Good Will Hunting Ending Explained & Film Analysis

Good Will Hunting – an example of harmony and conciseness

This film belongs to the category of those pictures that almost everyone likes. While there are quite a lot of disagreements about a number of other projects that have entered the golden funds of world cinema, then “Good Will Hunting” is assessed by most people at least as a fairly good movie.

Still from the movie Good Will Hunting

Still from the movie Good Will Hunting

Of course, he will not delight everyone to the depths of his soul and move to tears. Let’s be frank: for a sophisticated viewer, the storyline of this picture may seem quite simple (if it had not been presented so gracefully, one could even say “banal”). There are no abstruse twists and turns, very deep thoughts that unfold as the narration progresses and, in the end, make you pale to the ends of your hair from the realization of the incredible piercing and meaningfulness of what was told from the screen.

This is just a kind, logical, neat and beautifully designed film, the perception of which largely depends on the impressionability and mood of the viewer. At the very least, it can be a way to have a good time and leave behind a warm, pleasant experience. As a maximum, he can push you to think about your life, about the decisions made every day, about the correctness of prioritization and, possibly, change something. Everything here is very clear, very consistent and very competent: the filmmakers can be praised, first of all, for how professionally they told this story, without forgetting anything at all necessary and without adding absolutely nothing superfluous.

A genius with a complex character

There is a lot that captivates in this picture, in one of the first stages – the fact that a strange, but definitely brilliant guy was not made a carrier of some serious psychological deviation. Unlike the “Mind Games”, to which, of course, there can be no claims due to their creation based on the biography of a real person, here a genius is a relatively healthy and ordinary guy.

In fear of something new, Will is able to show aggression towards those closest to him.

In fear of something new, Will is able to show aggression towards those closest to him.

Of course, not everything is so simple. Will Hunting has a difficult character, there are many internal conflicts and barriers that prevent him from harmoniously integrating into society in general and the scientific community in particular. But all these difficulties do not go beyond those that, in principle, are often found among ordinary people. Many people drag the burden of not the happiest childhood into adulthood, many people have problems with self-determination and self-affirmation, for many people building and maintaining normal relationships is a most difficult task, and so on.

The classic prehistory of psychological problems

Basically, Will’s story is absolutely not original. Those who in childhood felt unnecessary, unloved, and even subjected to abuse, develop specific deep beliefs. Such people often believe that, in principle, no one can love them, and that they will never have any normal relationship.

For a person without such an attitude, it may be as logical as possible that the problem should simply come to naught as soon as someone appears in life who is ready to love, understand, forgive and support. But, alas, the psyche does not work at all like that. A person who does not allow the possibility of the emergence of normal relationships will destroy them himself, even if he is lucky enough to meet a truly loving partner, friend, mentor, and so on. As a result, he will remain alone, thereby feeding his deepest conviction, and subsequently even more confidently do the same.

Will is sure that he does not need help, and at first demonstratively ignores his psychologist

Will is sure that he does not need help, and at first demonstratively ignores his psychologist

This is what we see throughout the film: the script was written by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, none of them have a psychological education, and therefore they did not come up with some more complex and ambiguous inner struggle of the character. But they perfectly revealed this simple concept, giving the audience a feeling of catharsis from the ability to understand the whole story from beginning to end.

Robin Williams’ brilliant performance

Sean Maguire, played by Robin Williams, turns out to be the only psychologist who can stand Will Hunting. In general, this particular part of the plot has been simplified as much as possible: we observe a classic cinematic confrontation between a psychologist and his patient, which ends with the fact that they become good friends. The patient is insolent and flaunting, the psychologist does not give up and manages to find an approach to him. At the same time, all the time of the film, which is allotted for their interaction, they are either silent or just talking.

Robina Williams played a psychologist who can get anyone to talk

Robina Williams played a psychologist who can get anyone to talk

Of course, in reality, opening the mechanism that fixes a person on the same mistakes and does not allow breaking out of the vicious circle requires much more effort, as well as help in detecting such problems. And one cannot do with talking here – you need diagnostics, exercises, a comprehensive program to remove internal barriers. However, in the context of this film, this is not so important, and this is another simplification that the creators of the picture can be forgiven without any reservations.

Gerald Lambo and mathematics as the meaning of life

While the film ultimately leads viewers to the idea that Will will still learn to seize the opportunities before him, Gerald Lambo’s fanaticism serves as a perfect counterbalance. If Gerald were Will, he would never have gotten a job as a janitor. His friends would not have been people without a high position in society (even if they are kind and sincere), and he certainly would not have missed the opportunity of promising employment.

Perhaps Lambo wants to satisfy his ambition as much as help Will.

Perhaps Lambo wants to satisfy his ambition as much as help Will.

Gerald is at the other end of the spectrum: unlike Hunting, who basically ignores his talent, Lambo sees science as a top priority in life. Perhaps it is communication with such a person that partly pushes Will to the realization that extremes are always bad, and for real happiness he will have to look for a “middle ground”. Because he will never be in Lambo’s place, and he certainly would not want to be on him.

Skylar and her big heart

Skylar’s role can be called one of the most significant in Minnie Driver’s career. The girl turned out to be so bright, charismatic and charming that even a blind person cannot doubt the appearance of real feelings between her and Will. Skylar is literally a dream girl for a guy like Hunting. She is ready to accept him with all the difficulties and oddities, she is not afraid of any of the difficulties ahead of them, she just loves and asks only that Will go with her to California.

Any viewer agrees that Skylar's love is something Will shouldn't be missing out on.

Any viewer agrees that Skylar’s love is something Will shouldn’t be missing out on.

As if the background Chuckie

Will Hunting’s friend, the character of Ben Affleck, does not appear in the frame very often and leaves behind rather vague memories: it seems that he was, but what exactly he did is not so easy to say. Chukki is an ordinary guy, without any outstanding abilities or distinctive features. He’s just a friend who wants the best and who will support if necessary. Such a background friend who can quietly play a big role in your life.

Damon and Affleck could not sell the script for "Good Will Hunting" for a long time, because they both wanted to star in it.

Damon and Affleck could not sell the script for Good Will Hunting for a long time, as both wanted to star in it

Each character in “Good Will Hunting” brings something different into the picture, each one important and necessary in its own way. You can once again be amazed at how subtly and filigree the authors of the film kept the balance: they did not overload us with an excessive number of characters, but they put all the meaning that could only be expressed within the framework of such a project in the words and actions of those heroes who were nevertheless introduced. …

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