AAA Movie Review: Good Will Hunting (1997), a Wonderful Spiritual Journey

As a classic psychology film, “Good Will Hunting”was nominated for the best Oscar film in 1998. Matt Damon and Robin Williams were awarded the Oscar for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor. The film "Good Will Hunting", directed by Gus Van Sant, was filmed in 1997. The film tells the story of a MIT-based cleaner who is a genius mathematician. As a school cleaner, Will saw a mathematics problem published by a mathematics professor in an accident. This problem was not solved by the students but was eventually solved by Will. The mathematics professor Lambeau discovered Will’s talents in mathematics. But unfortunately, Will was born in a poor family, causing him to rebel inside and become a problem teenager. So mathematics professor Lambeau asked the senior psychology professor to help the psychological problem of this mathematical genius. Finally, Will gradually opened his heart, regained his trust and hope for human nature, and took the courage to find going back to love and completing the sublimation of the self. The whole film is touching and thought-provoking.

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The advantage of the film "Good Will Hunting" lies in its cleverly arranged plot ups and downs and narrative rhythms. The emotional changes that fall from time to time in the film all influence the psychological rhythm of the audience. The psychological counseling process in the film constitutes a turning point. It is comfortable to let the audience immerse in the communication situation arranged by the director. The film itself is not constrained by the narration of the story, but strives to let the audience experience the moving feelings of the prodigal son in the unobtrusive lens shooting. The novelty of "Good Will Hunting" is that the director put all the major events in the conversation and game between Will and the psychologist Sean. The psychological counseling process from the closed to the open heart is in the film. It is a model of psychological counseling materials that satisfies the public's desire for psychology.

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Starting from his own experience, Sean tried to open the closed heart of Will, and Will's full of imprisonment and defense eventually became no longer resistant to communication. The psychologist Sean succeeded with warm, intelligent and knowledgeable experience. The process of letting the two souls finally fit and synchronize is awesome. In the dialogue session in the film, Sean completed the basic judgment of Will's psychological condition and developed a feasible treatment plan through only five psychological conversations. Robin Williams showed through superb acting. The whole film, especially the last two conversations, is the most exciting. Sean said to Will, who is closed inside, "Do you have your own soul mate? Have you ever worked hard for this?" Sean said in a gentle tone that is gentle but straight to the human heart. "It’s not your fault, not your fault, the child, not your fault."

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Will eventually collapsed and burst into tears. Will's heart defense was completely defeated by Sean, and he put down his inner guards. He opened a sincere and old-fashioned exchange with Sean. The director did not take this series of extremely difficult conversations. In the film, after the self-righteous speech attack by Professor Robin Williams, Sean said the most classic dialogue in the film: "You are just a child and you don't know what you are saying. Rather than saying that the movie "Good Will Hunting" is a traditional feature film, it is better to regard it as an excellent psychological consultation film. The director uses the delicate lens language and narrative technique to let the audience slowly enter the psychological situation of consulting and interviewing, and obtain the immersive experience of empathy. The process of guidance and inspiration by Sean in the film is effective for Will. He also allows the audience to see a self-consciousness from different angles. The film is over, and the lights are scattered

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Movie URL: https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/489-good-will-hunting?language=en-US
Critic: AAA