Good Will Hunting: Critic Reviews

The outcome of the movie is fairly predictable; so is the whole story, really. It's the individual moments, not the payoff, that make it so effective.

The film works as a character-driven narrative because Mr. Van Sant and his co-screenwriters are not afraid to unlock the psychological mysteries of their five major characters with clear and concise dialogue.

Towering performance by Matt Damon as a troubled working class who needs to address his creative genius elevates this drama way above its therapeutic approach, resulting in a zeitgeist film that may touch chord with young viewers the way The Graduate did

Good Will Hunting narrowly avoids many sentimental pitfalls thanks to what doesn't happen...

This has not been a great year for language in movies, but people are going to be memorizing and reciting some of these lines for years to come.

Almost any viewer will enjoy Good Will Hunting moment by moment, but many will wake the next morning wondering why, with all that talent on hand, it amounts to so little in the end.

...a worthwhile sample of entertainment.

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.

Despite its coarse exterior, Good Will Hunting proves to be a rather positive and motivational experience.

Can get overly sentimental at times, but Gus Van Sant's sensitive direction... and his excellent use of the city make it a hugely entertaining and effective film.

It's acted and directed with care, and Damon is outstanding, his scenes with Driver being especially sparky.

The film succeeds not because of an overall arc, but as a chain of smaller moments that glimmer in their minuscule perfection.

For the first time in his career, Van Sant is invisible as a filmmaker, simply getting out of the way of the story and his performers. The film is richer for it.

Affleck is on my long list for Academy notice this year.

... beneath their arrogance and crass behavior, you'll find a lot of hurt and many defense mechanisms raised against a compassionless, manipulative society.

Uno sale del cine y se da cuenta de por que la pelicula recibio tanta atencion.

A charming, entertaining and uplifting movie with the title that perfectly fits its quality.

Not a work of art or great power, but it has some moving moments.

Though the movie tells a straightforward story, there are enough offbeat touches along the way to balance out its more predictable aspects.

Reality of story combines with reality of performance to give us some of the most heartfelt emotions currently on the big screen.

Good Will Hunting is another auspicious sign that the best of Young Hollywood is not only bringing back respect for the craft of acting, but for the cogent telling of tales as well.

Damon ain't crazy talented like Vincent Gallo, but he's still more than a pretty face.

E realmente impressionante que dois jovens como Matt Damon e Ben Affleck tenham sido capazes de escrever um roteiro tao complexo quanto o de 'Genio Indomavel'.

Three soul friends help a troubled young man to find his place in the world.

Touching, without being sentimental, and feelgood without appearing contrived, this is one shrink-wrapped drama that's worth unpacking.