Good Will Hunting (1997)

Good Will Hunting is a 1997 American drama film directed by Gus Van Sant and written by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. It stars Damon, Affleck, Robin Williams, Stellan Skarsgård, and Minnie Driver, with Casey Affleck and Cole Hauser in supporting roles. Set in Boston, the film follows Will Hunting (Damon), a troubled but self-taught mathematical genius working as a janitor at MIT, whose talent is discovered by professor Gerald Lambeau (Skarsgård). To avoid jail, Will agrees to study under Lambeau while attending therapy with psychologist Sean Maguire (Williams), which forces him to confront his past and his relationships, including with Harvard student Skylar (Driver).

Released by Miramax Films, Good Will Hunting premiered on December 2, 1997, and opened in the United States on December 5. Produced on a budget of about $10–16 million, it became a commercial success, grossing $225.9 million worldwide.

The film received widespread critical acclaim, particularly for Williams' performance and Affleck and Damon's screenplay. At the 70th Academy Awards, it received nine nominations and won Best Supporting Actor (Williams) and Best Original Screenplay (Affleck and Damon). The soundtrack features a score by Danny Elfman and songs by singer-songwriter Elliott Smith, including the Oscar-nominated "Miss Misery".