Good Will Hunting (1997)
Average Rating: 8/10
Reviews Counted: 69
Fresh: 67 | Rotten: 2
It follows a predictable narrative arc, but Good Will Hunting adds enough quirks to the journey -- and is loaded with enough powerful performances -- that it remains an entertaining, emotionally rich drama.
Average Rating: 7.8/10
Critic Reviews: 17
Fresh: 17 | Rotten: 0
It follows a predictable narrative arc, but Good Will Hunting adds enough quirks to the journey -- and is loaded with enough powerful performances -- that it remains an entertaining, emotionally rich drama.
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Average Rating: 3.9/5
User Ratings: 318,354
My Rating
Movie Info
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck co-scripted and star in this drama, set in Boston and Cambridge, about rebellious 20-year-old MIT janitor Will Hunting (Damon), gifted with a photographic memory, who hangs out with his South Boston bar buddies, his best friend Chuckie (Affleck), and his affluent British girlfriend Skylar (Minnie Driver). After MIT professor Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgard) stumps students with a challenging math formula on a hallway blackboard, Will anonymously leaves the correct solution,
Dec 5, 1997 Wide
Dec 8, 1998
Miramax Films
Watch It Now
Cast
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Matt Damon
Will Hunting -
Robin Williams
Sean McGuire -
Ben Affleck
Chuckie -
Minnie Driver
Skylar -
Stellan Skarsgård
Lambeau -
Casey Affleck
Morgan -
Cole Hauser
Billy -
George Plimpton
Dr. Henry Lipkin
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All Critics (69) | Top Critics (17) | Fresh (69) | Rotten (2) | DVD (14)
Towering performance by Matt Damon as a troubled working class who needs to address his creative genius elevates this drama way above its therapeutic approach, resulting in a zeitgeist film that may touch chord with young viewers the way The Graduate did
Top CriticThe film works as a character-driven narrative because Mr. Van Sant and his co-screenwriters are not afraid to unlock the psychological mysteries of their five major characters with clear and concise dialogue.
It's acted and directed with care, and Damon is outstanding, his scenes with Driver being especially sparky.
While the charismatic performances of Damon and Affleck make "Good Will Hunting" a difficult entertainment to resist, doing just that is not as hard as the film would like to think.
Even rarer than a breath of fresh air is a breath of fresh Hollywood film. Brainy and heartfelt and right on target, Good Will Hunting is such a film.
This has not been a great year for language in movies, but people are going to be memorizing and reciting some of these lines for years to come.
Most movies about troubled individuals are insulting in the way in which they suddenly wrap things up with insipid developments that cause tumultuous, positive transformations in the protagonist; this film avoids that pitfall.
Whether it's one of his "safe" movies or not, Good Will Hunting has all the strong markings of a Gus Van Sant movie and Lionsgate shows the film requisite care on its Blu-ray transfer.
Moving story of brilliant, troubled youth for mature teens.
Despite its coarse exterior, Good Will Hunting proves to be a rather positive and motivational experience.
Can get overly sentimental at times, but Gus Van Sant's sensitive direction... and his excellent use of the city make it a hugely entertaining and effective film.
The film succeeds not because of an overall arc, but as a chain of smaller moments that glimmer in their minuscule perfection.
For the first time in his career, Van Sant is invisible as a filmmaker, simply getting out of the way of the story and his performers. The film is richer for it.
Affleck is on my long list for Academy notice this year.
... beneath their arrogance and crass behavior, you'll find a lot of hurt and many defense mechanisms raised against a compassionless, manipulative society.
Uno sale del cine y se da cuenta de por qué la película recibió tanta atención.
A charming, entertaining and uplifting movie with the title that perfectly fits its quality.
Not a work of art or great power, but it has some moving moments.
Though the movie tells a straightforward story, there are enough offbeat touches along the way to balance out its more predictable aspects.
Reality of story combines with reality of performance to give us some of the most heartfelt emotions currently on the big screen.
Audience Reviews for Good Will Hunting
Super Reviewer
Perhaps the greatest relief GOOD WILL HUNTING had to offer was Williamsâ(TM)s performance. Watching him break away from his comedic comfort zone is like listening to Afrika Bambaataa try to yodel. Whatâ(TM)s even more odd (and impressive), he succeeds enormously. If there is one performance that makes this film watchable, itâ(TM)s that from Robin Williams. Iâ(TM)ll include mention that this opened up the careers of other recognizable names such as Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. Those two are impressive in their acting roles, but Williams is the one that seems to shine.
Super Reviewer
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- Sean McGuire: Disrespect my wife again and I'll burn down your house!
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- Sean McGuire: People call those imperfections, but no, that's the good stuff.
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- Lambeau: Most days I wish I'd never met you 'cause then I could sleep at night. I didn't have to walk around with the knowledge that there was someone like you out there. I didn't have to watch you throw it all away.
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- Lambeau: Most days I wish I'd never met you 'cause then I could sleep at night. I didn't have to walk around with the knowledge that there was someone like you out there. I didn't have to watch you throw it all away.
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- Sean McGuire: Time's up.
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- Morgan: My boy's wicked smart.
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Latest News on Good Will Hunting
August 23, 2012:
Gus Van Sant's Promised Land Moved to DecemberThe Matt Damon and John Krasinski-led project will receive a limited release on December 28.
October 28, 2011:
Weekly Ketchup: Damon and Affleck Reunite for Boston Gangster FlickThis week's Ketchup includes new roles for Robert De Niro, Nathan Fillion, Kim Kardashian, Matthew...
January 6, 2011:
Terrence Malick Suggested Good Will Hunting's EndingDid you enjoy the ending of "Good Will Hunting"? Turns out you have Terrence Malick to thank.
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Foreign Titles
- Will Hunting (FR)
- El indomable Will Hunting (ES)
