FILM CHARACTER: We are All Will Hunting and Here's Why

    As some of you may know, I go to college in Boston. It's easily one of my favorite places to be, because as my mom often describes it, Boston is the clean, historical version of New York City. The New England architecture, the change of seasons, the bustling city, the easy to navigate public transportation. There's nothing not to love about it. And as a Las Vegas native, clean and historical were two adjectives no one ever put in a sentence with my home city. 

    To be frank, I hate my home town. I think Las Vegas is boring as all hell. It's hot and dry and plain to look at; I guess it's "desert chic" (lots of pictures of snakes and scorpions and rocks... lots and lots of rocks... Oh and mountains, but there's nothing on the mountains except cacti so... meh) 

    

    But honestly, I think everyone hates their hometown. There's a slight resentment from everyone when asked about where they come from. My best friend is from LA and when new friends ask her where she is from, they are always so in awe; she always replies with "LA is a dump so don't get your hopes up about it." 

    I think that if I had a conversation with Will Hunting from the movie Good Will Hunting, it would mirror the conversation my friend from LA has a lot. I would say how much I adore the unique features and easily accessibility Boston has to offer, and he would say "Nah, Bahstons a dump. It's wicked gross." (Yes, Boston accent and all.. It sounded good in my head at least). 

     This just goes to show you we're all in the same boat. I find so much beauty in Boston, and Will thinks it's a snooze fest that he's stuck in forever. Granted, he's never left Boston, but I'm sure that there are a million other places he'd rather be than Boston, regardless if he's experienced them or not. 

    

    This is one of the many details that makes the characterization of Will Hunting so wonderfully impulsive and relatable. It's the little details like that that really polish out his character into something real and immersive. I've watched this movie multiple times over the recent months, and I still have trouble analyzing Will Hunting because his character is just that complex.

    I think part of the reason the movie feels so real is because the audience's journey with Will parallels very closely to meeting someone for the very first time and venturing into their character as you become closer to them. For example, the story starts in the middle of Will's life. Through the first half hour-ish of the movie, he comes across as a very easy going, funny, hard-ass Bostonian. We find him likeable when he tells off the Professor after first getting caught attempting the math problem on the chalkboard. We find him mellow compared to the rest of his friend group, and we root for him in the bar scene where he meets Skylar and talks down to the blonde grad student from Harvard. Now this could just be good character introduction (and obviously brilliant writing), but put yourself in the shoes of a friend who's just met Will at the beginning of the film and has been following him around in each of his scenes. He's smart, he can do math. He's a hard-ass, he stands up to Lambeau. He's laid back, he can mediate his friends rowdy conversation with ease. He's loyal, he sticks up for his friend at the bar. He's a little awkward, he stumbles over his words when talking to Skylar. All these things we can learn from him, just from observed actions and reactions. If I was hanging out with this guy, I'd think he was the SHIT, just like any other new friend would think.

    Once Sean gets in the picture though, the whole movie shifts; this mirrors a more intimate friendship that gets below the surface level information and personality traits a normal friend may see. You start seeing Will get visibly defensive and almost toxic. He shuts off Sean, he blows off interviews, he gets cocky and pessimistic. It's like you're getting to know a friend in how they interact with others, figuring out what makes them upset, and how they may treat you in the future. It's the part of a friendship that is not always glamorous, but rocky; and it really tests whether you think it's worth it to stick out this friendship. Most of the second act of this movie is based in this realm. It's where a lot of the other characters get limelight to their backstories, where Will starts slowly overcoming things that have been a challenge for him in the past, and where some of the best writing in this movie truly get to shine (the therapy session where Will and Sean talk about the World Series game and about the depth of Sean's love for his wife is a personal favorite). Mind you, I think it's also important to note that the only part of Will's life that changes in this second act is the only aspect Will will openly let Sean give him advice on: love, Will's love for Skylar, Will's persistence to be and commit to Skylar. There are so many wonderful parallels in this movie.

    The third act brings us to the most complex part of our hypothetical friendship: the fight. When Will drops all his progress, resorting back to his old ways because of his hate of change and the inevitable face off with vulnerability creeping towards him that he wants to avoid, I think that this represents a first fight with a friend where you don't know how they'll act, why you got into the fight or what will happen afterwards; however, you are comfortable enough with this friend and feel knowledgable enough when it come to their character to check them and lovingly disagree or put them in their place. There's always a sense of tension in that first fight that can be really difficult to shake off (I think back to the first fight I had with my best friend many moons ago). This is when Will is the most asshole: he blows up at Skylar and dumps her, he blows off Lambeau, he stops talking to Sean. The ultimate bomb has dropped and all hope is lost (by the way, when "all hope is lost" in the third act of a movie, you know that movie has some damn good dramatic structure... just a thought... proceed). It isn't until that "It's not your fault" scene where Will finally lets the damage go, and your hypothetical fight is resolved. All those angry questions, all that bullshit, all of it falls away. You are left with the most precious and rare things known to man: a completely vulnerable straight man (hahaha I'm kidding.... kinda not really). But, more importantly, you're left with a friend who shows THROUGH THEIR ACTIONS ALONE that they trust you and love you, just as much as you trust and love them. You both remember the friendship that you've been fighting for all along... (similarly to Sean and Will's friendship, even though our situation is slightly different). And at this point, Will fully grows, finally getting the courage to get out of the hometown he's dreaded so much (something I think we all have hoped to do one day).

    So how does this really long metaphor relate back to the title of this blog? Well, think about it. I just described almost every valuable friendship you hold close. Whether you're on the side of Will or on the side of our hypothetical friend, this is the growing pain dynamic of a lasting friendship. This is what people mean when they talk about the friendships that are immovable above all else and continue to stand the test of time and the curve ball circumstances life constantly throws at you. We all want to be friends with a Will (c'mon, if you say that not being able to fix a broken friend or significant other isn't somewhat satisfying, then we can't be friends), though we are all Will. A friend who is confident and has found themselves, and, after all these years on this earth, still has broken little pieces of glass inside us that are vital in deciding our every move. and THAT is why Will Hunting is a masterpiece of character.

    Now go rewatch Good Will Hunting. I know you haven't watched it in a while; it'll make you feel better I promise. That two and a half hours will just fly by. See you in Boston :)