Movie Details:
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Drama, Romance |
| Release date | December 2, 1997 (Bruin Theater) December 5, 1997 (United States) |
| Running time | 2hr 6min |
| Age rating | R |
| Starring | Robin Williams Matt Damon Ben Affleck Stellan Skarsgård Minnie Driver |
| Directed by | Gus Van Sant |
| Written by | Ben Affleck Matt Damon |
| Produced by | Lawrence Bender |
| Cinematography by | Jean-Yves Escoffier |
| Edited by | Pietro Scalia |
| Music by | Danny Elfman |
| Production Company | Be Gentlemen |
| Distributor | Miramax Films |
Cast & Characters:
- Matt Damon as Will Hunting
- Robin Williams as Dr. Sean Maguire
- Ben Affleck as Chuckie Sullivan
- Stellan Skarsgård as Professor Gerald Lambeau
- Minnie Driver as Skylar
- Casey Affleck as Morgan O’Mally
- Cole Hauser as Billy McBride
- John Mighton as Tom
- Scott William Winters as Clark
- Jimmy Flynn as Judge George H. Malone
- Christopher Britton as Executive #2
- Alison Folland as MIT Student
- George Plimpton as Henry Lipkin
Storyline:
A touching tale of a wayward young man who struggles to find his identity, living in a world where he can solve any problem, except the one brewing deep within himself, until one day he meets his soul mate who opens his mind and his heart.
About Movie:
Good Will Hunting is a 1997 American drama film directed by Gus Van Sant and written by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. Starring Robin Williams, Damon, Ben Affleck, Stellan Skarsgård, and Minnie Driver.
Damon initially began writing the script as a final assignment for a playwriting class at Harvard University, submitting a 40-page script instead of a one-act play. He later collaborated with Affleck to complete the screenplay, which they finished in 1994. Castle Rock Entertainment purchased the script for $675,000, with an additional $100,000 to be paid if the film was produced, allowing Damon and Affleck to retain sole writing credit.
After acquiring the rights from Castle Rock, Miramax Films took over production. Several prominent directors were considered for the project, including Mel Gibson and Michael Mann, but ultimately, Gus Van Sant was chosen. Ben Affleck had initially asked Kevin Smith to direct, but Smith declined, suggesting they needed a “good director.”
Filming occurred from April to June 1997, with many scenes shot on location in Boston. Some interior scenes were filmed in Toronto, where the University of Toronto doubled for MIT and Harvard. The classroom sequences were shot at McLennan Physical Laboratories and Central Technical School.
Following Robin Williams’ death in 2014, the bench in the Boston Public Garden, where a pivotal scene between Will and Sean takes place, became a memorial for the beloved actor.
Good Will Hunting was both a critical and commercial success, grossing over $225 million on a $10 million budget. It received nine Academy Award nominations at the 70th Academy Awards, winning two: Best Supporting Actor for Robin Williams and Best Original Screenplay for Affleck and Damon. In 2014, it was ranked 53rd on The Hollywood Reporter’s “100 Favorite Films” list.
Budget & Box Office Collection:
| Budget | $10 million |
| Domestic Opening | $272,912 |
| Domestic Collection | $138,433,435 |
| International Collection | $87,500,000 |
| Worldwide Collection | $225,933,435 |
