Good Will Hunting Scene Analysis

The movie Good Will Hunting, directed in 1997 by Gus Van Sant, is the story of a young man named Will Hunting. Despite growing up in a rough neighborhood in Boston, having a lack of formal education and currently working as a janitor, the main character Will is a mathematical genius. While on the surface the movie is about this unlikely boy genius with unlimited potential, who can outsmart MIT professors while constantly being dragged down by his attitude and poor decisions, the story is in fact much deeper. Rather it is about Will’s personal emotional journey which he embarks on during this film. This journey of Will’s dates back from his years of emotional trauma that took place during his childhood, which included being abandoned by his …show more content…
A close up shot is used in the first image to showcase Will shoving Skylar. This close up gives the audience an incredibly intimate feeling, allowing the viewer to experience the scene as if they are personally viewing Will’s emotions. In the second image, a medium shot is used to depict Will out in the rain calling Skylar. The benefit of a medium shot here is the inclusion of the subject, Will, as well as his surroundings, which are integral to understanding the mood of the image. The dark background and rain storm surrounding him in the frame create a depressing mood. This mood fits with Will’s simultaneous action of not being able to talk to Skylar, because he is not emotionally ready to start a relationship with her, and decides to hang up. To go along with the situation, the medium camera shot is used here to make Will look vulnerable, portraying him alone in the dark and rainy night. Therefore giving it the ability to emphasizes how alone Will feels, both physically in the image and emotionally as there is no one around him. The third image uses another close up shot which once again puts the viewer in an intimate setting, this time with Will and Dr. Maguire. This close up focuses solely on the embrace between the two characters, emphasizing how Will finally begins to trust and open up emotionally. The use of this particular shot also allows us to see the full emotion on Will’s face. The details in the image emphasize the men’s interactions and help the viewer understand the intensity of the feelings behind