by Rebecca Mikulin

Created on: April 05, 2009

Professor Gerald Lambeau (Stellan Starsgard) is a renowned mathematician and respected teacher at MIT who has just posted an extra credit problem for his class, one that he expects will take them weeks if they can figure out how to solve it at all. But then, who wrote the answer on the board the very next day after it was posted? None of his students will come forward and take credit for the feat, and none of his fellow professors will admit to having written the proof. The mystery is solved when they put up another problem and apprehend a young man writing his answer on the board that night, a man who tried to run away when he's discovered. They give chase, and so discover that their mystery math genius is the janitor.

Will Hunting (Matt Damon) doesn't want much out of life except to spend time with his buddies (played by Ben Affleck, Casey Affleck, and Cole Hauser) and bring in enough money to keep things together...at least outwardly. When he's discovered writing proofs to extremely complex equations that MIT students should be sorely challenged to come up with, Lambeau sends him to speak with a psychologist friend of his, Sean Maguire (Robin Williams), who poses the question...if you're just in it for money, why bother with a janitor job at a place like MIT? Why not just any drudge job that'll bring in a steady paycheck?

Will isn't the easiest nut to crack, though. He's been raised on "the wrong side of town" where the young men are much more likely to die young or go to prison than to go on to college and become productive members of society. Now he has to find a way to come to terms with his past and where he's going in the future before he loses his girlfriend Skylar (Minnie Driver), who is one of the students and from a well-to-do family.

Here is yet another movie with a very interesting story that has so many different facets that it can take several viewings to take them all in. Basically this film likes to explore "what ifs" and then strives to make them realistic and plausible. We start with a super-genius janitor that can outthink some of MIT's star pupils. It's explained that perhaps he became a janitor there precisely because of his talents (as opposed to some random Joe being hired there by chance who just happens to be a star candidate for Mensa) and then go on to make this guy more realistic and explain how his upbringing and personal life choices kept him from actually being a student at MIT instead of just a janitor, and so on.

Of all the well-put-together movies I've seen, this one tops the list in many ways. Namely, it has an intricate plot, excellent acting (I'm not always a fan of Matt Damon but he did an awesome job in this movie...even Ben Affleck looked like he'd actually been in front of a camera before, which is sadly somewhat rare) and pacing that'll keep you interested all the way through. About the only part that didn't seem particularly well balanced was nearing the end, some of the plot collisions didn't seem quite as polished as the rest of the movie.

There is a definite "child inappropriateness" element to this film, namely copious foul language, some nudity, crude humor, and sexual reference...I suppose that's what the lovely R rating is all about.

Overall, if you're looking for a drama/character study with some really good acting and an involved plot line that can be difficult to decipher completely before you reach the end, then put the kids to bed, brew a cup of your favorite tea, and settle in for a couple hours of great viewing.

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