Good Will HuntingMovie Reviews

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Avg. Critic Score: 70 out of 100 Generally favorable reviews Metascore® based on all critic reviews
Information for Parents:
15 OK for kids 15+
Read Common Sense Media review

Critic scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

  • 100
    Boston Globe | Jay Carr

    First and foremost, Good Will Hunting is a film riding young, exuberant energies. Read full review

  • 100
    San Francisco Chronicle | Peter Stack

    Intimate, heartfelt and wickedly funny, it's a movie whose impact lingers. Read full review

  • 90
    Washington Post | Desson Thomson

    Director Van Sant, who made the lyrical "Mala Noche," "Drugstore Cowboy" and "My Own Private Idaho," returns to his favorite hunting ground -- the subworlds of grimy, poetic lost boys -- and pulls us right in Read full review

  • 90
    The New York Times | Elvis Mitchell

    The script's bare bones are familiar, yet the film also has fine acting, steady momentum, a sharp eye and a very warm heart. Read full review

  • 88
    USA Today | Mike Clark

    Damon convincingly matches Williams recrimination for recrimination in this portrayal of mutual tough love, even with the latter giving what may be the best performance of his career. Read full review

  • 80
    Variety | Emanuel Levy

    This beautifully realized tale is always engaging and often quite touching. Read full review

  • 75
    New York Daily News | Jami Bernard

    You'd never guess this just-off-center movie was directed by indie hero Gus Van Sant. Maybe, like Will, he's casual about his gifts and feels no need to trot them out. Read full review

  • 75
    Chicago Sun-Times | Roger Ebert

    It's the individual moments, not the payoff, that make it so effective. Read full review

  • 75
    Entertainment Weekly | Owen Gleiberman

    Stuffed--indeed, overstuffed--with heart, soul, audacity, and blarney. You may not believe a minute of it, but you don't necessarily want to stop watching. Read full review

  • 70
    Los Angeles Times | Kenneth Turan

    While the charismatic performances of Damon and Affleck make Good Will Hunting a difficult entertainment to resist, doing just that is not as hard as the film would like to think. Read full review

View more reviews for Good Will Hunting on Metacritic

Information for Parents
Common Sense Media says OK for kids 15+ Moving story of brilliant, troubled youth for older teens.
What Parents Need to Know Parents need to know that despite a constant onslaught of angry, sexual, and insulting language ("f--k" and its comrades "s--t," "retard," and "a--hole" are used incessantly, as are other salty words and terms), mature teens and adults will find this Oscar-winning drama about a self-destructive young man who's transformed by caring relationships to be an uplifting and inspiring story. One street brawl early in the film includes bloody fistfights, kicking, and pounding; sexuality includes some passionate kissing, post-sexual cuddling, and one session of inferred masturbation. The young people -- both college students and street kids -- drink beer and other alcohol throughout the movie.
  • Families can talk about friendship. How do friends help and hinder each other in this movie? Do their relationships seem realistic?
  • How does the movie portray sex and drinking? Parents, talk to your teens about your own family's perspective on these topics.
The good stuff
  • message true4 Positive messages: The movie sends the message that finding your special gifts can rescue even the most seemingly powerless individuals from hard lives. It also says that love and commitment are incomparable sources of healing and change and that true friendship is selfless, not envious.
  • rolemodels true3 Positive role models: The story follows an angry, bitter, self-destructive young man who's transformed by caring, unselfish relationships. Two college teachers are portrayed as having distinctly different motivations: One is dedicated to advancing science while the other hopes to enable his student to transcend an abusive childhood, realize his full potential, and find a balance in life.
What to watch for
  • violence false2 Violence: One violent fist fight early in the film: Street toughs attack another group of young men in a no-holds-barred kicking and punching session. Police arrive and take control by pummeling the participants. Also references to the lead character’s suffering physical abuse at the hands of a parent.
  • sex false2 Sex: Both gentle and passionate kissing in several scenes. In one post-sexual moment, a couple cuddles and kisses. In one scene masturbation is inferred but not shown.
  • language false5 Language: Very frequent strong language includes many uses of "f--k" in numerous forms, as well as words like "s--t," "bitch," "prick," "a--hole," "retard," and "balls" and phrases/terms like "up your a--," "jerking off," and "douchebag."
  • consumerism false0 Consumerism: Not an issue
  • drugsalcoholtobacco false3 Drinking, drugs and smoking: In the South Boston culture portrayed here, the young men consistently hang out in bars, and smoking and drinking play a major part in their socializing. College kids and teachers are also seen using alcohol as an integral part of their social activity.
An independent nonprofit dedicated to providing families the information they need to help kids thrive in a world of media and technology. © Common Sense Media Inc. 2010. All rights reserved.

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