Life, Love, and Courage

Rating: 8/10 (24 January 2012)

This film is a powerful psychological drama that highlights personal growth in life and the relationships that we build around ourselves. The film is about a young genius Will Hunting played by Matt Damon who has had no formal education but is being suppressed by his past of abusive foster parents and troubled relationships. He is a janitor at MIT where his brilliance is discovered by Professor Lambeau (). Lambeau offers Will an opportunity in working with him on some of the most difficult mathematical equations instead of incarceration after Will beats a man who bullied him in elementary school. Along with working with Prof. Lambeau, Will is ordered to attend psychiatric treatment. Lambeau recruits an estranged college friend Sean Maguire (Robin Williams) in order to get through to Will emotionally and to help him realize his potential and to act upon it. Also in this film is Minnie Driver who plays as Skylar, a Harvard undergrad who is quickly falling in love with Will. Their relationship hits a rocky road when it is revealed that Will has had a troubling past and is having problems coping that she is moving to California to attend Stanford.
The movie focuses on the human psyche and the psychological impact our past has on the relationships that we have at the moment. Wills relationship with Skylar is impacted by his past abuse with foster parents and his rough upbringing in South Boston. After a great first date with her, he doesn't call her because he feels that she is perfect at the moment, but in reality through the help of Sean, he realizes that he is sabotaging the potential relationship because he fears that he is perfect at the moment and doesn't want to ruin his "perfect" image with her. Throughout the film he lies about himself just because he is afraid to let her into his real world. He is afraid that she will see who he was or is and this will affect the way that she thinks about him. Another theme in this film is personal growth. Will, through connections of Professor Lambeau, has many high profile job interviews but shuns them away because he is currently satisfied with doing "honorable" work such as being a janitor and demolition work. Chuckie though sets him straight as the true friend that he is. Chuckie understands and realizes that his own life is South Boston, but for Will he realizes that he could conquer the world and that anything less would be a slap in the face to those that know him and what he is capable of. The movie is very powerful and has realness about it. Every day we are faced with the opportunity to grow personally and to expand our relationships with those we trust and love. Robin Williams who won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in this film does a brilliant job of portraying a down and out psychiatrist who has cashed out his chips for fear of losing anymore after his wife passes away with cancer. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck did a tremendous job of writing this screenplay and showcased their command for attention when on the big screen at the same time. The acting is incredible and it seems as though the players on set jelled to perfection. The story is intriguing and captivating in keeping your attention. Though there are no twist or turns, the relationships between all of the characters evolve into something beautiful. Overall the film is a joy to watch with powerful scenes about love and life relationships, and having the courage of laying it all on the line knowing that failure is an option.