Don’t judge me for what I’m about to tell you.
I just watched Good Will Hunting for the first time this past week.
Don’t ask me why it has taken me so long to watch one of the most beloved films of the past couple decades. And don’t you dare accuse me for not being a true movie fan, because I am. But man, am I kicking myself for not taking the time to watch this sooner, although you can’t really blame me – when it was released in 1997, I was only 7 years old.
This movie tells the tale of Will Hunting (Matt Damon), a math prodigy who does not quite recognize the gift that he was given. Instead of sharing his gift with the world, he decides to work as a janitor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. One day, Professor Gerald Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgard) catches Will solve a nearly impossible math equation that even his students are unable to complete. When Will gets arrested, Professor Lambeau offers his help to keep Will out of jail if Will agrees to work with him while also seeking help from a therapist friend, Robin Williams’ Sean Maguire.
Good Will Hunting is a beautifully written film by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck; I was fascinated by Will’s character and how his fear of the unknown and lack of ambition affected both his relationships and his life choices. I’ll admit, I cried way more than I thought I would, largely due to the performances of the amazing cast, Matt Damon, Robin Williams (who completely deserved that Best Supporting Actor Oscar), and Ben Affleck.
Like nearly everyone else who’s ever watched it, the message of this movie resonated with me. Life is not easy; the decisions you are faced with (whether related to love or your career) can be hard to make, and while you can never predict if a decision will make you happy in the end, you need to just take a leap of faith.
I’ve been going through a rough patch – I’ve come to a point in my life where I’m questioning my decisions that have led me to where I am today, and reflecting on all my regrets. I know that if I could go back in time, I would make different decisions (where I went to school, where I interned, where I worked), but I can’t just dwell on the past. I need to exercise the skills I know that I have, and work on them every day in order to get where I want to be in life.
I’m living the same routine, every day. Robin Williams’ famous line, “Your move, chief,” really pushed me in the right direction. Nothing I truly want will just fall in my lap, unless I make a move. I’ll admit, I was in a low point in my life. But I needed to be pushed. I want to learn new things. I want to progress my career in the right direction. I want to look forward to work every day, and I want to be happy. Good Will Hunting was there for me in a moment of my life when I needed it, and I’m excited about the prospect of what’s coming next for me.
The World According to Stephanie 