Photo by Eva Rinaldi
Why it’s famous:
This week’s column looks at a film that makes every must-see movie list, and also celebrates and honours the life of Robin Williams, a great actor who made his audience laugh, while realizing a lot of hard truths about life. Good Will Hunting is a classic story of a working-class math genius from the wrong side of Boston put Matt Damon’s popularity on the map. It brought Williams to the screen in the profound and beautiful role that would win him an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
Famous lines:
Sean: I just slid my ticket across the table, and I said, “Sorry, guys. I gotta see about a girl.”
Will: I gotta go see about a girl?
Sean: Yeah.
Will: That’s what you said? And they let you get away with that?
Sean: Oh, yeah. They saw in my eyes that I meant it.
Billy: You’re legally allowed to drink now, so we figured the best thing for you was a car.
Sean: People call those imperfections, but no, that’s the good stuff.
Why you haven’t seen it:
When you read the storyline, Good Will Hunting kind of just looks like a weird, feel-good movie your mom would make you watch. There is something about a guilt-inducing life lesson.
Why it might be tough to get through:
It is set in the ‘90s. So this means an overabundance of baggy pants, plaid, and bowl cuts. I cannot think of anyone I would wish to sit through 126 minutes of baggy pants and bowl cuts if it was not worth it.
Why you should see it anyway:
As cheesy as the movie may seem, it is actually entertaining. The story is beautiful, the characters are relatable, and the script simultaneously quirky and profound. When Robin Williams’ character (Sean) tells Matt Damon (Will), “It’s not your fault,” you will suddenly and conveniently have something in your eye.
Fun facts:
- Robin Williams’ last line in the film, “Son of a bitch. He stole my line,” was ad-libbed.
- When Robin Williams won the Oscar for his supporting role, he sent fellow actor Peer Augustinski, who dubbed his voice in German, a small replica of the Oscar statue with a note saying, “Thank you for making me famous in Germany.”
