how ya like them apples!!!

Rating: 10/10 (28 December 2006)

I first watched this film on DVD after recognizing the title at the local video store. I was pleasantly moved. it is now one of my favorite movies. as i am sure many others were, i was shocked and initially a little doubtful upon hearing that the screenplay was written by Damon and Affleck, and couldn't help thinking that perhaps the latter's input was the occasional pizza run and neck massage for Matt's writers block. i am not a Ben affleck fan and use his name in the credits as a sign to steer clear but he doesn't manage to cripple the subtle magnificence of this picture. will hunting is a gem of a character, complex and heavily guarded, possessing a unique and superior gift and masking it with an arrogant mistrust in anyone but his four drinking buddies. robin Williams gives what i rate as his best cinematic performance as the only outsider to break through will's defenses and have any influence on his actions, using his own experience and surrendering his own covers to eventually gain wills trust and, in a poignant scene, releases will's true emotions and gives him the confidence to let himself do something with his gift. The effect that will has on every person he meets is relentlessly entertaining, whether it be the Harvard business student, the shrinks (and hypnotist), the other mathematicians, the job interviewers or Skylar. His un-rivaled knowledge and accompanying wit shape some hilarious and impressive scenes. when reading through the comments made about GWH i cant help but laugh while feeling sorry for those people giving one star and advising people to "avoid the hype". there are even a few people complaining about the language used. uuuuum, do you expect a person of will's background and lifestyle to speak in perfect English, avoiding profanities as to please those around him? the essence of the film is the character of will and his struggle to transcend the injustices of his upbringing. have the people making these comments any knowledge of movie history or prestige? the greatest movies made throughout history are those that step outside the boundaries and portray REALITY or a dramatized or sensationalized version of it. thats the beauty of cinema, we see the poignant moments of life portrayed in new and thought provoking ways. i advise anyone complaining over the language used to watch the likes of "a clockwork orange"; "goodfellas" ;or "shindlers list". these are great movies, high up on IMDb's top 250. i am not saying that GWH breaks any new ground in terms of explicit viewing because it doesn't; the language fits appropriately and any attempt to dull it down would ruin the essence of this masterpiece. I wont compare this movie to the heavyweights of cinematic history, because it doesn't need to be, GWH simply is a picture that must be seen, and WILL always be treasured by movie fans, it moves you in a way not many things can in the times we live in. The hype is just. "ordinary people" gave a similar message, but Good Will Hunting delivers it in astounding and unforgettable fashion. this movie is what superlatives were invented for.