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Good Will Hunting is one of the most famous films of the 90s, and one that plenty of fans still love today. Matt Damon plays orphan genius Will, Stellan Skarsgård knocks his role of MIT professor Lambeau out of the park, and Robin Williams is terrific as Will’s therapist Sean. Along with other memorable performances and Gus Van Sant‘s focused direction, the craft and the story’s conflict cohere into something that’s both accessible and meaningful.
Famously written by Damon and Ben Affleck, the Bostonian dialogue here feels lived-in and believable. The best quotes transcend this relatively simple story into something that’s easy to revisit, mixing the film’s sense of humor with a dramatic flourish that can make viewers cry to this day. There’s a bunch of teasing and joking that isn’t particularly profound, so no: “Give us a kiss” won’t make it to the top ten here. And no, “How about them apples?” isn’t one of the best quotes either. A few of the entries will be funny, sure; but for the most part, Good Will Hunting‘s greatest lines convey Will’s arc, deeply invest us in the characters (major and minor), and are executed in a way (from the acting to the directing) that makes them structurally or emotionally complex.
10
“Yeah, but I will have a degree. And you’ll be serving my kids fries at a drive-thru on our way to a skiing trip.”
Clark (Scott William Winters)
A Harvard student (Scott William Winters) at a bar is embarrassing Chuckie (Affleck). After Will quotes the same books that this guy Clark was quoting, he says that one day he’ll realize he spent a bunch of money on an education he could get at the library. This stranger does not come out the victor of this argument, but his rebuttal is essential to the story: “Yeah, but I will have a degree. And you’ll be serving my kids fries at a drive-thru on our way to a skiing trip.”
This is the film’s conflict, summed up in two pretentiously blunt sentences. Will has such tremendous potential, and he clearly has an interest in a variety of subjects that can bring him respect and wealth. Yet, for some reason, he’s resigning himself to a life of laying brick, mopping hallways, and serving time while less talented people have the confidence to fulfill their potential. This guy isn’t nice, but he is right.
9
“You feel like you’re alone, Will?”
Sean (Robin Williams)
In an interview with the NSA, Will is posed with the question of why he shouldn’t work for this massive network of national intelligence. The kid’s answer is a long, elaborate rant that involves a hypothetical scenario of what plays out after he breaks an important code. It’s funny, it’s angry, and (as always) he’s got it memorized well enough to repeat it word-for-word to Sean when he later goes to counseling. After hearing all this, Sean calmly asks, “You feel like you’re alone, Will?”
It’s hard not to crack up at this reply. Even Will laughs a little, “What?” Surely he expected Sean to directly engage with a part of that rant, but this just shows his lack of self-awareness. That’s not to say that Will’s cynicism is totally unfounded, but his instinct to fashion make-believe scenarios in his head before giving something a shot is what Sean is interested in. With that in mind, the counselor’s response feels like both a humorous and entirely serious subversion of Will’s expectations.
8
“There is a lengthy legal precedent, your honor…”
Will (Matt Damon)
As Lambeau walks into a courtroom, he finds Will defending himself on the witness stand: “There is a lengthy legal precedent, your Honor, going back to 1789, whereby a defendant can claim self-defense against an agent of the government if that act is deemed a defense against tryanny, a defense of liberty.” Will goes on to quote someone from 1887, at which point the prosecutor complains that he’s making a mockery of the courtroom with such ancient texts.
The fact that Will is going back centuries to defend himself is already hilarious. Let’s also remember that this “defense against tyranny” argument is Will’s justification for punching a cop who wanted to arrest him for severely beating up another guy. This is such a dramatic, obscure, and shockingly articulate defense for being a prick. This is one of the funniest scenes in the film, but it also displays the increasing tension between Will’s lifestyle and potential.
7
“But I think that’s a super philosophy, Will. That way, you can go through your entire life without ever having to really know anybody.”
Sean (Robin Williams)
In one of their first sessions, Will is telling Sean that he doesn’t want to ruin the dynamic in which he and Skyler (Minnie Driver) seem perfect for each other. Sean sarcastically says, “I think that’s a super philosophy, Will. That way, you can go through your entire life without ever having to really know anybody.” Meanwhile, the camera pans a little to the left as it stays on Will’s face, conveying that there is another, more fearful side of him.
This quote shows up again in the same scene, except it’s directed back at Sean. After the man talks about his wife, and Will asks if he’s going to ever marry again, Sean insists that his wife is dead. Which leads Will to encourage him (sarcastically) to go the rest of his life without ever knowing anyone. It’s ironic how this therapist doesn’t take his own advice, setting up a relationship between these two in which they’re still challenging each other (except for the better).
6
“Most people never get to see how brilliant they can be.”
Tom (Jon Mighton)
One thing that separates decent movies from very good and great ones is how they handle lines that technically don’t need to be there. The best example in Good Will Hunting is at the beginning of a scene where Lambeau’s assistant Tom (Jon Mighton) and Will are sitting in Lambeau’s office, waiting for him. Out of the blue, Tom says, “Most people never get to see how brilliant they can be. They don’t find teachers who believe in them. They get convinced they’re stupid. I hope you appreciate what he’s doing, because I’ve seen how much he enjoys working with you. Not against you.”
He turns away, and Will doesn’t even reply. In fact, Will didn’t even look at him during that monologue, as if Tom doesn’t exist. When Lambeau enters the room, he asks Tom to get them some coffee. Brutal: Tom, like some others, is clearly jealous of Will. But it’s more acute for him, as he’s essentially been replaced, forgotten. Tom thus serves as an excellent foil to Will. Does he feel like he’s reached his potential? Doesn’t seem like it. And his flat, passionless tone only emphasizes his unexciting position further.
5
“I didn’t know that.”
Skyler (Minnie Driver)
Skyler and Will are having a fight about going to California. Will is too afraid to roll the dice with this romance, and Skyler is calling him out for it. She also calls him out for lying about his 12 brothers. So he raises his voice, says he’s an orphan. Skyler says, “I didn’t know that,” in her defense. How was she supposed to know? Then he says he had cigarettes put out on him when he was growing up, at which point her face creases: “I didn’t know that…”
One of the best ways to make a repeated line spoken by the same character not feel redundant or lazy is by changing its tone when it comes around again. It’s already enough of a revelation that Will was an orphan, but Skyler can’t help but tear up when she finds out that Will underwent physical abuse as a child. Now her tone of voice shifts from trying to win an argument to trying to comfort her boyfriend and getting him to say that he loves her. Anchored by Minnie Driver’s performance, this line (and whole scene) is heart-breaking.
4
“You don’t owe it to yourself; you owe it to me.”
Chuckie (Ben Affleck)
Sean, Skyler, Lambeau—none of them could persuade Will to abandon his job laying brick and pursue something that can actually give him a sense of fulfillment. Then comes Chuckie, who gives him a much-needed talking to while on break at work. Will defensively begins to counter that people are telling him he owes it to himself to do this and that, but Chuckie cuts him off: “No, no. F*** you. You don’t owe it to yourself; you owe it to me. Because tomorrow I’m gonna wake up and I’ll be fifty, and I’ll still be doing this s***.”
Since he and the other guys would do anything to have what Will has, “It would be an insult to us if you’re still here in 20 years.” This speech hits even harder because Will didn’t anticipate any push-back from his best friend. Even Sean said earlier that Chuckie doesn’t challenge him, would do anything for him, so Will finds this criticism much harder to shrug off and just say his friend doesn’t get it. Chuckie does get it, and his explanation is blunt enough to knock some sense into our protagonist.
3
“Look at me. What do you want to do?”
Sean (Robin Williams)
At this point, Sean and Will have been talking for long enough that Sean wants to start discussing Will’s future. But Will doesn’t: the question of what to do with his life is still too daunting, so he tells Sean he wants to be a shepherd. Near the end of the argument, Sean says, “Look at me. What do you want to do?” The camera cuts to Will, who doesn’t say anything. As Sean then points out, the kid can’t answer a simple question.
Sometimes a quote is elevated by the response to it, and that’s what makes this question so powerful. It’s not simply the fact that Will doesn’t know the answer; he could have just said “I don’t know,” which would have at least conveyed some acknowledgment of his dilemma. But he’s too afraid to even say that much. A sincere conversation, a sober reflection on who he really is or wants to be? That’s overwhelming, so “What do you want to do?” cuts right to his core.
2
“But I bet you can’t tell me what it smells like in the Sistine Chapel.”
Sean (Robin Williams)
You can’t write about the best quotes in Good Will Hunting without mentioning one of the most beloved monologues in movie history. For their second meeting, Sean has Will sit with him on a park bench. Sean thought about what Will said about his painting, then realized Will’s too young to know what he’s talking about. Sure, he’s studied Michelangelo, “But I bet you can’t tell me what it smells like in the Sistine Chapel.”
Life is about experiences, sensations that spark the imagination rather than rely on it. Sean goes on to list other things Will hasn’t done, and what makes this observation great is that Sean transitions this criticism back into a positive light. After all, Will is more complicated than the simple facts of his life; reading something like Oliver Twist cannot make someone understand an individual’s unique journey. This way, Will doesn’t feel critiqued so much as allowed to express himself.
1
“It’s not your fault.”
Sean (Robin Williams)
We all knew it was coming, so let’s dig in. The most famous line in the movie, “It’s not your fault,” is another that’s spoken more than once by the same character. This time it’s Sean, who (unlike Skyler) does not change the tone of his voice. It’s kind of the reverse of the “I didn’t know that” entry; these lines do produce a tonal shift, only it’s the response to the line that changes. Will gradually struggles through several emotions as Sean calmly tells him that his traumatic childhood wasn’t his fault.
While this is Sean’s dialogue, it’s telling that the first time he says it, his back is facing the camera. We’re focused on Will’s reaction. The kid says he knows, but does he? His reaction changes as Sean repeats himself: smiling, pushing Sean away, crying, and finally hugging his therapist. Another thing that makes this melodrama work is the build-up, beginning with Sean and Lambeau arguing; the discussion of domestic abuse; Will’s disclosure that he broke up with Skyler. Overall, the repetition here elicits an emotional climax that feels hard-earned.
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J.S. Gornael
Almontather Rassoul
