Amazon.com essential video

Robin Williams won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, and actors Matt Damon and Ben Affleck nabbed one for Best Original Screenplay, but the feel-good hit Good Will Hunting triumphs because of its gifted director, Gus Van Sant. The unconventional director (My Own Private Idaho, Drugstore Cowboy) saves a script marred by vanity and clunky character development by yanking soulful, touching performances out of his entire cast (amazingly, even one by Williams that's relatively schtick-free). Van Sant pulls off the equivalent of what George Cukor accomplished for women's melodrama in the '30s and '40s: He's crafted an intelligent, unabashedly emotional male weepie about men trying to find inner-wisdom.

Matt Damon stars as Will Hunting, a closet math genius who ignores his gift in favor of nightly boozing and fighting with South Boston buddies (co-writer Ben Affleck among them). While working as a university janitor, he solves an impossible calculus problem scribbled on a hallway blackboard and reluctantly becomes the prodigy of an arrogant MIT professor (Stellan Skarsgård). Damon only avoids prison by agreeing to see psychiatrists, all of whom he mocks or psychologically destroys until he meets his match in the professor's former childhood friend, played by Williams. Both doctor and patient are haunted by the past, and as mutual respect develops, the healing process begins. The film's beauty lies not with grand climaxes, but with small, quiet moments. Scenes such as Affleck's clumsy pep talk to Damon while they drink beer after work, or any number of therapy session between Williams and Damon offer poignant looks at the awkward ways men show affection and feeling for one another. --Dave McCoy ... Read more

Reviews (345)

JCMICHAELS.COM Good Will Hunting Review
Good Will Hunting is one of those films that I wasn't expecting much, since the writers, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are so young. But surprisingly this young duo was able to write a sophisticated script that, with the direction of Gus Van Sant, became an Academy Award winner. Those awards, Best Supporting Actor and Best Original Screenplay definitely show the movies strong points. Unfortunately the acting is a little wooden and awkward at times, but is forgivable.

Luckily this movie has great bonus features including my favorite, audio commentary with Gus Van Sant, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. Also included are 11 deleted scenes with audio commentary, production featurette, and "Miss Misery" music video. In other words this DVD is loaded.

Overall, with all the bonus material and sophisticated story this is definitely a great rental. If on the other hand, you are huge fans of Ben and Matt, and have already seen it and loved the movie, then it really is a no-brainer, just buy it.

Beautiful, thought-provoking . . . perfect
This movie is either perfect, or as close as it's possible for a movie to be. The acting is outstanding. The direction is terrific. The script is heartfelt and real. The soundtrack, featuring Elliot Smith, is perfectly suited to the movie. All in all, it's one of the greatest movies I've ever seen, and it's my personal favorite.

Will Hunting (Matt Damon) is a janitor at MIT who harbors a secret genius for mathematics. Rather than bank on his intelligence, he spends most of his time riding around and drinking with his buddies (Ben Affleck, Cole Hauser, and a particularly funny and excellent Casey Affleck). However, his gift is discovered by a professor at the university (Stellan Skarsgard) who bails Will out of jail (in on a count of assault) on the conditions that he start doing math regularly with the professor and that he see a psychiatrist. Enter the psychiatrist, Sean (Robin Williams). To add to the mix, Will meets a Harvard student, Skylar (Minnie Driver) who is possibly the first woman for whom he's ever had real feelings. Over the course of the movie, all of these characters in their own way try to make Will live up to his potential.

The movie doesn't have much of a plot other than this -- however, that's fine, because it's meant to be more of a character study and it's a great one. Pretty much every scene is two people sitting down talking to each other -- yet it holds the viewer's interest because the characters are so captivating. Sean and Will's scenes in particular are terrific. Matt Damon and Robin Williams, besides both being fine actors, have a natural chemistry that you just can't fake. Damon and Minnie Driver are also great together (of course, as it's widely known, the two dated during the filming of the movie) and it's my opinion that both were robbed of their Oscars.

Ben Affleck shows that spark in this movie which he showed in most of his '90s movies, and he's great in his role -- but even better is his brother Casey. Watch the movie with the audio commentary, and you'll gain so much more appreciation for both the role of Morgan and the actor Casey. The same goes for Stellan Skarsgard. Cole Hauser is good with the few lines he has.

All in all, this is a great movie -- beautifully shot, well-written . . . well, I've said it all before. If you're not offended by excessive use of the word "f***" (and yes, some people really do talk like that) you should love it. Forget the naysayers -- "Good Will Hunting" is one of the most heartfelt, poignant movies in recent history. Too bad all the awards that year automatically went to the movie with the grandest special effects instead of the one with better dialogue and better characters.

A drama with emotional depth
This quiet drama about what genius means was the surprise hit of 1997, with friends Matt Damon and Ben Affleck both collaborating on the screenplay and acting. Damon plays Will Hunting, a troubled, gruff young man who works as a janitor at MIT despite his incredible self-education and intelligence. When a mathematics professor discovers that Will has solved a complicated problem left on the blackboard, he pursues Will as a potential protégé. But Will is not good with authority figures, as his past includes abuse at the hands of his father. When Will lands in jail, however, and the professor manages to obtain his release with the stipulation that Will work on mathematics with him and see a counselor, Will's whole life begins to open up. As a patient of psychologist Sean Maguire (Robin Williams), Will forges a relationship that acts as a catalyst for a new future.

Matt Damon does a wonderful job with the title role, although at times he seems a little wooden. As the therapist with a painful history that Will eventually connects with, Robin Williams turns in one of his less flamboyant performances. His suffering is palpable, and his need to save Will from himself lends real passion to the film. Affleck provides solid balance as Will's friend Chuckie, although his performance is less memorable than the other two, more of a function of the role than the actor. Minnie Driver is charming and believable as Will's new girlfriend Skylar.

The screenplay is intelligent and skillfully developed despite some unbelievable facets of the premise, most notably that such a wounded individual, no matter how bright, would have the discipline to teach himself as much as Will knows. Still, this movie only gets better as it progresses. The relationship between Will and his therapist is dynamic, poignant, and meaningful.

This is a good film to own, as it uncovers additional subtleties on second viewing, as long as you don't mind revisiting emotional angst. Its feel-good story arc is somewhat predictable, but the dialogue and interactions are not, making this flick surprisingly complex given the young ages of Damon and Affleck when it was made.

Good film, good job for a first time screenplay/movie.
This film, which was the first time for Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, in writing a screenplay, turned into a movie, is an impressive piece of work. About a shy, yet with an attitude, young man (who as we find out later was abused) who demonstrates his brilliance, but who will not let people get too close. Ben Affleck (before all of this "Bennifer" nonsense) is good as his buddy, who really wants him to use his "gift". With an outstanding performance by Robin Williams (who deserved his award) and Minnie Driver, the lads have put together a funny, poignant, movie; which wasn't "overdone" as some movies might be. Williams and Damon interact with each other with the right amount of "attitude" as they help each other overcome their fears, hopes, missed opportunities, and dreams. A better film than I thought it would be. I'd recommend it. The downside (for peope offended by language, i.e., profanity, is that there is a lot of it, especially the "F" word). If one can overlook that, if one's offended [I'm not overly so]; then, this movie speaks to the person inside all of us, as we ask ourselves some basic questions; what do we want out of life, do we have regrets, did we try hard enough to succeed, what does success mean, and so on. Damon's character refused to be "manipulated" by anyone, including the professor who had his own issues. Definitely worth seeing. Had a pretty decent soundtrack too.

Some Outstanding Moments, but Not a Masterpiece
GOOD WILL HUNTING was actually written by two of its stars, boyhood friends, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. I was surprised when I first learned this; the screenplay, while still a little rough around the edges, shows a lot of insight for the twentysomethings that Damon and Affleck were in 1997.

GOOD WILL HUNTING is the story of, who else, Will Hunting (Matt Damon), a janitor at MIT and a young man with a very troubled past. Will was an orphan and a victim of child abuse. As an adult he's a petty criminal with a short fuse and an uncanny ability to reduce the most complicated math problems and theorems to simple answers, something he does at night on MIT's chalkboards. Will is a mathematical genius with a photographic memory, but he neither recognizes his gift nor cares. He'd much rather be out with his other blue-collar buddies, drinking and getting into trouble.

Two things happen to change Will's errant ways. The first is the fact that his genius is found out by one of MIT's professors, Professor Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgard). Professor Skarsgard wants to do something to encourage Will to develop his gift. The second, and more pivotal thing that happens is that Will assaults a police office on one of his nightly binges and lands in jail.

Luckily, Will comes before a judge with some understanding of what he really needs. Instead of being sent to jail, Will is ordered to spend one day a week with Lambeau, studying math, and one day a week with a therapist in order to work through his short temper and his need to self-destruct. After a few false starts, Will ends up seeing Sean McGuire (Robin Williams), a teacher at Bunker Hill Community College and Lambeau's former college roommate. As things progress, it becomes more and more evident that Will is just as good for Sean as Sean is for Will. Will also receives help and encouragement from his childhood friend, Chuckie (Ben Affleck) and a pretty Harvard student from Britain, Skylar (Minnie Driver).

The plot of GOOD WILL HUNTING is very, very predictable, as is its ending, but that really didn't stop me from enjoying the film. There are some outstanding moments and set pieces, but overall, the film is only a little above average.

The dialogue is sometimes above average and, much to my delight, there was actually subtext, something so much screen and literary dialogue lacks these days. The thing that really rescues the film from mediocrity, though, are the performances from all the actors, especially an uncharacteristically subdued performance from Robin Williams. The scenes between Williams and Damon feel "real" and the chemistry between Affleck and Damon and Damon and Driver is palpable. Of course, the fact that Affleck and Damon have been lifelong friends and that Damon and Driver were romantically involved during the filming of GOOD WILL HUNTING didn't hurt the "chemistry" one bit. Still, it could have gone wrong. Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck were engaged when they made GIGLI and that fell flatter than any proverbial pancake ever could.

GOOD WILL HUNTING is a very solid, though predictable piece of entertainment, with strong performances from all concerned. I would recommend renting it before buying it, however, as it's not a film that one wants to see again and again. At least not in my opinion. ... Read more

Description

Winner of the Palme d'Or and Best Director prizes at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival, Gus Van Sant's (Good Will Hunting, Finding Forrester) Elephant takes us inside an American high school on one, single ordinary day that very rapidly turns tragic. Elephant demonstrates that high school life is a complex landscape where the vitality and beauty of young lives can shift from light to darkness with surreal speed. It's an ordinary high school day. Except that it's not. ... Read more

Reviews (126)

The deepest chills ...
I knew nothing about this movie going into it except that it was a portrayal of columbine. This being said, I expected a documentary type film that focused on motives, characters, and sketched out a cause and a blame for the shootings. Boy was I wrong. What I found instead was a film that portrayed true reality much better than anything I've ever seen on TV or a movie screen.
A sense of normality is established within the first few minutes of the film. Knowing that something bad is going to happen makes every scene build with tension as we watch high schoolers go about their everyday lives, which are so simple, yet so complex, each one special in it's own way. There is no true explanation to any of the events in this movie. They just are. This is how real life works. The shooting just happens. This is how real life works.
The shots and sequences in the film and their drawn out nature combined with the forementioned reality sent deep chills through my body and mind while I was watching this film. Although the expected violence happened, there was no true climax to the movie. No relief, and no resolution. Just reality. Therefore, chills remained in my spine through the silent credits, the walk to the parking lot, and the drive home.
This movie makes no point of morals or what is right or wrong with our society or high schools. The point that you should gain from this movie is that what will be will be, and although true-life events are not sugarcoated, as most movies portray, there may be no rhyme or reason to the events that may occur.

THIS IS, LIKE, SO DEEP AND STUFF
I'm amazed a film like this could sweep awards at Cannes, or any festival. The camera floats around an ordinary school, tracking students' lives, nothing special, your average day stuff, in what seemed like a thinly veiled take on the Columbine tragedy of school shootings.

There are no good guys and bad guys, every character is made sympathetic simply by being real, by being himself, by being human. This includes the two weirdos who go on a rampage, who played violent video games (like most teenagers) and watched documentaries on Hitler with rapt attention. Not sure if this was an implied cause, or just a nonchalant and thus somehow artistic trope.

That's it. That's the plot. One of the "spotlight reviews" on this site mentions how the lack of a point was in fact the point. Well that's good for life but capturing life as-is on film, without any perspective or any cinematic accoutrement at all, is a bit pointless if not outright stupid.

"Elephant" seems like a deliberately point-of-view-less film, much like its title, which has nothing to do with anything in the movie.

So if you, like the French, have a taste for a sequence of screens that do not necessarily need to hinge around a semblance of a theme or purpose, you'll be in entertainment heaven. Grab your six packs and discuss motives and perspective and all those lovely film theory things long into the sunset.

For the rest of us, thank god there's a 16x skip functionality on my DVD that's like a fast forward on steroids, or better still, there are a billion other more interesting + intelligent ways to waste time.

A WASTE OF TIME
This movie was a joke, a waste of 80 min. of my life. It was SO SLOW. Basically, it's the same few kids walking up and down halls with minimal action, until the end. Hmmm...interesting how it's a school day and only a handful of kids are to be seen in school. Unrealistic & stupid, it's a waste of time and money.

Whoosch! Here's your eighty minutes back!
Generally, I don't like viewer reviews on Amazon that get all pouty when people don't like a movie that they like. This time, however, I'm going to treat myself to a disagreement, but instead of pouting, I'm just going to give all the people who didn't like this movie their time back. (One of the unhappy people here said he wanted the eighty minutes of his life back which he spent watching this movie.) So. Whoosch! Here's your eighty minutes back! Problem is, you won't notice that you have the minutes back until the end of your life; now you won't depart until eighty minutes later. Is this fair? I think this is fair. Enjoy!

ART
although slow at times, this movie is really moving, i rented it after hearing about the movie, and im really glad i chose to see it and iam going to purchase it very soon,the camera work is something beautiful, a true piece of art, very haunting and real, gus van sant has accomplished a masterpeice and i highly reccomend it ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Northwest Junkie Pranksters
I am always surprised at how many people have not heard of this film. Although released back in 1989, this is definitely one of Van Sant's best films. This flick takes you into the day to day routine of Bob (played by Matt Dillon) and his melancholic and nomadic band of junkies who roam around the Pacific Northwest raiding pharmacies and hospital drug cabinets in search of Valium, Dilaudid and other narcotic goodies to pop, shoot and snort.

The mood of this film is generally very dysphoric however some comic relief is added throughout in the dialogue and 'trippy' visual imagery. Some of the pranks they pull on the detective they are eluding are also pretty humorous.

The movie definitely captures the 70's era well with its acting, dialogue and wardrobe. Superb acting by Dillon as the intimacy phobic, restless and highly superstitious ringleader, Kelly Lynch as his less than satisfied girlfriend, James LeGros as simpleminded Rick, and Heather Graham as the young ditzy neophyte who literally goes overboard trying hard fit into this group of merry prankster junkies.

This movie is a creative little exploration into the day to day routine and psyche of the junkie, so if you can't handle the portrayal of this reality, then this is another movie that isn't for you. Interestingly, William Burroughs plays a short role as a junkie priest, adding some penetrating social commentary towards the end.

As dark as comedy can come
Remember one thing when watching this film: DRUGSTORE COWBOY is a comedy; the darkest comedy for its time but a comedy nonetheless. It was a breakthrough in so many ways. Obviously, Gus Van Zant got a career going. Independent films were beginning to be taken seriously.But Matt Dillon finally proved that he was more than a chiseled face. His comedic performance here would be his best. "No hats on the bed!" Even though he was wildly funny in THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY, he's three times better here.

There are moments when I've felt that individual scenes are better than the whole. I love William Burrough's scenes as a junkie priest. In one scene, after one of Dillon's friends o.d.s in a motel, Dillon goes to unbelieveable lengths to hide the body in a crawlspace. Once he's completed this gruesome task, he realizes that the motel complex is surrounded by State Troopers--for a convention! The look on Matt Dillon's face is priceless.

Please take a look at this dark and funny film. Forget about some of the poorer qualities of the DVD (although they are annoying). DRUGSTORE COWBOY is worth the viewing.

drugs and thugs
this one is about 4 losers who rob drug stores for..............what else?................drugs!then they either take them or sell them.nobody important showed up on audition day.this is not a lifetime movie and can be enjoyed by the guys.it does look inexpensive like a lifetime movie though.it is not nasty like that movie with leonardo dicaprio where hes a junkie or trainspotting with thier lewd and disgusting scenes and dead babies.there are 2 really obnoxious people here.one is a slow kid from next door who keeps trying to hang with the big kids and the other is one of the main 4 characters who constantly screws everything up.the real deal is this movie is good.since no one else will say it,i will........if you want to make a good movie about heroin and other narcotics,just cut out the screaming rehab workers,the gay men in the bathroom stalls and all graphic displays of bodily functions.oh and no one AND I MEAN NO ONE is amused by the dead baby scene in trainspotting.so,my point is this movie follows that formula and is therefore good.

Dillon is bad to the bone
loved this movie with a fire. Im a huge fan of Matt Dillon's work and he gives probably the best performance of his career and he hasnt topped it yet. he plays a druggy and he has a girlfriend played wonderfully by Kelly Lynch and he has two friends, James LeGros and Heather Graham and he also has a cop on his ass played nicely by James Remar. later a stealing of drugs goes bad and Graham kills herself so Dillon wants to rehabilitate and start over with his life and he checks in and he finds out one of his former teachers is going there. Max Perlich also stars as a dimwitted drug dealer. powerful anf funny. the bet scene is where that guy comes out of his house and shoots the cop on the ladder

Independent Film making at its Finest
The best aspect of Drugstore Cowboy is that any sententious moralizing about getting high is kept to a minimum while the audience is left to make up its own mind regarding the pros and cons of tuning in, turning on, and dropping out.

Set in Portland during the early 70s; Van Sant has put together one of the finest independent films ever. Excellent quips such as Dillon's character referring to a young junky as a "TV Baby" make for a meaningful and scintillating script. It's also a humorous movie with certain scenes retaining an understated comic appeal. While the sets give a fantastic portrait of 1970s west coast junkie life.

The always intriguing late William Burroughs makes an appearance in the last quarter of the picture as Father Murphy, a well known old school addict who also happens to be a man of the cloth. The dialogue between him and Dillon's character is the high point of the movie; writing just doesn't come much better than this.

Drugstore Cowboy is simply brilliant all the way around and stands as an example of what American film making can achieve if the giant studios are kept from meddling in the artistic process.

It should be remembered that Burroughs classic book on the dope scene: "Junky", would make for a nice companion to the movie. ... Read more

Reviews (187)

A well-made feel good movie
I have seen many feel good movies in my lifetime such as Good Will Hunting, Scent of a Woman, Dead Poet's Society, Patch Adams, & Finding Forrester is way up there with them. The movie is portrayed as a matter-of-factly of a 16 years old African American boy, Jamal living in the Bronx. He deliberately passed his grades simply rather than excelling in the exams & shooting hoops in order to fit in with his peers but his hidden potential was soon discovered by an elite school in the nation's bursary which offered him a free scholarship. In a dare with his friends, Jamal sneaked into William Forrester's (depicted brilliantly by Sean Connery) apartment & by accident, a lifelong frienships ensued. Jamal's significant improvement in his grades raised suspicion from his teacher (potrayed well by Murray Abraham). As William put to Jamal's succinctly, a good teacher could either be very effective or very dangerous & soon enough, Jamal was at the receiving end of the teacher's wrath for being too good. Naturally, race issue was touched upon, & the awkwardness of Jamal to date a white woman (acted by Anna Paquin) with a rich background was displayed not by words but by those silent moment & brief glances. Towards the end, it all came to a climax with a predictable but resounding ending. A movie that deserved to be savoured slowly & the message shines thru, that if you have a dream, pursue it albeit how late it is as long as you pursue it. A cameo appearance by an unexpected star which would give the whole meaning to irony. Rob Brown (who played Jamal), a non actor was believable with his big innocent eyes craving for knowledge, Busta Rhymes played a surprisingly low key character of Jamal's elder brother who wished for nothing but the best for Jamal as he accepted his own fate as a parking attendant at the local stadium, & Sean Connery was simply splendid as always. A movie that deserved to be stood alone on its merit. Special features in the DVD are widescreen presentation, English & French subtitles, Dolby Sound, HBO Making of the movie, Rob Brown, deleted choir scenes, theatrical trailers, talent files, interactive menus, production notes, & lastly scene selections.

Finding a beautiful movie..
Finding Forrester is one of the rare movies that don't rely on corny music and movie cliches to touch your feelings.The message is delivered in a subtle form and although the story is not unique,this time I really found myself caring for the characters.This leads me to the conclusion that it is not what you tell,it is how you tell..

Jamal(Rob Brown)is a high school student living in Bronx.He has two skills,playing basketball and writing.At a time in his life when he must decide what kind of future he wants,he meets William Forrester (Sean Connery),a once Pulitzer winning author,who dissapeared and decided to live a life of isolation after the publishement of his only book.Traditionally,it would be expected that Jamal needs Forrester's help to truly understand who he is and what he wants,buth both characters are in need of help of some kind.Their friendship starts in a bizarre way,and change both of their lives.

I was not surprised by how great Connery's performance was,because anything else is unthinkable,but Rob Brown really impressed me.And I was even more amazed to learn that it was his first screen presence.He applied to be an extra because he needed money to pay hiss cellphone bill.Well,I hope he did,and that he continues making movies,because he is a natural actor in my opinion.

The movie definitely reminds me of Good Will Hunting,the director's other movie,but although I liked that one too,I think Finding Forrester is superior.It doesn't have those "high" moments like Good Will Hunting,but the movie as a whole is touching,and some of the dialogue and the ending is genuninely original and emotional.

The DVD has a nice picture transfer.The extras are average,not bad but cold be better.I think this is a must-have DVD.

In Finding Forrester,you will find something..

Your the man now, dog!
I loved the way that a most uncommon friendship formed between 2 most different people. Who would have thought that Sean Connery fitted into a role such as this, but it was very clever to see it all develop. I've always enjoyed the melancholy acting of F. Murray Abraham, and once again he proves that he is perfect for the role. It was the first movie where I realized that Busta Rhymes acted on the side.I thought he almost played a key role as the ideal big brother, and showed the genuine love for Jamal that some siblings never experience. Rob Brown, awesome. A talented young basketball player who learns that he is also a talented writer.

One thing that I love are some of the comments that Brown and Connery come out with in this. Brown: "You read all these, man?" Connery: "No, I just have them to impress all my visitors." Another one I like is, "Bolt the door... if you're coming in." But my favorite line throughout the whole film as to be one you probably would never expect from someone like Sean Connery. He booms, "PUNCH THE KEYS!!!" and Jamal punches the keys, and then he proceeds to say, "You're the man now, dog!" Who's gonna forget that! Ha!

Not Much To Find Here
Probably Gus Van Sant`s more mainstream (and uninspired??) movie, "Finding Forrester" presents a couple of intriguing moments and ideas yet the result is typical and too close to cliched territory. A coming-of-age story combined with an essay about the writing process, this average melodrama starts well enough but loses its steam halfway through. There`s nothing new here, and some of the plot resembles aspects of the previous (and better) Van Sant`s picture, "Good Will Hunting". Sure, the acting is very convincing and the direction shows some brilliance at parts, but the pacing is too uneven and drags in many moments. "Finding Forrester" is also too PC and "pretty", delivering another awe-inspiring Hollywood piece of fluff that doesn`t dare to challenge the viewer (and Van Sant is usually a challenging director). Overall, this cinematic experience is not a complete disaster but doesn`t manage to impress either, offering a so-so story that has been done before and with better results.

Good at parts, a somewhat interesting failure as a whole.

MOVING TALE, DESPITE THE PLOT'S SHORTCOMINGS
The story is so played -- a ghetto genius is discovered, quite by accident, and is guided by a rough-around-the-edges genius-in-his-own-right mentor. You have seen this in "Good Will Hunting" or "Hoop Dreams" among others.

Fortunately, Finding Forrester does have a somewhat different hue, and unlike the mawkish sentimentality of movies like Patch Adams or Bruce Almighty, it includes decent and well-contained drama.

It unfolds smoothly. So smoothly in fact that you don't really realize how many cardboard characters are smooshed in -- a spent-up reclusive J.D. Salinger type writer (Sean Connery), a failed writer with a grudge (the professor), a rich WASP student in a rich WASP school (the love interest of the black boy that never really takes off)..etc.

Besides, the movie's main premise hinges on a rather implausible chance meeting between a bunch of kids playing basketball and a Pulitzer winning writer who purportedly lives a hermit's life.

Yet, the script makes all the difference, it overshadows these minor quibbles. Very well written movie, tinged with modernistic poetry spoken and actuated with the least accents and efforts, more than enough to keep the spirit going.

Recommended rental. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

If anyone ever doubts whether Nicole Kidman is a good actress, they should immediately be required to watch this outrageously wicked comedy from 1995, for which Kidman deservedly won a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Leading Role. While director Gus Van Sant handles the fact-based satire with razor-sharp precision, Kidman delivers a deliciously devious performance as Suzanne Stone, a small-town New Hampshire housewife who fancies herself the next Barbara Walters, Jane Pauley, Diane Sawyer, and Maria Shriver all rolled up into one meticulously coiffed package. So determined is she to have a successful career on TV that she'll stop at nothing--even the calculated murder of her husband (Matt Dillon)--to get the attention she feels entitled to. To carry out her scheme she recruits some unwitting local teenagers including one boy (Joaquin Phoenix, matching Kidman's excellence) whose infatuation with Suzanne leads to sexual escapades and predictably troublesome consequences. It's a satirical comedy in Van Sant's capable hands, but it's so close to tabloid reality that the film never seems implausible--which only gives it a funnier, more blood-chilling quality of humor. Featuring Illeanna Douglas, George Segal, and Seinfeld alumnus Wayne Knight in memorable supporting roles, this is one of the best comedies of the '90s--especially if you prefer comedies with a decidedly darker edge. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (44)

Sublime and Vastly Underrated
The fact that To Do For is not more highly regarded is a mystery to me. It only garners a 6.7 on IMDB.com. All of the ingredients were there, an incredible and gifted director in Gus Van Sant, what I consider to be Nicole Kidman's finest performance, a wicked and not just satirical script and an excellent supporting cast.

Of particular note is Joaquin Phoenix's portrayal of Jimmy Emmet, the typical high school metal head loser who becomes obsessed with Kidman's evil character, Suzanne Stone-Maretto. Phoenix is a gifted actor with a wide pallet to choose from. Contrast this performance with the job he does of playing The Abbe in Quills. It makes his role in To Die For all the stronger. Allison Folland is also a standout in her debut performance as Jimmy's pathetic friend Lydia Mertz. Together with Casey Affleck as Russel, the three unwittingly become assassins for the callous Mrs. Stone. The story is built up very effectively, and as a viewer there is never any doubt that these three "dorky" kids will pull the murder off.

Also magnificent and lending strong supporting roles are Dan Hedaya and Illeana Douglas who play Larry Maretto's father and sister, respectively. The part of Larry is played with near perfect un-bravado by Matt Dillon, who does so without his usual pomp and bluster. Basically, Larry is the perfect everyman trying to do right by his new wife and family [....]Hedaya is perfectly cast and uses his natural menacing qualities quite well. My favorite though, is Janice Moretto, Larry's sister played by Douglas, who is the only character who sees Suzanne for what she really is. The dancing on the grave ice-skating bit at the end is also really well done. Douglas doesn't fall once.

Hats off to Van Sant for a creating a satirical masterpiece that contains enough side elements to hold the viewers attention through more than one viewing. For instance, what exactly is Suzanne's relationship with her father? Also, the fact that Janice is most likely gay and this might be why she understands Suzanne so well. Cudos as well to the director for the style he employed, blurring the line between film and documentary. Some people have argued to me that To Die For contains too many cuts and flashbacks and consequently the viewer has a difficult time following the action. I do not find that to be true. Quite the opposite, I find the film to be compelling. Even after at least five viewings, To Die For firmly holds my attention throughout.

The Perfect Film for a Celebrity-Obsessed Culture
"To Die For" is a great little gem of a movie that, in my opinion, ranks as one of the best dark comedies of the last decade. Nicole Kidman, in what is probably her finest performance to date, is stunning as Suzanne "Stone" - her real name is Maretto - a completely self-absorbed, amoral, and utterly ruthless young woman who will let nothing stand in the way of her obtaining her goal of being a "television star". The film is shot in the style of a slightly wacky TV documentary, which only adds to the fun, as we see the "post-tragedy" interviews with those who were involved with the late Miss Stone. Stone is an attractive but cold-blooded blonde in a small New England town who is desperate to become a national celebrity on a national TV News Network. As proof of her warped psyche, she tells the audience "You're a nobody if you're not on TV" - which unfortunately does seem to accurately describe the feelings of many people these days. She's also determined to move up the social ladder in her little town, and so as the film begins she seduces and marries the handsome quarterback of the high school football team (Matt Dillon), the most popular boy in town. Dillon's sister despises Suzanne and sees right through her facade, but Dillon is so entranced he doesn't listen. Dillon goes on to work in his father's pizzeria, but Suzanne obtains a job as the weather forecaster for the local rinky-dink TV station, and begins to have dreams of glory. One of the darkly funny aspects of this film is that for all of Suzanne's scheming and ruthlessness she's not very bright, and her attempts to sound and act "sophisticated" are often hilariously inept. When her faithful but old-fashioned hubby tells her to quit her job and help him with the family business, she decides he's "impeding" her career and that she'll have to kill him. So she seduces an underage teenage geek (hilariously played by a very young Joaquin Phoenix), has a torrid sexual affair with him, and then convinces him to murder her hubby. At first she uses the shock of the murder to obtain further publicity - "you've got to think of your career first" - from the local and state media. Unfortunately, her underage love affair is discovered and she is ruined. Ever undaunted, she begins plotting her comeback, but Dillon's family (they are Italian), has a little surprise planned for their murderous in-law. Kidman's performance is dead-on - she plays Stone as a parody of the type of person who will do ANYTHING - even murder - to get on TV and become "somebody". The supporting cast is also excellent. The most troubling part of this film is that it was loosely based on a real story - an attractive New Hampshire schoolteacher who by most appearances had everything seduced a fifteen-year-old student and convinced him to kill her husband - apparently so she could leave her hometown and try to become "famous" in the big city. "To Die For" may seem like a delicious but improbable story - but it's really not all that far from today's news headlines. Ouch!

Not bad because of Joaquin
This movie is not bad but it's not that great either. I always like Nicole Kidman, with or without Tom Cruise. But what I really like about this movie is Joaquin Phoenix' acting. Call me at 156-38-3461.

not the worse film or acting...
but definately not the best or even above average. why does kidman have to inhale rapidly like that after she finishes a sentence (referring her private video segments)? isn't she a trained actress that has learned breath control? i understand she wanted to protray a psycho-ditz, but... anyway, i watched it to the end, i guess mostly because it was based on a true story.

A Train Wreck
This film really misses its mark. Billed as a black comedy, it fails to deliver any satirical bite whatsoever. Suzanne Stone's frequent video segments where she speaks directly to the camera and the flashforwards to some sort of Jerry Springer-like show are painful to watch. Yeah, Nicole Kidman is extremely sexy (duh), but it's not nearly enough to overcome her marginal acting, the clumsy dialog and the amateurish direction.

See this movie for all the humor of "Dying Young" coupled with the social commentary of a SpongeBob episode. ... Read more

Reviews (58)

Flea recites Shakespeare. What more do you need to know?
Well-dressed "indie" hack Gus Van Sant (who's about as indie as Evan Dando) received lots of kudos for this pretty-boys-in-ripped-jeans, "loose adaptation" of "Henry IV, part 1". If this is a loose adaptation of Henry, then "The Rainmaker" is a loose adaptation of "Bleak House". This sometimes decent-looking piece of fluff is so desperate to live up to its "loose adaptation" hype, it actually (painfully) inserts some actual dialogue from the play into the middle of the movie. OK, yeah...get it. Thanks.

River Phoenix is actually quite good & handles the vague, sappy story of boy-hooker-with-a-heart-of-gold with class & subtlety. His task is a thankless one: he plays a character who honks on bobo, hangs out with danceclass reject thugs, and has the occassional grand mal seizure on the highway. That and he's looking for Mama. Sure, but that's always the issue, isn't it?

What's his name? Keanu Reeves gives his usual Frank Gifford-on-thorazine performance. He plays a rich kid who hustles to get back at his family. Reeves is uniformly awful throughout. The interaction between Reeves and Pheonix is like watching two popular college guys go to their favorite hole-in-the-wall bar in the seedy section of town and attempt to "fit in". Meanwhile, they try to pay the tab with a VISA Platinum.

The shame of the movie is that what looks like might turn out to be a dark, intriguing portrait of a troubled twentysomething (nothing earthshattering, there, I grant you) winds up being a J. Crew travelogue that desperately wants to be (1) literary and (2) a cult film. Unless your name is Ed Wood, you can't just effortlessly toss off cult films. Even Wood had to wear fake breasts and fondle a cashmere sweater.

In truth, this would be a really good film student project if it were fifteen minutes long and in a language I couldn't understand. As it is, Van Sant doesn't have near the talent or original vision (see Psycho, the rape of) to pull off a formless character study or a literary cult film. Two stars because of Reeves, the first ten minutes and it's not based on a Tom Robbins novel.

Reality check...
This movie shocked me at first, but I soon realized that Gus Van Sant and the actors, especially Phoenix strove to present us with a picture and a reality we often don't see or don't choose to see. Welcome to the world of male hustlers. I didn't expect to be taken on a date in the first few minutes, and I was sad to learn how a person can give over their body for a 20$ bill. I was impressed and touched by River Phoenix's preparation for this character. His effort paid off beautifully! I understand through reading some of the biographical books about him; he always threw himself into every character. It is said that in preparation of the film, he spent a great deal of time with one particular hustler, a young man, whom he portrays. In addition, he lost an incredible amount of weight to look the part. Mike Waters is a young man looking for something. From highways to gay bars and back again, he searches for his mother, an ethereal character from his dreams, nightmares, and semi-wakefulness from his bouts of narcolepsy. The fits of instant sleep provided some comical moments, yet I enjoyed it because I was finding out what gave Mike stress. He was also looking for love from a man, and not from turning tricks. The actors often reffered to having sex with another person, for free, which gave you wings. The extent to which Mike and other actors will go to search and strive after a goal is unbelievable: From the high plains to the sea-board cities to France, they wandered from place to place looking for Mike's Mom. There is a conflict between Mike and his older brother, who is more a part of Mike life than he realizes. I was inspired by the courage of the characters to show the depth of comittment that a young man will go through to discover truth, no matter how difficult.

I highly recommend this movie to become aware of what happens all around us. We can love others better when remove the labels and love them regardless of where they came from. As a pastor and reviewer, I benefited greatly to seeing a brand new perspective of life and it helped in my work to aid people I know in these situations. It made me wonder - in this season of Christmas why our homes are not open to rejected teens. Loving and intimate relationships are free to give. Mike and his companion had a intense relationship of companionship which didn't revolve around sex That should inspire us to think how we treat the people around us.

"My Own Private Idaho" (just one more)
I forgot one more story, related to what I wrote, already. As if you'll print this, but maybe.
When "Sweet November" came out, I realized it was a remake of the 60s film, only it starred Keanu Reeves and Charlize Theron, this time. I'd seen the original, with Sandy Dennis and Anthony Newley, back in the 70s, when it was on TV late one night, with Susie, my ex-girlfriend I wrote about earlier--the one who gasped, when I called her from the hospital and told her I think I'm an alcoholic. We'd loved that movie--and the "irony" there is that her birthday is November 17th, and that date features prominently in the new movie. It's also set in San Francisco, and I live just north of there, at Muir Beach. What an "irony." Sometimes, when I see "coincidences" in movies his friends and family make and my own life, I now think this was maybe River trying to tell me something from the Great Beyond.
When I wrote Susie of this "irony," after yet another hiatus in our relationship--she is fundamentalist Christian and has right-wing beliefs, when no one I know on purpose does, anymore, really--she ignored me. So bye-bye, Susie, and maybe that is for the best, since she wasn't in sobriety, even though we smoked and drank and took drugs, though she didn't favor that last.
I have related stories--such as when I saw Summer, River's youngest sister, in "Wasted," for the first time. I like this movie, though I can do without the sex scenes. And she can't relate it to River's OD, though it's about heroin addiction and is dedicated, in part, to those who lost their lives due to this disease.
I will go to sleep, now. I had no idea I'd write so much, and it's late. I have a bit of a head cold, but I thought I'd write you, since you sell me a bunch of River Phoenix things, suddenly, and you might want to know why, incidentally.(...)

Weird and wonderful...Keanu Reeves can actually act??
Being fairly new to the world of 'art-house' movies, i first found this a little confusing, and i was concerned that this strange approach would hinder the emotional impact of the film, rendering it yet another overly stylish, powerless and incomprehensible piece of modern film-art. I had also heard that it was extremely shocking and controversial. However, i began to understand Gus Van Sant's language, and it soon seemed completely natural. The claims regarding its explicit sexual nature have been, fankly, grossly exaggerated and probably the result of mild homophobia. The camp fire scene is the most memorable, with River Phoenix's perfomance as Mike, subtle and shining as usual, bringing to mind the very similar camp-fire scene in "Stand by me". Having only seen Keanu Reeves appear in such films as 'Speed' and 'the Matrix', in which he hardly demonstrates any power or skill as an actor, it came as somewhat of a pleasant surprise to see his humorous and striking portrayal of Scott. A sensitive choice of music contributed to the mood, both in the comic, nostalgic steel-string guitar to the gentle folk song that plays as Mike vows through tears to find his mother (by the way, does anybody know what that song is or how to find out?). I was slightly disappointed and depressed by the ending, which is extremely inconclusive, but i suppose movies don't always need a conclusive ending to make them good. Overall a visually stylish, emotionally powerful movie, with some fantastic acting by River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves.

wierd, different, and sad
I did not know exactly to expect when watching this movie but I am a big fan of River Phoenix so I decided to give it a shot. I watched about the first third or so of it and found myself thinking I can't believe I rented this, with the exception of a few scenes that I thought were pretty funny, but when the campfire scene happened I became more involved with the film. I started to see Mike more as a person searching for love and his mother instead of just a male prostitute that fell asleep a lot. I thought River's acting was brilliant. Everything I have seen him in so far is so believable to me. For example, when he sees Scott and his new girlfriend kissing at the dinner table he blows smoke at them, out of obvious jealousy, and he can't sleep when he hears them making love in the next room. I think he was excellent in picking up people's mannerisms and the little things that people do. I ended up being so mad at Scott in the end and was saddened in how it seemed that Mike would live that life until his death. The role of Mike was played perfectly in that it seemed that he didn't even like being a prostitute, evident by his fits of sleep during most of those situations, but he was just trying to get by and find love. The believable acting, mostly by River, and the sadness and emotional vulnerability of the second 2 thirds or so of the film more than make up for the beginning. I hope to look deeper into people's lives and less likely to judge others, something that I must admit needing a little more help in. It really saddens me that there are people right now as I'm typing this review living lives similar to this one feeling like the "road never ends" for them. God bless them and everyone else. ... Read more

Description

From the director of Drugstore Cowboy and My Own Private Idaho comes a star-studded comedy based on the best-selling novel by TomRobbins.The cowgirls on the Rubber Rose Ranch are staging a rebellion. Delores Del Ruby (Bracco) is leading the uproarious uprising, but it?s really Sissy Hankshaw (Thurman) who?s providing the spiritual leadership for this rag-tag bunch of female bandits. With her marvelous thumbs and her funky brand of femininity, she shatters all male chauvinist illusions and boldly goes where no woman has gone before. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Stop Making Sense
After reading the Robbins novel my sophomore year in high school, I was fortunate enough to see this movie three times in the theatre shortly after it got released. Watching it again tonight reminded me of how much it blew my mind back then. Granted, the whole thing is gratuitously symbolic, and most of the actors speak as if they'd just skimmed their lines for the first time seconds before going on camera. Still, Even Cowgirls has a fun, campy quality to it that shouldn't be overlooked. If you like Tom Robbins then you'll appreciate the narration and the way Van Sant has the characters talk to one another. Plus the story is lovable ("greater freedom of movement"), the cast is all-star, the costumes are a riot, and William Burroughs is in it! Just relax and enjoy.

Some kinda awful
I can't believe the actors who lent their talent to this no-talent film.

An abomination, disappointment, and travesty
I was terribly excited when I learned of the film version of the first Tom Robbins novel I read. Learning of Gus Van Sant, Uma Thurman, Keanu Reeves, John Hurt, and even Rain Pheonix excited me even more. However, I was severly let down. This is, without question, the worst movie I have yet to see. As tavision so eloquently put it, "It is so bad, it isn't even good for being bad."

The plot is an abbreviation of the novel, to say the least. Granted, some cuts are to be expected, but some characters were reduced to such a shred of their literary counterparts it raises the question why Van Sant included them at all. The character of Dr. Robbins is completely absent, and the brevity with which the Chink is represented reduces him to a fortune-spewing, mountainman horndog. Pheonix is unbearable as Bonanza Jellybean. Her monotonous tones, lack of presence, and persistent lack of any cuteness destroy what could have been an excellent role. The character of Dolores Del Ruby is also disappointing; she lacks the wildness and distinction from the other cowgirls that the novel provides. This is despite an annoying soliloquoy directly to the camera and all too abundant whip-cracking. Uma Thurman would be the film's saving grace, but salvaging anything from this bastardization is akin to making sno-cones in hell. Hurt's Countess is fair, but again, the rest of the film drags it down. The voice-over by Robbins isn't spectacular, but his prose does carry some charm over.

At the end of the film, if K.D. Lang's original soundtrack hasn't been associated with the most painful cinematic experience of your couch's life, you are "treated" to a music video of the most played song in the movie, K.D. Lang's "Movement."

Do yourself a favor and spend the time reading some Robbins or praying if he attempts a film again he finds a director who can do his work justice.

Re-Defines how bad a movie can be.
There are movies like "Plan 9" that are so bad they have a charm about them, there are some like "Waterworld" that have the same inexplicable draw as a car accident, and there are some like "Desperate living" that you hate to admit you love. Cowgirls have none of these redemptions. The cast assembled has enough talent to make almost any plot watchable, and from what I've been told, the book is enjoyable.

How then could this movie be so intolerably bad? To begin with, it seems the director brought together a cast of names with no other tie than what will bring in the 20 somethings. Then tell them to do their best Kevin Costner imitations. Open the book at random and start shooting whatever is on the page making sure to keep the wide expanses of America from being interesting in any way. Finally give the editing job to your brother-in-law, because the meat packing plant just laid him off. He does have twenty years of cutting experience.

This movie now defines the basement for me. It is so bad, it isn't even good for being bad.

A brave project from the director of Good Will Hunting
Gus Van Sant is a bold film maker. He experiments with unusual ideas and occasionally hits the jackpot. Most would agree that Good Will Hunting and Finding Forrester were successful in every way, but this picture generates violent disagreement. Sadly the majority would dismiss this film as a failed experiment to bring an odd 1970s lesbian cowboy novel to the big screen. There is however a vocal minority who absolutely love the quirkiness of this film. Its difference is at the heart of its charm, and together with Uma Thurman's star quality and k.d. lang's score this movie rises above the everyday action comedy dramas or romances most film-makers are producing.

I have read the book and Van Sant's adaptation is very faithful. The sexuality is only hinted at and this is carried forward in the film in the brief scenes of touching between Rain Phoenix and Uma Thurman. Despite being twenty years old, Rain still manages to look like a young teenager, and this perhaps undermines the intention of the scenes with her. If there is such a thing as perfect casting it is that of k.d. lang as the soundtrack composer and performer, which fits as perfectly as you would expect. John Hurt almost reprises his Quentin Crisp in his role as The Duchess, a much louder performance than I imagined from the book, but nevertheless funny and well-observed. All in all, there are some enjoyable and interesting bits and pieces in this film, even if it doesn't quite hit the high tide mark of Van Sant's other achievements. ... Read more

Reviews (65)

Much better than I'd heard
Honestly, the criticism of this movie has been so exaggerated. Before seeing "Gerry," I'd heard that the movie contained only two or three bits of sparse dialogue, that it was suffocatingly slow, and even that it contained a sunset shot "in real time." All of this is false. Someone else even suggested that the whole film was a practical joke, and that Van Sant, Affleck, and Damon were laughing all the way to the bank. Yes, because this movie is SO commercial. I'm sure it was a HUGE moneymaker for all of them. (That was sarcasm, in case you couldn't tell.) As you've heard, this film is about two young men who get lost in the desert, and the movie does a good job of approximating what that would feel like. There is quite a bit of dialogue, although a lot of it is idle chatter or strategizing about how they're going to find their way back to the highway. Some of it, however, is pretty funny. The acting is great, the scenery is so beautiful and beautifully shot it's like a moving painting, and the end of the movie is haunting. I was still thinking about it the next day. No, this isn't wall-to-wall action or hilarity; don't go into it expecting that. Go into it expecting an interesting experimental film, and you won't be disappointed.

Visually stunning...but very drawn out.
This film would make the producers of National Geographic proud. It is a lonely and beautiful view of the desert we are given hear but the dialogue and purpose of this movie is vague and sparse. Alot of hopeless wandering in a big empty landscape devoid of anything.

Not for Everyone -- But...
Frustration. To me the goal of art is to delve into a human emotion or feeling, to make the viewer of the art feel what the creator of the art is trying to visualize. Unfortunately for this film, frustration is the emotion and feeling that is being portrayed. The frustration of being lost in the desert, the frustration of being a run-of-the-mill person. The two Gerrys know each other so well, you can't really tell what their relationship is, which adds to your confusion, but ah.... is this intended as well? Two sides of the same psyche? They barely even have to talk to each other. But the one scene where one Gerry is stuck on a rock, and they try to figure out how he's going to get down is the whole point of the film. Very memorable.

Through watching it, I found myself fidgeting, fastforwarding, losing interest, pausing... I felt like I was lost in the desert... oh! All sorts of rants went through my mind, "Oh would you two just have sex with each other already;" "Oh I don't care if you get out alive;" "Well what the heck did you leave the path for anyway!"

Existential, situational, experiential. If that's not your cup of tea, stay away. But if you like a thinking game and like to share the feelings of the characters in the film, have at it.

Oh and yeah, the desert is almost as beautiful as Matt Damon.

What a Beautiful Film....
I rented "Elephant" and "Gerry" in the same night. "Elephant" was a let-down, great concept and experiment, but all in all a failure as far as I was concerned. The first half of the film was brilliant, and probably the most authentic cinematic view of high school life since, well, Wiseman's "High School". But the second half turned into what I can only describe as a school shooting on demerol--the actors portraying the shooters did not have the capabilities to pull off the dimensionality of character Van Sant was going for, and the ending flopped as a result.

So next, I popped in "Gerry". Considering the reviews and media attention had been favoring "Elephant", I figured I wasn't in for much. Instead, I was treated to one of the most daring and original films I've ever watched.

The film is slow, but intentionally so. It portrays to the psyche of the viewer what a film like "Cast-Away" never could--the sheer monotony, hopelessness, solitude and fear of being lost or stranded. The vistas are beautiful in widescreen and become a character themselves, playing the antagonist off of the two protagonists, Affleck & Damon.

I won't go into the big question in this film, because it's a spoiler. But just keep in mind that certain characters in this film may not be characters at all, at least in the physical sense. It's this metaphysical and existential play that makes this film so interesting; the only work in cinema I can think to compare it to is Antonioni's "L'Avventura", which it pays homage to, but actually exceeds in its purpose, in my opinion.

If you can appreciate cinema that challenges you, check out this film. If that's not your thing, you probably won't like it.

interesting concept, tests your patience, but a once-view
Two guys. One desert. Little plot or dialog.
With that said, one knows some people will love it and some hate it, whether it be for their hipster pretentious flair or lack of attention span, either is debatable, which i shall not waste my time doing.
Listen-- if you want Gus Van Sant to get you into the mindset of a person who beleives they will die in the desert, this film accomplishes that with its sheer monotony and relentlessly slow pace. The long shots, in my opinion, serve this effect, and this definatly isn't for one who enjoys and defends conventional film making.
This also isn't a revolutionary idea, as I've seen student films go something like this (of course, at a lower quality, since they don't have the funds of Gus Van Sant), and it is rather pretentious to hail this as revolutionary or profound, since it has been explored in other films as well as other forms of media.
When it comes down to it, if you are turned off by the lack of events listed in all the reviews you'll see on this page, don't buy the DVD. Maybe shell out 4 bucks and rent the darn thing. And don't complain if you don't like it: you know by now what you're getting into.
That's just my opinion. I could be wrong. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Robin Williams won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, and actors Matt Damon and Ben Affleck nabbed one for Best Original Screenplay, but the feel-good hit Good Will Hunting triumphs because of its gifted director, Gus Van Sant. The unconventional director (My Own Private Idaho, Drugstore Cowboy) saves a script marred by vanity and clunky character development by yanking soulful, touching performances out of his entire cast (amazingly, even one by Williams that's relatively schtick-free). Van Sant pulls off the equivalent of what George Cukor accomplished for women's melodrama in the '30s and '40s: He's crafted an intelligent, unabashedly emotional male weepie about men trying to find inner-wisdom.

Matt Damon stars as Will Hunting, a closet math genius who ignores his gift in favor of nightly boozing and fighting with South Boston buddies (co-writer Ben Affleck among them). While working as a university janitor, he solves an impossible calculus problem scribbled on a hallway blackboard and reluctantly becomes the prodigy of an arrogant MIT professor (Stellan Skarsgård). Damon only avoids prison by agreeing to see psychiatrists, all of whom he mocks or psychologically destroys until he meets his match in the professor's former childhood friend, played by Williams. Both doctor and patient are haunted by the past, and as mutual respect develops, the healing process begins. The film's beauty lies not with grand climaxes, but with small, quiet moments. Scenes such as Affleck's clumsy pep talk to Damon while they drink beer after work, or any number of therapy session between Williams and Damon offer poignant looks at the awkward ways men show affection and feeling for one another. --Dave McCoy ... Read more

Reviews (345)

JCMICHAELS.COM Good Will Hunting Review
Good Will Hunting is one of those films that I wasn't expecting much, since the writers, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are so young. But surprisingly this young duo was able to write a sophisticated script that, with the direction of Gus Van Sant, became an Academy Award winner. Those awards, Best Supporting Actor and Best Original Screenplay definitely show the movies strong points. Unfortunately the acting is a little wooden and awkward at times, but is forgivable.

Luckily this movie has great bonus features including my favorite, audio commentary with Gus Van Sant, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. Also included are 11 deleted scenes with audio commentary, production featurette, and "Miss Misery" music video. In other words this DVD is loaded.

Overall, with all the bonus material and sophisticated story this is definitely a great rental. If on the other hand, you are huge fans of Ben and Matt, and have already seen it and loved the movie, then it really is a no-brainer, just buy it.

Beautiful, thought-provoking . . . perfect
This movie is either perfect, or as close as it's possible for a movie to be. The acting is outstanding. The direction is terrific. The script is heartfelt and real. The soundtrack, featuring Elliot Smith, is perfectly suited to the movie. All in all, it's one of the greatest movies I've ever seen, and it's my personal favorite.

Will Hunting (Matt Damon) is a janitor at MIT who harbors a secret genius for mathematics. Rather than bank on his intelligence, he spends most of his time riding around and drinking with his buddies (Ben Affleck, Cole Hauser, and a particularly funny and excellent Casey Affleck). However, his gift is discovered by a professor at the university (Stellan Skarsgard) who bails Will out of jail (in on a count of assault) on the conditions that he start doing math regularly with the professor and that he see a psychiatrist. Enter the psychiatrist, Sean (Robin Williams). To add to the mix, Will meets a Harvard student, Skylar (Minnie Driver) who is possibly the first woman for whom he's ever had real feelings. Over the course of the movie, all of these characters in their own way try to make Will live up to his potential.

The movie doesn't have much of a plot other than this -- however, that's fine, because it's meant to be more of a character study and it's a great one. Pretty much every scene is two people sitting down talking to each other -- yet it holds the viewer's interest because the characters are so captivating. Sean and Will's scenes in particular are terrific. Matt Damon and Robin Williams, besides both being fine actors, have a natural chemistry that you just can't fake. Damon and Minnie Driver are also great together (of course, as it's widely known, the two dated during the filming of the movie) and it's my opinion that both were robbed of their Oscars.

Ben Affleck shows that spark in this movie which he showed in most of his '90s movies, and he's great in his role -- but even better is his brother Casey. Watch the movie with the audio commentary, and you'll gain so much more appreciation for both the role of Morgan and the actor Casey. The same goes for Stellan Skarsgard. Cole Hauser is good with the few lines he has.

All in all, this is a great movie -- beautifully shot, well-written . . . well, I've said it all before. If you're not offended by excessive use of the word "f***" (and yes, some people really do talk like that) you should love it. Forget the naysayers -- "Good Will Hunting" is one of the most heartfelt, poignant movies in recent history. Too bad all the awards that year automatically went to the movie with the grandest special effects instead of the one with better dialogue and better characters.

A drama with emotional depth
This quiet drama about what genius means was the surprise hit of 1997, with friends Matt Damon and Ben Affleck both collaborating on the screenplay and acting. Damon plays Will Hunting, a troubled, gruff young man who works as a janitor at MIT despite his incredible self-education and intelligence. When a mathematics professor discovers that Will has solved a complicated problem left on the blackboard, he pursues Will as a potential protégé. But Will is not good with authority figures, as his past includes abuse at the hands of his father. When Will lands in jail, however, and the professor manages to obtain his release with the stipulation that Will work on mathematics with him and see a counselor, Will's whole life begins to open up. As a patient of psychologist Sean Maguire (Robin Williams), Will forges a relationship that acts as a catalyst for a new future.

Matt Damon does a wonderful job with the title role, although at times he seems a little wooden. As the therapist with a painful history that Will eventually connects with, Robin Williams turns in one of his less flamboyant performances. His suffering is palpable, and his need to save Will from himself lends real passion to the film. Affleck provides solid balance as Will's friend Chuckie, although his performance is less memorable than the other two, more of a function of the role than the actor. Minnie Driver is charming and believable as Will's new girlfriend Skylar.

The screenplay is intelligent and skillfully developed despite some unbelievable facets of the premise, most notably that such a wounded individual, no matter how bright, would have the discipline to teach himself as much as Will knows. Still, this movie only gets better as it progresses. The relationship between Will and his therapist is dynamic, poignant, and meaningful.

This is a good film to own, as it uncovers additional subtleties on second viewing, as long as you don't mind revisiting emotional angst. Its feel-good story arc is somewhat predictable, but the dialogue and interactions are not, making this flick surprisingly complex given the young ages of Damon and Affleck when it was made.

Good film, good job for a first time screenplay/movie.
This film, which was the first time for Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, in writing a screenplay, turned into a movie, is an impressive piece of work. About a shy, yet with an attitude, young man (who as we find out later was abused) who demonstrates his brilliance, but who will not let people get too close. Ben Affleck (before all of this "Bennifer" nonsense) is good as his buddy, who really wants him to use his "gift". With an outstanding performance by Robin Williams (who deserved his award) and Minnie Driver, the lads have put together a funny, poignant, movie; which wasn't "overdone" as some movies might be. Williams and Damon interact with each other with the right amount of "attitude" as they help each other overcome their fears, hopes, missed opportunities, and dreams. A better film than I thought it would be. I'd recommend it. The downside (for peope offended by language, i.e., profanity, is that there is a lot of it, especially the "F" word). If one can overlook that, if one's offended [I'm not overly so]; then, this movie speaks to the person inside all of us, as we ask ourselves some basic questions; what do we want out of life, do we have regrets, did we try hard enough to succeed, what does success mean, and so on. Damon's character refused to be "manipulated" by anyone, including the professor who had his own issues. Definitely worth seeing. Had a pretty decent soundtrack too.

Some Outstanding Moments, but Not a Masterpiece
GOOD WILL HUNTING was actually written by two of its stars, boyhood friends, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. I was surprised when I first learned this; the screenplay, while still a little rough around the edges, shows a lot of insight for the twentysomethings that Damon and Affleck were in 1997.

GOOD WILL HUNTING is the story of, who else, Will Hunting (Matt Damon), a janitor at MIT and a young man with a very troubled past. Will was an orphan and a victim of child abuse. As an adult he's a petty criminal with a short fuse and an uncanny ability to reduce the most complicated math problems and theorems to simple answers, something he does at night on MIT's chalkboards. Will is a mathematical genius with a photographic memory, but he neither recognizes his gift nor cares. He'd much rather be out with his other blue-collar buddies, drinking and getting into trouble.

Two things happen to change Will's errant ways. The first is the fact that his genius is found out by one of MIT's professors, Professor Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgard). Professor Skarsgard wants to do something to encourage Will to develop his gift. The second, and more pivotal thing that happens is that Will assaults a police office on one of his nightly binges and lands in jail.

Luckily, Will comes before a judge with some understanding of what he really needs. Instead of being sent to jail, Will is ordered to spend one day a week with Lambeau, studying math, and one day a week with a therapist in order to work through his short temper and his need to self-destruct. After a few false starts, Will ends up seeing Sean McGuire (Robin Williams), a teacher at Bunker Hill Community College and Lambeau's former college roommate. As things progress, it becomes more and more evident that Will is just as good for Sean as Sean is for Will. Will also receives help and encouragement from his childhood friend, Chuckie (Ben Affleck) and a pretty Harvard student from Britain, Skylar (Minnie Driver).

The plot of GOOD WILL HUNTING is very, very predictable, as is its ending, but that really didn't stop me from enjoying the film. There are some outstanding moments and set pieces, but overall, the film is only a little above average.

The dialogue is sometimes above average and, much to my delight, there was actually subtext, something so much screen and literary dialogue lacks these days. The thing that really rescues the film from mediocrity, though, are the performances from all the actors, especially an uncharacteristically subdued performance from Robin Williams. The scenes between Williams and Damon feel "real" and the chemistry between Affleck and Damon and Damon and Driver is palpable. Of course, the fact that Affleck and Damon have been lifelong friends and that Damon and Driver were romantically involved during the filming of GOOD WILL HUNTING didn't hurt the "chemistry" one bit. Still, it could have gone wrong. Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck were engaged when they made GIGLI and that fell flatter than any proverbial pancake ever could.

GOOD WILL HUNTING is a very solid, though predictable piece of entertainment, with strong performances from all concerned. I would recommend renting it before buying it, however, as it's not a film that one wants to see again and again. At least not in my opinion. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Numerous critics had already sharpened their knives even before Gus Van Sant's shot-for-shot color "re-creation" of the 1960 black-and-white Hitchcock classic was released, chiding the Good Will Hunting director for defiling hallowed ground. This intriguing cinematic curiosity, though, is hardly as sacrilegious as critics would lead you to believe. If anything, Van Sant doesn't take enough liberties with his almost slavish devotion to the material, now updated with modern references. At times, you wish Van Sant would cut loose with a little spontaneity, a little energy, a little something. Unfortunately, when he does venture outside Hitchcock's parameters, with inserted shots of storm clouds during the murder sequences, it's to little effect. Granted, he liberally splashes color throughout the film (especially in the case of the infamous shower scene), and this is a great-looking movie, but in his obsession with adding a new physical dimension to the film, there's little insight into these characters that Hitchcock hadn't already provided. Vince Vaughn, a robotic and giggly Norman, doesn't crawl under your skin the way boy-next-door Anthony Perkins did, and Anne Heche is admirable if not very sympathetic in the Janet Leigh role. Van Sant does score a minor coup, though, in his casting of the supporting roles: Julianne Moore provides a welcome shot of energy as Heche's irritable and curious sister, William H. Macy is a perfect small-time detective, Viggo Mortensen is studly enough to make you understand why Heche would want to run away with him, and James LeGros walks away with his one brief scene as a used car salesman. And Danny Elfman's gorgeous rerecording of Bernard Herrmann's score is a potent supporting character unto itself. Students and fans of the original film will get a kick out of the modern revisions, but don't expect anything of Hitchcockian caliber; watch it for the sum of its intriguing parts, but not the whole. --Mark Englehart ... Read more

Reviews (218)

Nothing New
Though no worse on several levels than the original, much-overrated "Psycho," Gus Van Sant's remake offers little that is new. Thuggish Vince Vaughn takes up the reins as Norman Bates--he's about as interesting to watch as the stuffed birds in the motel office--and pixie Anne Heche--who is more talented than most people give her credit for--gets to be his first on-screen victim. The comparisons to Alfred Hitchcock's "masterpiece" are not only obvious but required, as Van Sant, a bit too lovingly, literally re-creates nearly every scene, and Danny Elfman's score raids Bernard Herrmann's. Despite all the technical attention, though, there's something desperately missing from this version . . . perhaps the casual, plasticky times in which we live in seem rather "hollow" compared to the "grown up" 1960s in which the original was set, making the style of this film more campy than creepy. In an age when sex and violence are common commodities, even the subtext of the infamous shower scene probably gets lost among viewers used to seeing a 14-year-old's conception of such things. By the time blank-slate Jullianne Moore arrives, much of the momentum from comparing this version to the first is gone, making the rest of the film an exercise rather than entertainment.

Psycho (1998)
Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho made an impact on all audiences around the world. Director Gus Van Sant is here to give you this word-for-word remake to make you forever take showers with the curtains open.

Starting off in Phoenix, Arizona on Friday, December 11th, 1998. The beautiful MARION CRANE (played by Anne Heche) has rented a posh hotel room with her boyfriend, SAM LOOMIS (played by Viggo Mortensen), during her lunchbreak. Marion has to get back to work, while Sam has to get back to Fairvelle. Marion gets back to work a little late, but lucks out in knowing that her boss, GEORGE LOWERY (played by Rance Howard) is late himself, for he is in a meeting. In comes George Lowery, following a businessman named, Tom Cassidy (played by Chad Everett). He walks over to Marion and begins telling her about his 18-year old daughter tying the knot. He hands Marion $400,000, the money Mr. Cassidy will be using to buy his daughter a house as a wedding present. George invites Tom into his office and tells Marion to bank the $400,000 until the following Monday. Marion asks George for permission to take the rest of the day off because of her supposed headache and goes on her way.

While in her bedroom, Marion packs a suitcase and changes clothes. She so temptingly stares at the $400,000 and tries to restrain herself, but not for long, for, in one quick movement, she steals the $400,000 and heads out to her car. Seems as though that Marion is on her way to Fairvelle to see Sam. While at a red light, she notices George crossing in front of her. Unfortunately, he notices Marion, but Marion, as worried as she is about having being noticed, continues on her way. She drives into dusk until pulling over to sleep. The next morning, Marion is awakened by a suspicious cop. She nervously talks to the cop and goes on her way, as the cop follows her. She pulls into a dealership and requests to trade in her car for another. She makes her decision rather quickly and pays for it with her car, plus $4000.

She drives on her through the morning, afternoon, and into dusk. Suddenly, it's starts to storm. She gets off a main road and finds The Bates Motel sitting quietly off the highway as if it were hidden from it. She gets out and sees nobody in the office. She looks up and finds a sinister looking house and notices, through a window, an elderly woman walking about. She beeps her car horn until someone comes running out. He finally comes to Marion's aide and takes her inside. The man who took Marion inside the office is NORMAN BATES (played Vince Vaughn), a seemingly-sweet young man, who owns both the house and motel. He checks Marion in to cabin No. 1 because 'it's closer in case you want anything'. Marion says she wants sleep more than anything, except maybe some food. Norman invites her to the house for some sandwiches. As he goes off to make the sandwiches, Marion hears a woman, viciously yelling at Norman. The woman is the elderly woman Marion saw and it turns out that the woman is Norman's mother. Norman yells back and comes back into Marion's room. The two have supper in Norman's polar, which is located in the back of the office. The polar is decorated with stuffed birds. Turns out that Norman's hobby is taxidermy. They have a brief conversation, leading to Marion wanting to get some sleep. She goes off into her cabin and gets ready to take a shower. She steps in and begins washing herself. While in the middle of her shower, the curtain opens to reveal a dark figure of an elderly woman. Marion turns around and screams in fright as she is murdered in cold blood. The woman disappears and Norman comes in to erase the crime.

A week later, a young woman runs into Sam Loomis' store and demands to talk to Sam. Sam comes out and walks over to the young woman. The young woman is LILA CRANE (played by Julianne Moore), Marion's curious sister. She tells Sam what Marion had done the Friday before. As Sam and Lila are talking about it, a private investigator by the name of MILTON ARBOGAST (played by William H. Macy) comes in and begins talking to Sam and Lila about Marion. He goes off to investigate and comes across Norman and The Bates Motel. He questions Norman, but claims that Marion stayed overnight and left early the next morning. Arbogast then sees Norman's mother and asks to question her, but Norman refuses. Arbogast calls Lila and Sam, gives them the news and goes into the house to question Norman's mother, only to be killed by her.

Lila and Sam have been waiting for Arbogast to return for three hours. Sam drives up there, but finds no Arbogast, but only Norman's mother. He drives back to Lila and they visit SHERIFF AL CHAMBERS. Al and his wife, ELIZA CHAMBERS listen to Lila and Sam's story of Marion's disappearance and of Arbogast's disappearance. Sam says that when he went up there, he too noticed Norman's mother. Both Al and Eliza make them aware of the death of Norman's mother that happened ten years earlier. Sam is certain of seeing Norman's mother in the house. The next morning, Lila and Sam drive up to the motel and decide to check in as man and wife, in order to search the motel. They are checked in by Norman. They settle in and begin searching Cabin No.1 and find that it was occupied by Marion. Sam tells Lila to take the job of questioning Mrs. Bates, while he distracts Norman. Lila enters Norman's fruitcellar, only to see that Mrs. Bates is dead, as the real killer is finally revealed. Watch this remake and be terrified of showers all over again.

Why?
Why? Why? WHY? Why remake a classic horror film? That means remaking it with exactly the same screenshots, lines, right down to the same camara angles used in the original. The only difference is that this one's in color. So if they're basicly the same then this will be just as good, right? Wrong! I don't know exactly what it is, but the remake just doesn't have any of the style and flair of the first.
I was bored while I watched this movie (because I watched it before the original.) The remake of Psycho actually made it into the top 100 celebrity opps! I dunno, I guess I'm not really one for remakes (but I do like the Fly (1986)) esp if it's a remake of a really good movie. Most remake are, because no one wants to remake a bad movie, even though bad movies are the ones they actually SHOULD be remaking.
Don't buy this movie. Well, I don't know, if you love it then you can get it. But the 1960 version is way better. The acting was also better. Nothing beats Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates, or Janet Leigh (mother of Jamie Lee Curtis) as Marion Crane. Also I think the film just 'works' better in black and white.
I'm giving the remake two stars because it's still a great story. But the question still remains-why?

This isn't a remake. It's a tribute!!!
Loads of people are slating this movie for being made at all considering the original was perfect in so many ways and constantly ask why did they do it?

Gus Van Sant isn't remaking Psycho here he's doing what is his version of a tribute. If you go to the film's official website there is a whole section about why they decided to remake the film. Many people said the reason they did this movie was so we'd all have a version of Psycho that is in colour. So why not release the original in coloured format? Well that's because the film works as a black and white piece and turning it into colour would probably ruin it's effect. The classic shots would just end up looking tacky! Gus Van Sant states he isn't trying to make a film which would try and sqaush the original because that just can't be done! He's simply creating a film which would be available to a young audience the way the original Psycho was when it was first released because a group of teenagers would rather see a film with good effects and currently popular stars right! Not watch a black and white film with a cast that is mostly dead now. He wants to keep the memory of Psycho going and by doing that has released this film.

A lot of people also criticise Vince Vaughn for not playing Norman Bates the way Anthony Hopkins did. Vince clearly states on the website that when he read the book he realized that Anthony had portrayed the character in a completely different way. A better way! He didn't want to risk trying to do that so portrayed Norman the way he is written in the original book. Also personally I thought Anne Heche was great as Marion! Plus Alfred Hitchcock's daughter worked on this movie a lot and she says that her father would be extremely proud and flattered that somebody is remaking his movie. If you wanna read all these interviews for yourself just go to www.psychomovie.com

People set their expectations too high for this film and they only have themselves to blame. Gus Van Sant picked Psycho up from the ground when it was dying to revive it so younger audiences would remember it and it would live on forever and you're putting him down for it! SHAME ON YOU!!! At least this film is better than the remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre if you can call it that! It was a completely different story just with the same name! It would've been a lot more fitting being named The Texas Chainsaw Massacre : Part 5!

Psycho
I just finished watching the remake of Alfred Hitchcock's classic Psycho.This movie is totally and utterly pointless.Anne Heche is the only thing that makes this film any good.She does a great performance.First of all this film is exactly the same as the original shoot to shoot.The only difference is it is in color and has different actors and acteresses.The director must have been watching the original in the back while directing at the same time.I think that it's nice they tried but you can't remake PSYCHO.They should have at least tried to make it their own version.Thumbs up to the actors but thumbs down to originality.The man playing Norman Bates does a good job but you can't be as good as the original Bates.If there was an award for a film that was a remake and exactly like the original then Psycho(1998) would be a nominee and winner.If you like this movie then you should definetly like the original if you haven't already seen it.Don't waste your time if you've already seen the original.I just wish this one could have made it, but maybe there will be another remake that's better.

"So much of Van Sant's 'new' version of the classic remains the same that you sit there shaking your head, mumbling, why, oh, why?"
-- Peter Brunette, FILM.COM ... Read more