Why We Should Pay Attention to Characterization

Characters matter.

This pretty much goes without saying, but in the case of Gus Van Sant's 1997 film Good Will Hunting, characters and character development are crucial elements that make this such an important movie.  Please note that dedicating this post to just one topic was particularly difficult, as I could probably ramble for hours about the multitude of things I love about it (the humor, the dialogue, the Boston accents.)

Ultimately, the characters are the thing that tie all of these elements together, while also being the platform through which the writers and the director were able to get their messages across.

Good Will Hunting tells the story of a young man named Will Hunting, played by Matt Damon, trying to find his place in this world.  Although he is incredibly smart (a certified genius actually), Will pretends he is content with both his job as a janitor at MIT and his slew of unstable relationships.  When it is discovered that Will is able to solve the complex math problems intended for the graduate students at MIT, the math professor offers to get Will out of a spot of trouble with a catch:  that he must study math alongside the professor, and see a therapist to sort out his apparent emotional issues.

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Will's therapist, played by the late Robin Williams, acts as a contrasting figure to Damon's character. Will appears to the audience to be extraordinarily clever, but lacking ambition; extremely stubborn, but lost and confused; a guy who gets in bar fights for no reason, but cares deeply about his friends and loves passionately.  On the other hand, Sean Maguire (Williams' character) appears to be cool, calm, and collected, as he tolerates snarky comments and excessive stubbornness exhibited by Will in their first couple of sessions (some of which consist of an hour of silence simply for Will to make a point.)

Williams won a well deserved Oscar in the category for Best Supporting
Actor for his role as Sean in Good Will Hunting. 

However, we all have a breaking point, and thankfully so because it leads to the delivery my personal favorite monologue of the film.

From this point on, we see the growing of a more trusting relationship between Sean and Will, as Will is finally able to open up about his demons and look to Sean for advice regarding choosing a direction to take his life in.  This is where character development comes into play as we finally see Will question his life decisions and look to improve himself.

Why is Will able to change his perception of his world and his life?  Because not only did he have someone that was willing to listen to his problems, but someone that was willing to open themself up as well, proving that the relationship was not one sided.  It is the bond between these two that make the movie worth watching, as it touches our hearts to see both exercise their demons through one another.

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Don't get me wrong.  Sean is still the superior of the pair, as he is the one constantly trying to coax information and emotions out of his patient, but he does not hesitate to show Will his own vulnerable side.  In a heart wrenching scene, we see the true measure in which the two trust one another, allowing us to sympathize with the relationship, and perhaps cherish the people in our own lives that support us like Sean and Will do.

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Before I wrap up, I want to warn you not to blow this movie off as an emotional film that is too serious when you just want to sit down and enjoy a lighthearted film.  While there are definitely a few emotional moments, the film is laced with humor and wit demonstrated by Will in about 90% of the movie.  Damon and co-writer Ben Affleck were able to balance out the deeper scenes with their playful banter, making it obvious why they won the Academy Award for Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen.  In short, this movie can make you laugh, it can make you cry, and it is definitely worth seeing more than once.