Will Hunting: Rebel Genius

In the 1990s, director Gus van Sant enjoyed critical support in alternative and independent film environments. The director had always shown a certain fondness for fringe characters, recounting the difficulties of gay men and even drug addicts. Will Hunting: rebellious genius  represented a turnaround in his cinema, which projected him into the Olympus of blockbuster films.

It was 1997, a decade in which simple and clearly positivist cinema had invaded American screens. In this sense, Will Hunting: Rebel Genius is a very ’90s film, with a simple plot, without too much intrigue and a predictable result. However, the message conquers us from the first images and invites us to watch the film until the end.

The film presents a problematic, charismatic young man with a clear tendency to violence. Against all odds, he proves to have a brilliant mind, a special talent for math, and an amazing memory.

Due to a fight, he will have legal problems, which he will be able to get out of with the help of Professor Lambeau, a luminary in the field of mathematics who is willing to give him a chance. The young man will have to go to therapy, however, but does not get good results with any psychologist until he comes into contact with Sean, a former colleague of Lambeau.

The film will gradually reveal to us the reasons that lead Will to adopt this violent behavior, namely not wanting to establish bonds with anything or anyone. Robin Williams gives us a great interpretation with Sean, a character who closely reminds us of the professor of Carpe diem: the fleeting moment (directed by Peter Weir, 1989).

A cast that works

Curiously, unlike other similar films, Will Hunting: Rebel Genius is not inspired by a literary work; it is an original screenplay.

At the time, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon weren’t the familiar faces they are today. It is true that both were taking their first steps as actors with considerable success, but for many they were still two strangers.

The script for Will Hunting: Rebellious Genius is said to have begun to take shape in an attempt to do something different among friends. Initially, the film had a tone closer to thriller and detective, but in the end the result strayed far from that idea.

At first the producer had shown a certain reluctance to include the two young men in the cast, ending up giving in, fortunately. And let’s say fortunately, because one of the strengths of the film is the interpretation of the actors. We’ve already talked about an outstanding Robin Williams, but the message wouldn’t have penetrated that deeply just thanks to the work of a single actor.

The dialogues and scenes between Robin Williams and Matt Damon are already part of the cinematic imagery of the 90s. Both of them perfectly embody their characters, so much so that their relationship feels real.

Another of the great successes of the film lies in the soundtrack, composed by Danny Elfman, a well-known composer at the time. Perhaps now his name doesn’t tell us much, but some of the most known and loved songs by the public bear his signature.

His collaborations with Tim Burton are very famous: Edward Scissorhands , Mars Attacks , The Legend of Sleepy Hollow … Think that he is also the creator of the Simpsons theme! In Will Hunting: Rebel Genius , Elfman masterfully emphasizes the characters’ emotions through music.

The film had all the ingredients to be catapulted to success. And so it was: out of 9 Oscar nominations, Robin Williams won the Best Supporting Actor award, while the Best Original Screenplay award went to Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.

Will Hunting, rebel genius : a clear message

The story told in Will Hunting: Rebellious Genius works well because it conveys a positive, optimistic and winning message. A message that could end up tiring due to its predictability. However, it is still current and effective.

Mainstream cinema, especially American cinema, has presented us with numerous titles of this type over the years. Over time, most have been forgotten, perhaps because they are hardly credible or because the message was not convincing.

So why will Will Hunting: rebellious genius let himself be remembered? Because we have a cast that perfectly renders the strength of the dialogues; because far from showing a message full of artifice, it focuses on the more human part of its protagonists.

We have seen this story on countless occasions. The story of the young man from the suburbs, afflicted by emotional shortcomings and unable to control his violence, but in the end he manages to overcome the obstacles successfully. It is not new, it is not a revolutionary topic, yet it still fascinates us.

Culture saves us

Memorable is the scene in which, sitting on a bench, the character of Robin Williams leaves the young Will Hunting speechless. By showing him that no one can know how he feels or what he has experienced and that, in turn, not even he can know what the rest of the world is feeling.

Books and philosophy help us understand and learn about the world, but after all, experiences are personal and subjective. Little by little, we will see the progress and evolution of Will’s learning process.

The young man is not shown superficially, but approaches us through the figure of the psychologist. A character who will end up opening his eyes and empathizing with him, because like all human beings, he carries his own emotional load and has to face his own demons.

This message of overcoming is easily perceived by the viewer. Although the film does not feature any action, it ends up entertaining us and immersing us in a kind of reconciliation with the past, acceptance of the present and forgiveness.

Will Hunting’s stormy past : rebellious genius 

The protagonist’s past has direct consequences on his present. Although it is not easy to understand what happens to Will at first, we know that something happened in his childhood, that being an orphan traumatized him, leaving irreparable consequences.

We see this in his relationship with friends, the only people he seems to trust; in her attitude towards work and even in her relationship with Skylar, a young medical student.

Will does not seem to want to be involved, either emotionally or otherwise , with anything or anyone. He prefers not to have responsibility, not to be overwhelmed by feelings.

The abandonment he suffered in childhood caused him an irrational fear that prevents him from maintaining stability in his life. For this reason, he does not want to listen to Professor Lambeau’s instructions or travel with Skylar, he prefers to continue his life as he has done so far.

Social pressure is also portrayed in the film. Sometimes we take it for granted that a person with high cognitive abilities should use them to the maximum and exercise a prestigious profession. Perhaps we should ask ourselves about her real desires and not establish a priori what is best for her.

It is clear that Will is special, he is one of those geniuses that can be counted on the fingers of one hand among the entire world population, but that does not mean that he has to follow a predefined path. In contrast to the pressure exerted by Lambeau, Sean will react with understanding, trying to make the young man decide what is best for him, in an attempt to resolve his past conflicts and build his future path.

In short, Will Hunting: Rebel Genius is clearly a 90s film, positive and at times taken for granted. But its strength lies in the universality of its message, in the way it manages to convey emotions and, finally, in its ability to convey a positive message without giving up pure entertainment.