(Quotations used in this article are from the development script dated 12/4/96 by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.)

The film delivers an intellectually and emotionally fulfilling story. Cast with real life friends and screenplay authors Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, dialogue is realistic, if sometimes too quick, accents thick, and asides perhaps too inside for the audience to catch. A nice moment intimating Damon and Affleck's long time friendship is a glance into their characters' daily routine--the fluid motion of sliding into the car, coffee in hand, and moving off. The storyweaving of all four throughlines is tight--a scene depicting the passionate argument can also contain points pertinent to the main character, influence character, and objective story throughline (e.g., Sean McGuire in his psychologist role). It is no surprise this fine first effort has, as of this review, already been awarded Best Original Screenplay from the foreign press, and nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.

Will Hunting is a punk prodigy. He is the main character; his problems occur in the physics domain. Will is concerned with doing what it takes to get by--his activities have no inherent purpose. Abandoned and abused, Will carries a colossal chip on his shoulder--he is a do-er who strikes out with his fists, and defends himself and his friends with brilliant intellect ("My boy's wicked smart"). He has a male mental sex, particularly well represented in his symptom of cause and response of effect, yet his genius, in a sense, is holistic:

Will works as a janitor at M.I.T. under the auspices of the Parole Employment Program. That he has solved difficult theorems on the main hallway chalkboard while swabbing floors causes Nobel Prize winner Professor Gerry Lambeau to seek him out. Lambeau finds Will at his arraignment for assaulting a cop. The objective story takes shape as the judge decides, under the following circumstances, to allow Will a stay from his jail sentence:

The story goal of progress is then established:

Meeting these conditions by the week after Will's 21st birthday (six months) indicates a timelock, however, emphasis is placed on the limited options Will has in order to make progress with his intellectual and emotional potential.

Test is the problem shared by the objective and main character's stories. In the objective story, students prepare for examinations; rivalries between the "smart kids" and the "Southies" provoke challenges to prove oneself: "We can step outside and deal with it" and so forth. For Will, any relationship outside his own tightly knit friendships is subject to a proving ground exemplified by the number of therapists he goes through until meeting his influence character, Sean McGuire:

Sean is Lambeau's last ditch effort to find a therapist for Will. His throughline is explored, appropriately enough, in the psychology domain. The screenplay description sketches his current existence: "Although there is a confidence in his eyes . . . he lost his enthusiasm long ago. Tired of teaching, tired of life, he finds himself resigned to the tedium of teaching core classes to an indifferent student body." Lambeau calls on their past friendship for the favor of Sean counseling Will, divulging, "You're from the same neighborhood."

Will sets off the relationship story concern of preconscious in his first session with Sean. He rudely and cruelly makes assumptions about Sean's marriage, unwittingly determining (relationship story problem) Sean's focus, the ceaseless mourning for his wife:

Will is skilled at taking one's measure, illustrated when he attacks Clark's pretentiousness and exposes hapless shrinks' affectations, but lacks real world experience to truly understand the ramifications of his actions, particularly when the actions are thoughtless (main character critical flaw). Sean, stung by Will's comments about his deceased wife, identifies his main character thematic conflict:

A conversation about the progress of the therapy sessions illustrates the fixed mindset established in the relationship story throughline:

Will finally opens up, revealing his interest in Skylar. Sean's unique ability of knowledge compels Will to consider the notion of trust:

As the story continues, Lambeau asks Sean if he and Will have discussed the boy's future (objective story benchmark) because his (Lambeau's) "phone's been ringing off the hook with job offers. . . . Cutting edge physics, think tanks . . ." Lambeau has a fantasy (objective story issue) of Will as the second Einstein: "But it was one twenty-six year old Swiss Patent clerk, doing physics in his spare time, who read the mind of God. He changed the world." This conflicts with Sean's reality check (fact): "That's great, Gerry, if that's what he wants. But this kid's not here for nothing." He further ruminates: "Einstein. Had two marriages, both train-wrecks. The guy never saw his kids, one of whom, I think, ended up in an asylum."

Chuckie homes in on the main character benchmark of obtaining, declaring if Will fell in with Lambeau's plans, at least he'd "make some nice bank." In this same conversation, the objective story symptom of unending, and response of ending is illustrated:

The passionate thematic exploration between worth and value explodes in the climatic last session between Will and Sean:

The therapist is finally able (influence character issue) to convince Will of his self-worth and subsequent value to others, setting up the relationship story solution of expectation.

The Lambeau/Sean subplot effectively serves to develop the influence character throughline, yet is also responsible for the film's most awkward moment. Sean's problem is his hunch that Lambeau and the rest of their peers think he's a failure. While he remains steadfast in his relationship with Will, Sean changes in the subplot by starting to apply his concerns to his own theories. His new resolve occurs approximately at the same time Will is making his change--momentarily distracting the audience's attention from the power of the story's successful outcome. The moment passes, however, and it is all good for Will Hunting. He finally wises up (unique ability) and stops the careless treatment of his impossibly high IQ, and is last seen cruising cross country "to go see about a girl."