Last year, between the two of us, we watched an average of 317 movies.
This year our goal is to top that by watching at least one a day.
And as an extra special torture, we've decided to write about all of them.

20 July 2008

Good Will Hunting, dir. Gus Van Sant (1997)

NIKKI says:
Steve rings me at work: "What time do you finish?"

I say: "Six, but I'll likely be home about 5.30."

And then he says: "Claude and I will wait for you then -- we're watching Good Will Hunting."

And it's not even my birthday!

Claude, who is somewhat of a piece of young, innocent clay that Steve and I are moulding into the next David Mamet-slash-Martin Amis, comes over to our house to get schooled on all things books and movies. It's great to have him around, to share stuff with him, and have him respond so well. Apparently, I told him to watch Good Will, that I thought he would like it, and so it was his selection for this night.

I was thrilled, needless to say, as it's one of my favourite movies. A life-changing kind of film that made me cry like a baby that anything so perfect could exist purely for the purposes of entertaining me. It's the way I feel when I hear Bruce Springsteen's "Independence Day" or Don McLean's "Empty Chairs". I always think -- what if this talent went unrecognised? And we didn't even know we were missing out?

Ah, but Good Will always gets me pondering in big, melodramatic strokes. I just love this film. I love the story, I love its intent, I love the grand statements, the tiny details, the writing, the music, the direction, the big speeches, the little interludes. It's just a great piece of work. It builds so well to an inevitable and fitting conclusion. It's funny and tragic, and it gives us Ben Affleck pre-dental work -- and isn't that what the film's all about? That flawed men are worth putting some effort into?

Still brilliant after 10 years.

5/5