A superbly written and acted film

Rating: 9/10 (13 November 2014)

GOOD WILL HUNTING, even though there really aren't any narrative surprises, is filled with wonderful dialogue and bolstered by strong performances. The story is about Will Hunting (Matt Damon), who is a bit of a hard case when it comes to his personal life, but is also a mathematical genius. Together with the help of an MIT professor (Stellan Skarsgard) and a psychologist (Robin Williams) he comes to understand his true potential. The best parts of the film are the many dialogue scenes, some emotionally deep and others biting, that add so much depth to the characters. This was a passion project for Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, and it shows. The dialogue felt natural and true to life, which adds to the authenticity of the overall experience. Though everyone (including Ben Affleck) turns in an excellent performance, Matt Damon and Robin Williams are especially good. Matt Damon is the hard-headed young adult who is afraid to let people in, and Robin Williams is a professor with experience and insight that he uses to get to Will. Even though the narrative structure wasn't the tightest, there was something to enjoy about every scene, and all of them added something to the overall picture. I should also mention that Minnie Driver does a great job as Will's girlfriend, and Casey Affleck has a few of the best lines. As far as other aspects go I enjoyed the score, which was never intrusive or told the audience how to feel. There was also a rather eclectic soundtrack which fit the moods of various scenes perfectly. Overall, it was a superbly written film with equally good performances.