Good Will Hunting Essay Example

In modern media, there are themes for every film, television show, and magazine. These themes pertain to every individual’s life in one way or another. Given the opportunity to choose one piece of work to discuss, I chose the film “Good Will Hunting.” Good Will Hunting is a drama film from 1997 that revolves around the main character Will Hunting. The movie displays several themes, and portrays them in rather dynamic ways. However, the aspect I find most intriguing about the film is its lack of a tangible antagonist. Rather, the antagonist is Will himself, and the internal battles he seems to consistently face on a day to day basis. These “battles” include fear, or hesitancy with which Will proceeds to try new things and experience things that he was previously unfamiliar with. Also trust for others, or better yet, lack there-of. Finally, Will has to understand that it is possible to be successful regardless of previous situations in life. All of these aspects together become extremely interesting as the viewer is able to watch Will mature, and learn how to cope with these issues. The film opens many thoughts for one to even question about their own life; I know it did for me.
Fear is perhaps the most evident theme portrayed in Good Will Hunting. Almost everything Will decides to do within his day to day life is a result of his fear. While there are almost an endless amount of examples of this, I find Will’s two largest and most distinct fears are trying new things and commitment. Through the entire film, Will consistently displays resentment towards both. When presented with situations in which proceeding means leaving the boundaries that he has become accustomed to from early on in his life, Will immediately backpedals, returning to familiar ground. I believe this is also an issue I had throughout the course of my youth, and more than likely even still have. To many people trying new things is more than just a “new experience,” but rather is a complete form