People who pursue an endeavor and lack the passion needed for fulfilling their venture, inevitably fail to generate success regardless of their talent.

Rating: Null/10 (30 April 2011)

Working as a janitor at MIT, Will Hunting (Matt Damon) enjoys spending time with his friends Chuckie Sullivan (Ben Affleck), Billy McBride (Cole Hauser), and Morgan O'Mally (Casey Affleck). From the slums of South Boston, Will is a diamond in the ruff, as he possesses natural intellectual capabilities far beyond what is typically achieved from any formal education. Despite his extraordinary intellect, Will is haunted by a long history of self inflicted legal problems. After unintentionally exposing his raw talent for mathematics, Will is approached by Fields Medal winning Professor Gerald Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgård) who offers to resolve Will's pending legal issues in exchange for two things: his assistance in solving mind-bending mathematical equations and his agreeing to speak with a therapist. With the unwavering determination of therapist Sean Maguire (Robin Williams), Will is forced to uncover the secrets from his haunting past, confront his current misguided motivations and pressing relationship issues with lover Skylar (Minnie Driver), and evaluate the possibilities for his future.
Good Will Hunting is a film that really drives home the idea that people who pursue an endeavor and lack the passion needed for fulfilling their venture, inevitably fail to generate success regardless of their talent. With the rallying support of those closest to him, Will remains uninterested in the countless opportunities he is presented through professional connections of Professor Lambeau, to do little more than use his highly evolved gift of intellect. Will's commitment to friends and his constant strive for self preservation are the only passions that drive his daily existence. He views his photographic memory and ability to solve the most complex of mathematical equations a burden, and uses his ingenuity only for personal gain or getting himself out of a sticky situation.
Will's lack of interest in mathematics and defiant attitude towards the use of his incredible mind baffles and frustrates Professor Lambeau, as is boldly illustrated with the following remark to Will: "Sometimes I wish I had never met you. Because then I could go to sleep at night not knowing there was someone like you out there". Lambeau drops to his knees just prior to this line, and is looking up at Will who is standing in front of the Professor's door. The camera angle suggests that perhaps for the very first time, Lambeau feels inferior to someone who possesses no academic credentials or scholarly achievements. This is a significant and telling moment in the film since Lambeau proudly measures his success by the outstanding awards he has received over the course of his career.
Lambeau spends his days living and breathing his love for mathematics. He has earned a Fields Medal and is highly regarded for his work. The Professor's self proclaimed success is, in his eyes, evident from the many awards he has received for his triumphs in mathematics. Similarly, therapist Sean Maguire considers himself a success in his own right. He draws upon his relationship with his wife and pursuing a career that he truly enjoys as being the factors that have made him a success. The noteworthy achievements for each of these men stem not from their intellect or unique talent alone; the passion they have for their work has led to their success.
The very powerful message of what it means to be successful, and what it takes to get there, is carried from scene-to-scene throughout the entire film. Will Hunting is forced to expose his internal demons long enough to sift through years of baggage and determine what ignites his passion. Perhaps the most telling evidence that an insightful internal breakthrough is about to occur happens during the fourth therapy session with Sean, after Will had refused to speak to the therapist for the second week in a row. Very light music is the only audible sound at the beginning of the scene which then slowly fades into Sean whistling softly followed by a sudden silence. This brief moment of silence catches the attention of the audience directly before Will decides to finally speak. This dead track is strategically placed in this scene to draw attention to the fact that a change in relationship has occurred between the two characters. It also symbolizes an end to the fear of personal exploration that has prevented Will from facing his life head on, and finally puts to rest his days of cowering behind excerpts from an encyclopedia.
Like so many people in the world today, Will Hunting spent twenty years of his life content with simply going through the motions of day-to-day life. Regardless of his incredible talent, there was no self proclaimed success because his talents were not his passion. Simply put, the foundation necessary for achieving success was nonexistent. Passion is not difficult to come by, but one must be willing to embrace their inner most desires and perhaps set aside their talents to proclaim to the world that their journey through life has been a success. Good Will Hunting brilliantly brings to light the dark side of success and the limitations of talent.