Good Will Hunting

Good Will Hunting is a film about a talented and very gifted young man from South Boston with a photographic memory. This was the first time I have ever watched the movie and I am not sure why I did not do so before now. I really enjoyed the movie and think that it has alot of meaning behind it.

Will finds himself with a criminal record and the only way he is able to stay out from behind bars are on the conditions that he works with professor Gerald and Will also has to see a psychologist. Will goes through several psychologists before meeting Sean, one of professor Gerald's old friends.

Looking deeper into the character of Will one will conclude some disturbances' from Will's childhood. Will was in a foster home in which his foster father beat him. Thoughout the movie Will put on the front of a tough guy that did not need any help from anyone. I think Sean's reasoning behind Will rejecting those trying to enter in his life was correct. Will rejected everyone because he was afraid to be abandoned like so many times in the past. According to Riley (98), Typical hurdles faced by gifted students in regard to social and emotional adjustment include: Anxiety; hightened sensitivity; perfectionist tendencies; feelings of being alone, isolated, and different. One can conclude that Will had strong feelings of being alone and/or afraid of becoming attached.

Will had a support group around him that helped him out immensely. I give professor Gerald alot of credit for finding the potential in Will. I do think Gerald was pushing Will in a direction that he did not want to go, but none the less it was Gerald that found the diamond in the rough. I think this is a lot like the way parents bring their children up in school and athletics. I feel sometimes people may be pushed to hard to do somethings they don't necessarily want to do. Contrary to my own thoughts I feel that people also often have to be pushed to get the best out of themselves. I think Sean was a huge help for Will because it was Sean that made Will ask himself the simple question of what Will wanted out of his life. Sean and Will had a great connection when it came to the heart and philosophical aspects in each others lives. I found it interesting that Will also helped Sean out with the grieving process with Seans passing of his wife. It was Will that got Sean to put another bet on the table. Skylar is also important in Will's life because it is Skylar who, in my mind, gets Will to jump into uncharted waters. Skylar fills Will with love, passion, and life. Will also had a great friend in Chuck. When Chuck told Will that the best part of his day was the ten seconds he walks to Will's door, and hopes that Will would be gone. Chuck told Will that Will owes it to "Southy" to make something of himself. I believe that this was a big turning point in Will's life. I think that Chuck saying this to Will ment alot especially because Will didn't have any parental figures for guidence. I personally get a lot of advise from my friends and I even have parents for guidence. If I did not have my parents my friends would play an even bigger role when it comes to advise.

The title to me is a very meaningful one. Good Will Hunting to me refers to Will Hunt hunting to truely find who he is as a person. I think that Good Will Hunting sheds light on those that are different/gifted in society and also demonstrates how friendships and relationships can help find who oneself truely is.

Reference:
Riley, T. (1998). Two Thumbs Up, Five Stars, and an Oscar?. Gifted Child Today Magazine, 21(6), 46.