau in the math area and Will must meet with a psychiatrist on a weekly basis. The psychiatrist, Sean Maguire (Robin Williams), takes on the task of counseling Will when no other counselors could seem to accomplish the task.
Will meets with Sean Maguire and demonstrates his intelligence by testing the doctor of his thinking. Matt Damon displays excellent acting skills, along with Robin Williams when they meet in their sessions. Their sessions evolve into a great friendship of trust and love. Will was abused by his foster father and relates to Dr. Maguire as he was also abused by his father.
Professor Lambeau's main goal with Will is to find him employment where he may use his amazing mathematic skills. He wants Will to have what he could not have because his mathematic skills are not so amazing. Will makes fun of the Professor's attempts throughout the movie in setting up various employment opportunities. The Professor and Dr. Maguire have words because Dr. Maguire feels that Professor Lambeau is trying to decide Will's life for him.
Will also meets a girl, Skylar (Minnie Driver), who he falls in love with, but given his past he has a hard time remaining in the relationship because he is afraid to be committed to someone.
This movie is very well written and directed. It has humor, love, and friendship all combined into one. The music is fitting and the scene angles vary from subjective to objective. There is closeness exhibited in the scene where Dr. Maguire and Will meet for the first time. The scene is very intense. There is also use of a high-angle shot during the intimate scene with Will and his girlfriend, Skylar. A viewer must watch the film to see if Will finds his purpose in life—will he go after the girl? Will he pursue the employment that Professor Lambaugh sets up for him? Or will he continue his everyday usual events of hanging out with his pals?