90s Movie Review - Good Will Hunting

Director: Gus Van Sant
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 126 minutes
Year: 1997
Starring: Matt Damon, Robin Williams, Minnie Driver, Ben Affleck, Casey Affleck, Stellan Skarsgård
Description: A therapist (Robin Williams) counsels Will Hunting (Matt Damon), a janitor with e genius IQ.

Review: Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are big names now, but in 1997 that was not the case. “Good Will Hunting” was a real career starter for the two. They don’t only star in the movie, they wrote the screenplay as well. And for the last, they won an Academy Award.

We meet Will Hunting, a janitor at Harvard who also happens to have a very high IQ. While in mandatory sessions with therapist Sean Maguire, Will is clear about the fact that he doesn’t have any ambition of doing anything with his intelligence.

Matt Damon and Robin Williams’ performances are central to the film. Together they portray a beautiful and believable friendship. The two actors are very well attuned to each other and the scenes between them are the backbone of the film. Both performances are amazing, and Williams deservedly won an Academy Award for it.

The film is character driven, the plot comes second. It takes some time to develop. Will’s struggle between choosing for himself and what others expect of him is portrayed in a beautiful way.

The story grabs you and doesn’t let you go, yet the film isn’t too heavy. This combination is hard to find. It’s been a while since I last watched it, but after the rewatch I realized how much I really love this film.

Rating: 5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 150: Gerry

Director: Gus van Sant

Genre: Drama/ Adventure

Runtime: 103 minutes

Year: 2002

Starring: Casey Affleck, Matt Damon

Description: A friendship between two young men (Matt Damon, Casey Affleck) is tested when they go for a hike in a desert and forget to bring any water or food with them.

Review: “Gerry” is a movie written by Casey Affleck, Matt Damon and Gus van Sant. Where Ben Affleck and Matt Damon were already successful with “Good Will Hunting”, “Gerry” is more an experimental project. It’s a stunning looking movie that will only please a small audience.

Aside from some extras, Affleck and Damon are the only two people in the film. Gus van Sant directs. The opening credits are left out. They made a movie without focusing on the big Hollywood audience. “Gerry” is a creative outlet, nothing more nothing less.
The result is very slow film where you as a viewer have to fill in the content. The story is even less then minimal. Two friends, who call each other Gerry, are on their way to something. They call it ‘the thing’. They get lost in the desert. It’s basically just them walking and walking, but shot from many different angles. It can be seen as extremely boring, but this is where the power of the movie is.

No dramatic dialogues, no mutual criticism, no bonding or exciting survival scenes. It’s up to you as a viewer to get everything out of the film. It’s important to go in this movie with no expectations, because they will all be wrong and disappointing. Let yourself get fascinated by the calmness in which friendship, hope, trust, disappointment and desperation is shown.

“Gerry” is a movie where literally nothing happens, but it’s fun to fill in the blanks yourself. “Gerry” has been made for film fans who are sick of commercial blockbusters.

Rating: 3/ 5