Latest / Popcorn and Pals / Ep 18 - Good Will Hunting (1997)
Transcript
- justin: Welcome back to Popcorn and Pals, the podcast where we talk about all sorts of movies, good and bad, and give you our completely unqualified takes on them. He's Zach and I'm Justin. And today we're talking about the 1997 classic that'll make you wish you were smarter than you actually are. It's Good Will Hunting. But before we dive in, Zachary, how are we doing? Zach: Ha ha ha. I'm excited. We're back. We're back in 1997. This is our third 1997 movie. We've only done like 18 movies for this podcast. Like this was a bang like we've talked about before. This is like a banger year. And we haven't even done the big one. We've never done Titanic. You know, like But we got LA Confidential, we got Goodwill Hunting, and we got, of course, Starship Troopers, right? You know. justin: Mm-hmm. Yeah. That's the big one. That's the big one you were talking about. Zach: Yeah, th that's the big one. The big one for us. Yeah, but so we're back. Nineteen ninety seven, the year that we'll live in cinema history, I guess. It was. Yeah. justin: Hmm It's a good year. I feel like it'll go down as like one of the strongest years of Hollywood history. Zach: You know, I s was like thinking about this movie, 'cause we did another like another like nineties, you know, kind of movie when we did we did Reservoir Dogs, but we talked about Pulp Fiction and kind of the whole quint Tarantino of it all. And like to me like there's like maybe two or three types of nineties movies. You have like the edgy nineties, like the dark nineties, like the you know, like we were talking about like justin: Mm-hmm. Zach: Pulp Fiction and Fight Club and it's like, yeah, this is like I'm cool, I'm in college, I'm you know, I feel like I have like something to say now, you know, like kind of thing. And whether you do or not. And then you had like the goodwill huntings of the world. And it was like I was like thinking it was like Goodwill Hunting, what was the other one? I wrote another one down. I was like, Yeah, this kind of like Shawshank Redemption. justin: Mm-hmm. Alright. god, yeah. Zach: Where it's like kind of these like more saccharine kind of nineties and they just like have this nostalgic feel and they're just like a good time. And then you had like the blockbusters. You had like the like the Jurassic Parks of the world too, right? It's like they had these like huge block you know, Matrix, these huge blockbusters coming out as well. So I feel like you had like three types of movies that like like really seep their way into pop culture. This is my favorite genre of nineties movies. Like this justin: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Zach: Saccharin, good time, really rewatchable, very relatable characters, very fun characters. this is like I think my favorite version. justin: Mm-hmm. You I'm kind of surprised that you don't favor the grunge, the 90s grunge. I see you as like a fight club guy, very edgy, very dark. Zach: no, I've d We'll probably do Fly Cub eventually, 'cause have you ever seen Fly Cub? Yeah. I I don't know what your opinion on is. I fucking hate that movie. I think it's got a great last twenty minutes. Like once the the like he realizes not to spoil Fight Club, but like once he realizes that is it Durden, right? Or like Brad Pitt is like in his head and he's been Brad Pitt the whole time. justin: I Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Zach: Like the movie becomes interesting. Everything before that, like ev which is like what I think like a lot of like machismo young men like took away from it was like this machismo y like consumerism is bad, man. Like that the first half of the movie or the first half, the first like ninety percent of that movie has fucking hate it. It's so But I do like the last twenty minutes of that movie. I think like it has something really the switch justin: Mm-hmm. You Mm. Zach: The flip is really interesting, not to get all into Fy Club. I don't know what w what are your opinions on Fy Club? justin: Yeah. I... No, I mean, should we just... Let's just kick Good Will Hunting to the curb. Let's just make this Fight Club pod episode. Yeah, Tyler Durden. No, I... I don't know if I have an opinion on Fight Club. I don't... It's not my type of movie, so I feel like... I can say I don't like it, but I feel like it doesn't matter. That's like me saying I don't like atonement or something. Yeah. Zach: Ha ha ha. Mm-hmm. 'Cause it's Fincher, right? Yeah, and I like Fincher movies. Like there's other movies that I like of his. Cause he he did he did social network, right? Which is justin: Mm-hmm. Yeah. No, that was, I thought that was, Did he do social network? I thought that was, or maybe Aaron Sorkin wrote it. I know Sorkin was involved. Okay. But Fincher directed it. Zach: Aaron Shorkin wrote Social Network. Yeah, but I mean like Fincher's done, he did like Zodiac. He did yeah, Social Network. he did Gone Girl. You know, speaking of Brad, speaking of Ben Affleck. he did the the girl with the dragon tattoo with b with James Bond, you know? Like, he's done some really good movies. I just do not like Fight Club. So but yeah. justin: Mm. Yeah Mmm. No. Okay. So I'll get you a Fight Club t-shirt for your birthday. And the barf soap. Well outside of Fight Club, how are things? How's everybody doing? Zach: Ha ha ha. Look at good. I'm getting we've been talking about it for like three episodes now, but I'm finally getting ready to go overseas. It's very exciting. My my wife was yelling at me this morning 'cause I've literally leaving tomorrow. Not packed a thing. Like I've not I mean I looked made sure my passport wasn't like expired, but like haven't done anything. And she's like I would've had a list, would have things start to get packed like two months ago and I'm like, What's the difference of going overseas or going like justin: Mm. Mm. You said it. Zach: to my parents like, you know, for a week. It's like I gotta bring clothes. I put clothes on, I take them off, I put them back in the bag. Like, I don't know. I just don't know why there's so much like yeah it's gonna take me 20 minutes, but yeah, sh she was in like she's having like an existential, you know, panic attack for me. For me. justin: You Yeah. Yeah, that's... I'm with Carly. I'm with Carly. I'm very much a planner. I have to have everything mapped out. But that's commendable that you are easy riding because I feel like most people don't do that. Zach: no. No, I'm gonna the the problem is is I'm gonna like 'cause we're in going to Argentina and I'm gonna have to like I don't know. I'm gonna have to buy something in Argentina for sure that I forgot. There's no doubt. justin: you Zach: but my mentality is always like, well I'll buy it, you know. It'd probably a little easier when I know the United States and like what stores are there, but like what? Like Argentina doesn't have stores? I mean, come on, we'll figure it out. I'll figure it out. Not going to Antarctica, you know. Maybe if it was Antarctica I'd plan a little better. justin: Mm-hmm. Yeah, you're not the, You're not the classic, the classic joke of you pack enough underwear like you're gonna poop your pants every day. That's not you. Zach: yeah, yeah, yeah. No, so I th yeah, that's exactly how my wife is. She's like, What if I shit myself every day while I'm on a trip, you know? But like when was the last time you did that? When you were one? You know justin: That's the only way to pack Zachary. Hey, famous last words, because the one time you don't do it is the time it happens to you. Zach: No, I know, right. Look, I bring exactly what I mean to wear and nothing more, nothing less. I br I don't bring any extras. And I'm like, if it which is she also that also stresses her out. But I was like, I used to bring like, I'll bring an extra shirt and a pair of pants and a couple socks and a couple whatever. And I'd come back home and I'd put back away. I'm like, why did I just carry them from one place to the other? And like, if an emergency happens and I just, you know, did food poisoning and really justin: Mm. Zach: really have an issue. I don't know, there's laundry mats. Like I'll go figure it out. I'll fli I'll go I'll I'll throw that, you know, the those pants away and I'll wear whatever the other pants I brought. justin: No, you have to take your doo-doo pants back to the States. Here's the real question. How many pairs of shoes are you gonna bring? Or do think you'll bring? Zach: It's a big it's a big sore spot for me. So I would prefer to bring one. Like just what I'm wearing. But I do like to work out. So I'm like I can't and I'm going to an office. So I can't like wear dress shoes to the gym, obviously. So I'll probably bring two pair of shoes. One to wear, one for work, one for exercise. But I I I hate the fact that I have to bring exercise ones. Like I hate it. I wish I could just have one shoe. justin: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yep. There you go. smart. Yeah. Yeah. Well, maybe, I think that's the smartest way to go about it. Two pairs of, two pairs of shoes. Cause you're going to be doing sightseeing, right? You're not just going to be working the whole time. Zach: Yeah, yeah. So I'm working for the first week and then Carly's gonna come down after I'm done working. We're gonna spend like five days without the kids living it living it up in Argentina, doing salsa dancing and eating steak and red wine and all that good stuff, so justin: Mm-hmm. Good. Well, that'll be fun. I'm excited for y'all. Zach: I don't know if I would've ever picked Argentina, but you know, work. So justin: Yeah. Yeah. It'll be cool experience because I feel like not many people would pick Argentina. And I'm sure it's really cool. Zach: Yeah. Yeah, I I mean it looks fun. Everyone like we've had several other of my colleagues have gone down before, so and they're very, you know, complimentary and excited and and had a lot of things to say about what to do and all that good stuff, so justin: Hmm. Good. Well good. Yeah, good for y'all. Zach: What do you got this weekend? 'Cause like I know we just got off the fourth of July weekend everything, right? So it's like it's first free weekend without really any any commitments. justin: Mm-hmm. We are probably going to be doing a project where Hannah has multiple projects. I'm actively building, it's almost like an entertainment stand. What do you call it? Like a hutch or something. We are turning it into a hidden litter box for the cats. It's so exciting. So I have been working. Yes, I will. Zach: very exciting. That'll be good content for Hannah's channel. justin: So I've been outside drilling a fucking massive keyhole into the side of the side of this prefab shit furniture from China and It's fine, but that's probably the highlight of my weekend finishing that and I don't know we're under like a flood watch here in Middle, Zach: There you go. Yeah, it looks like it's gonna rain. I'm gonna get out of town just in time. So my family deal with it. justin: I So I'm sure there will be a lot of bluey episodes this weekend, if I had to guess. Zach: There you go. There you go. That's right. You your daughter's finally old enough to like watch Bluey. So like this was like, I was telling you, I think when you had your when G was born, I was like, I cannot wait till you like have Bluey in your life. Cause it's just it's just delightful. Yeah. justin: man. Mm-hmm. It's the best. Yeah. She's been on Bluey for a while, but we've just now graduated to moving beyond the stuffed animal phase, and we're starting to get into actual little toys. So they make little Bluey play sets with little plastic toys. Zach: there you go. Yeah, Carly so Carly is in marketing and she does like in store marketing for like but one of her big clients are different toy companies. And so she like the rep who sells like the targets and Dollar Generals and Krogers of the World for Bluey is like is one of her customers. And so they were saying like, dude, when I got the Bluey count, he like, I had no idea it was gonna be as like it's like my cash cow. justin: Mm-hmm. Mm. Yeah, it's huge. mean like when you go to Target, we had to go to Target I think last weekend or week before to get her some new shoes. There's an entire aisle dedicated to Bluey. I mean like that's I feel like that's saying something. Usually like only the heavy hitters get an entire aisle. So but it's fun. I mean yeah it's Bluey compared to like Ms. Rachel. Like Bluey actually yeah you there's stuff in there for the parents so it's nice. Zach: I'm pretty sure my daughter called Miss Rachel mommy for like her first year. But other but but I do not miss those days, right? Like Miss Rachel's she works for the little babies. Man, I'll get it, but but my god, Bluey is so good. I like that's like that's the classic. But whether should it be a classic? Bluey. It's a classic. justin: No. Yeah. Yeah, we'll put that on the list. If we ever start doing TV shows, we're doing Blue-Eye. Yeah, favorite episode. my god, yeah. well yeah, speaking... Zach: Bluey first. Freaking love Bluey. B best character, bandit, hands down. Alright. Worst character, their their neighbor. The what's her name? Little Shih Tzu. But yeah. It doesn't it doesn't matter. Yeah. I like Lucky's dead. Alright, alright, we don't need to talk to too much about Bluey. People who are like don't have kids are gonna like, What the fuck are they talking about? Again, luckily we only have like twenty-five listeners, so yeah. justin: Easy. Yeah, easy. I forget, yeah. I was gonna say Lucky's, Lucky's dad. Lucky's dad. Mmm. Well tell me Zach: We've actually dude, kudos to us. Like we're we're we're kicking it up a notch. All of our our streams have gone up. We're like in like twenty-five thirty a day, not like twenty-five thirty an episode. So it's getting we're we're picking up, man. We're gonna we're gonna hit like one thousand listens before you know it. justin: Okay. Wow. You... What? Watch out. Watch out Joe Rogan, we're coming for you. Yeah, that'll be fun. Maybe we'll go down to Argentina for the live event. Well yeah, talk to me about Good Will Hunting. Zach: One one thousand. Yeah. We'll have a big we'll have a big li'll have a big live event. There you go. There you go. anyways. Yeah, no, it was great. I dude. This one so have you ever seen Goodwill Hunting before? justin: I have. I've seen it multiple times, but I have not seen it in probably 10, 15 years. Zach: I think we probably watched it together in college at some point, I'm assuming. Yeah. I love this movie. I know it's like cheesy and there's like elements of it that are maybe a little like eye roll-y sometimes. But I love I love this movie. I think it's just such a fun time. justin: I think we did. Mm-hmm. It's phenomenal. I think this could be the shortest podcast yet because I love it. There's nothing wrong with it. Done. Bye-bye. No. No, I agree with you. I don't know. This movie, everything about it is just... Zach: I got some nitpicks, but you know. justin: I don't know. I think you hit the nail on the head. There's something about it that feels nostalgic and maybe because it's from the late 90s and we've seen it so many times, but turning it on and rewatching it for this episode, man, it felt like I was home. It was like a nice warm hug. Zach: Mm-hmm. Yeah. There is like that special movie from this time period where it's like they don't really make anymore, where like it's got drama, right? But it's not like the drama doesn't mean it has to be a hard watch, right? Like like I've you I I said like Shawshank. Cause Shawshank's got some really dark stuff in him. About a guy gets convicted of murdering his wife or whatever and going to prison. But it's just so delightful. Like, we'll get to it. justin: Hmm. Zach: in another episode, but like a few good men. Right? It's you know, it's about a a k a kid who gets, you know, killed and there's two Marines that are up for murder. Yet it's just a fun time, you know. justin: Hmm. Murder's a fun time, yeah! Zach: I'm like, it's so fun. I love Fugit Men. Right? Like, there's just something like the way they made like this kind of Rob Reiner Castle Rock movies they made. Miramax, even for that matter, in this case, right? Like, I think they Miramax and Castle Rock, like in particular, they just had this sense of how to make movies that had drama, that had compelling characters, that had great dialogue, yet justin: Mm. Zach: They were just still so fun and so light and so easy to watch and digest. And they didn't you know, it's it's I just I haven't seen a movie like that in a really, really long time that's new. You know, it's like they can make something digestible but it's kinda stupid. Or like they'll make something dark or dramatic but it's like it's heavy, you know, like there's this this light drama that they used to have in the early or in the nineties. I just it's like my favorite genre of of movie. justin: Yeah. Hmm. again. Yeah, no, I agree. I think it's, yeah, that type of movie I feel like doesn't... there's not a whole lot to compare it to these days. Like, I watched, finally, Natsukawa on a tangent here, Project Hail Mary. So it's really, really good, but like, to your point, you want to talk about like, stakes. It is not low stakes. It is literally the fate of humanity, and the universe is at stake. Where is this? What's at stake? Zach: Yeah, that's a great example. Mm mm. justin: Will's future. But they do that in a way that is so entertaining and just very engaging. Zach: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah, maybe the like like I I was think I think Project Hell Mary is a good one 'cause the the auth or not the author, the actor, go the goose, Ryan Gosling, he's like very she's just so charming in it, you know? And so is Rocky, and it's like a very easy watch even though it it there is dramatic. I think The Martian too, like which had a like another Andy Weir book movie justin: Hmm. Hmm. Zach: was also like very easy to watch. Maybe some like kind of like holdbacks from that nine I think that's Top Gun Maverick, I think is like that same bucket of like recent movies that kinda do capture this like like casual, fun, easy breezy drama, I guess. but they're not very often. And when the when when you do find one, I do love them. So justin: Mm-hmm. period. Yeah. Yeah. No, no. Mm-hmm. I agree. I'm right there with you. I have a lot of appreciation for the movies like this that came out around that time period because I don't know nowadays it feels like it's Zach: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. justin: I think it harkens back to like a different time of filmmaking where they could take chances. I think we've talked about this. Matt Damon, it like discussed this on some show or podcast or something where he said back then they could take more risks with that type of movie because if they didn't make their money in the box office, they'd make it back on. Yeah, right. But nowadays. Zach: Yeah, they ha yeah, ex yeah, I think I see him say that, right? Yeah. They had that back end with the residuals and the D V D sales and the justin: Yeah, but nowadays it's like that, it feels like so much that's made is because it's a smart business decision. It's a good return on investment for, you know, these, the business folks that are involved in the moviemaking process. Yeah. Zach: Yeah, and they're like focus group to death, you know, and it's like they'll reshoot a whole movie, double the budget, because of the focus group gave it a C or something. And you're like, okay. justin: Mm-hmm. Yeah, I mean, yeah, I don't know. It feels like the type of movie from a bygone era that we just don't get a whole lot anymore. I don't know. At the same time, though, it's for a movie that is almost it's almost 30 years old next year. It'll be 30. It feels almost timeless. Like there's I don't know. It ages like wine. I feel like it gets better as time goes on because it's just such a good movie. Zach: Yeah. Yeah, you know, I I was comparing this to this is our second Robin Williams movie, right? And our first one was Dead Poets. Both of I think this movie less so relies on Robin Williams, even though he's incredible in this. and I would say the roles are very similar, the Keating and the What's the do what's his name in this movie? Why am I drawing drawing a blank? 'Cause I just keep c justin: Hmm. Mm-hmm. Sean. Zach: In all of my notes I just call them Robin Williams. Sha Sean justin: Sean. I forget what his last name is, but Will calls him Sean pretty much the whole time. He didn't call him by his last name. Zach: Yeah. Yeah. Sh let's see. He plays Sean Magui Magui Maguire. did have never I don't think I even heard the word Maguire the entire time was watching that. But like literally I was like Will and Robin scenes in my notes 'cause it's just he's just he's like Robin Williams, but he's so captivating in this. But like but like justin: There you go. Yeah, there you go. No. Zach: The the Dead Poet Society and this movie, well they're maybe ten years apart. I think not not even ten years apart. And they feel 'cause I think Dead Poet was like eighty-nine or eighty-eight, right? And this is ninety-seven. They feel a hundred years apart. Like the the in the the the quality of the filming and the pace and the the the way the camera moves through the scenes. justin: Mm. They feel. Mm-mm. Yeah, they really do. Zach: The way the actor's dialogue is, like it just they feel a hundred years apart. justin: Yeah, yeah. I think it's really impressive. I think everybody is pretty familiar that this is the movie that Matt Damon and Ben Affleck got their start in what kind of springboarded their careers, but I think it's impressive that they wrote this damn thing because at the time they were in their 20s, early. Zach: Sure, yeah. Mm-hmm. So right, the 'cause they've had accusation accusations of like that it was like heavily rewritten by other people, right? And that, you know, that was like kinda like the drama during the Oscars at the this time. what are your like do you have any theories on that? justin: Mm-hmm. Mm-mm. Not really. I've just always heard that they wrote it and then... Yeah. Zach: Yeah, they yeah, they won the Academy Award for writing, right? For it, yeah. Yeah, I so there's like rumors that like they didn't write it. There's like the rumors like, that they wrote it but then it was like heavily rewritten by like professionals. And like basically what is the script versus what's theirs is whatever, right? I think that's just because it's like how do these young kids do it kind of more like than anything else. justin: Hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Zach: But I will say this. So I listened to we've talked about this podcast before, the Rewatchables. It's part of like the Ringer Network Bill Fitzsimmons group. And it's like probably for me like my biggest inspiration for making this podcast. So it's like we're we are very derivative of that show. but they focus on rewatchable movies, which this movie is a hundred percent rewatchable, and so they have an episode on this. Listed a long time ago. But the one thing that they noted in it, which I think's a really good point, which I don't know Is so Ben Affleck and Matt Damon wrote this movie together. It's like the way the dialogue is, the way the pacing is, the way like everything about it is like I I'm not gonna say it's perfect, but it's like pretty close to perfect, I feel. And yet they really never write again. I mean Ben Affleck directs again, but they never really write again. And you're like, well, how did these kids justin: Mm-hmm. Mm. Zach: hit a home run on their first write, like their first writing, you know? And then they never really write again. And I just think part of it is they do have a lot of creative influence in everything that they do. But I think also there's like they just like being movie stars more than they like being writers. That's kind of that's kind of my theory on that. That's just better to be a movie star. But I thought it was a really good point. I'm like, I guess like yeah, they're like justin: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Sure, yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Zach: This incredible writing duo, the Who Never Write Again Together, really. justin: Yeah, because then what the next movie that they wrote together, think at least that I found online was the duel from what? 2023 or 2022 and they yeah, I saw something that Matt Damon Zach: Yeah, yeah. I think p I think part of it, like with Kevin Smith, they did part of Dogma too or something, but justin: Mm-hmm. Yeah, I mean, who knows? Yeah, who knows where the truth lies? Maybe, yeah, maybe the conspiracy theories are correct or maybe they're not, but I mean, like, I think either way you split it, whether they wrote it, whether they didn't write it, it's exceptionally well written and well act... Zach: It's like never even close to this movie again. Yeah. The writing is incredible. justin: well acted too. mean like, I don't know. I know nowadays like, you have your serious actors and, but I guess just seeing like these 20 year old kids at the time, it's just impressive. Like it's impressive. Zach: Yeah, I think Ben Affleck's twenty-five and Damon is twenty seven. Obviously Casey Affleck is even younger 'cause he's Ben Affleck's brother, like younger brother. Cole Hauser is pretty young in this too. Mm I think mean mi like Minnie Driver is like was like twenty four or something in this too. justin: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Mm-hmm I mean, they're all really young and they're all exceptionally talented. Because I don't know, I feel like there's been so many, okay, like to go and touch back on the graduate, right? Like when you look at Dustin Hoffman when he was 30 versus him when he's playing Captain Hook or something, a role when he's much older, his skills are drastically improved, right? And so like looking back on him, Zach: Yeah, twenty she's twenty six. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. And he was even nominated for an Oscar for that movie, right? Like and you can see like the way he carries himself and his charisma later and his yeah, he has like it's much more smooth. I agree. justin: Yeah. Yeah, I think it's just the point I'm getting at. It's really impressive to see a first outing from these guys and they are that good. It's impressive. Zach: Yeah, I think 'cause like part of what gets this movie made is obviously the script gets pushed, gets bought by Castle Rock, and then Castle Rock doesn't make it, and then it's bought by Merrimax, and Merrimax kinda pushes it through to the end. But I think what I think obviously they're both or the whole cast is obviously very talented and they all have really big careers after this movie. like but justin: Hmm. Zach: I think what makes it like more marketable and more sellable is The Rainmaker gets made around the same time, which also stars Matt Damon and he I think when Fran it's it's it's a Francis Ford Coppola movie. And I think that the fact that he gets picked up for that movie is like, okay, this guy's gonna be in two big releases. Like this is you know there's some star power here that w not star power, but maybe like justin: Mm. Zach: It's in the moment. We're ready to make this kind of thing. So I think that helps, right? Get this get this pat finish line. But yeah, it's an incredible first outing from these guys. Like just incredible. So justin: Yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Well, tell me your patented plot summary for this first outing, because I'm excited to hear what you got. Zach: Yeah. It's I don't know. This one's okay. It's this is probably one of my weaker efforts, but I do my best. Okay. I said a young punk gifted with genius avoids jail time by helping a professor do math and attend therapy sessions. justin: That's pretty good. I mean, you got a little, you got a little tanja boomer on there with the punk part, otherwise, that's pretty good. Mr. A young punk. Yeah, I think that sums it up nicely. Zach: Mm-hmm. He is a punk. Yeah. Yep, a young punk. G Yep. But I'm like all he really does, yeah, he just like helps someone do math. And then he's like he goes and tends therapy, you know? That's pretty much it. He goes on a few dates too, I guess I can put some dating in there. But Yeah. Just from a podcast structure perspective, right, we're already kinda to comparing notes and talking about the movie, but we'll next we'll get into our superlatives and then we'll justin: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's perfect. Mm-hmm solves a few solves a few math problems Zach: rate whether or not we think this is a classic from those I think like this movie's probably one the most the movie that most people have seen, especially anyone who's gonna be listening to this. But just from like a real plot summary. I'm gonna try and keep this one brief. But the movie follows Matt Damon's character, who has in Boston, who has like a bunch of his buddies, one of them including Ben Affleck justin: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Zach: But he himself is more like a savant genius, right? He's like kind of like this photographic memory genius kind of guy. But he's grown up on the rough side of the world and so he's kind of down on his luck. And he works at the MIT w university. He's a janitor, right, yeah. And while he's there justin: He's janitor. Yeah. Zach: One of the professors who's a math professor like puts like these hard equations on the boards for his students to solve and Matt Damon like solves them and kind of gets discovered as like a math genius. And so the movie follows him, and this math professor who's trying to kind of push him towards like a better life. and in that process of doing that, in order to avoid some jail time for some of the previous like crimes, you know. justin: Mm. Zach: the you know, arson not arson, assault and and other things that that Matt Damon's will hunting has done. he has to also go see seek therapy and he meets Robin Williams. And I say like once the Robin Williams part comes into the movie, it's like where the heart of the movie really comes from. It's like the relationship between Robin Williams and Will Hunting. And You know, so he goes through therapy, he does math justin: Yeah. Mm. Zach: He kinda finds himself and ends up dating a girl played by Minnie Driver. And at the end of the movie, you know, spoiler, but he basically ends up s like kind of figuring out like what's important to him. And what's important is this relationship he has with Minnie Driver over any everything else. He's like, This is the part of my life that I really want to pursue in the you know, in his moment and like justin: Mm. Zach: So it grows and it's it's it's a it's just a heartwarming, fun story. And everyone is great in it. justin: Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's... Couldn't have said it better myself. Yeah, it's... Well said. Well outlined Zachary. Zach: Yeah. I I think the weakest part of this movie, my one complaint about this movie, because the scores by Danny Elfman, and he Danny Elfman's done some good scores. I'm not like the biggest Danny Elfman fan. He's kinda like beep boop boop boop boop boop. You know got like a lot of like really like sharp horns and stuff in there. But I think the score justin: Mm-hmm. Mm. Mm. Zach: The like the the actual music itself is good, but the score itself I think is kind of the weakest point in this movie. It's very it doesn't c to me like it doesn't quite capture the tone of the movie. justin: That's fair. think like when I think about all the aspects about this movie that I like, don't... the music is not one of them. I don't... I don't remember... I don't remember the music. Zach: Yeah. It it was nominated for an original song. Couldn't even tell you what it was. Did not stand out at all to me. Maybe it's in the end credits. I have no idea. justin: Yeah, I don't know. I did see on Wikipedia, I don't know what the artist is, but he was heavily involved with it. He made some songs. I can't remember what his name is, but yeah. Zach: Yeah, his name is Elliot Smith, but do not know. Yeah. justin: yeah. Just not... which is fine. Not my cup of tea. Not my type of music. Zach: Yeah, i y you know, like you sometimes like the needle drops in movies like really hit and they're like if they're done well, you know, you they can like really elevate a movie. But the needle drops in this movie I couldn't even s they don't stand at all a out at all to me. And then the score, when it comes in with it's like supposed to be more sweeping, like kinda like during the introduction of the movie and everything like that. I just thought it was like it was okay. Yeah. justin: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah, yeah, very small. It felt small. It doesn't feel grand. But yeah, I don't know. Zach: Mm-hmm. Yeah. I mean it doesn't distract from the movie. It's not a like a major criticism, I just think. It's okay. That's okay. justin: Yeah, no, I- yeah. I agree with you. Zach: All right. You wanna get into we got any any other final thoughts before we get into our cata or into our superlatives? justin: No, I don't really have a whole lot to lead in with. I love this movie. I don't have lot of criticisms about it, but we will. I have one, but we'll talk about it. Zach: You didn't I thought for sure you were gonna be like in like, you know, it was like the nineteen seven ninety seven movie that will make you realize it's not your fault, you know. justin: That's a good, yeah, I shut up. Zach: Thought maybe that's where you're gonna go with it. Alright. You wanna talk Oscars at all though, real quick before we get into there? Because there is it is nominated for nine Oscars. Again, up against Titanic, so it's like, you know, doesn't win hardly most of them, but it wins for best supporting actor for Robin Williams. probably just justified, I think. No, he's incredible. justin: Mm-hmm. Yeah. What? Mm-hmm. Yeah, he's really good in it. I didn't look too deep, but I did not find what it actually won. So, best supporting actor. Zach: They won Best Supporting Actor and they won Screenplay. So won two. So Ben Affleck and Matt Damon win it for writing. And Ben Affleck's the youngest writer to have at least up until this point, won that award. And the second youngest is Matt Damon. So justin: Man, could you? Could you imagine winning an Oscar on like your first project? I couldn't. I feel like you're e- Zach: It's almost like the Academy's designed to not do that, you know? justin: Yeah, like I feel like your ego has to be just shot after that. You have to be above everybody else. This is your first foray and then you just hit a home run. Zach: Yeah. Yeah. So yeah, no, I mean yeah, just I mean, th th they're definitely on Cloud Nine. And I think it takes they both win additional Oscars. I think I think Ben Affleck has he won one for act not Ben Affleck, he has not won one for acting. He won he wins one for directing Argo. and then has Matt Damon won one did he win one for talented Mr. Ripley? justin: Yeah. Hey Yes, I was going to say he got one for directing. I don't know. That's a good question. We should look it up. You mean he didn't, wait, he did not win one for Jason Bourne? Jesus Christ, it's Jason Bourne! Zach: Yeah, I think Matt Damon actu I think he does win one. They should the Shaky Cam editing won one. They should have won one in that in that movie. justin: He might win one for the Odyssey. We will see. Zach: I am looking forward to the Odyssey. I'm not the biggest Nolan fan, but I do I think Matt Damon is just so charming. justin: Are we gonna go see it? Zach: yeah. Let's do it. We can't see it the weekend it comes out 'cause I'll be out of town. Yeah, he went no, he's only ever w he won one for justin: Yeah, after you get... Yeah. Zach: The only one he's ever won an Oscar for is this movie. He's been nominated for Invictus. He was nominated for The Martian for Best Actor. And he was nominated for as Best Pitcher as a producer for Manchester by the Sea. Which Ca Casey Affleck wins the Academy Award for that movie. but yeah, no, I'm surprised. That's interesting. Okay, I I just wore he won an acting one. He's so great, but justin: Hmph. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm. Yeah. That is, it's really funny that both he and Ben Affleck are known as Hollywood powers, like actors, but they won their Oscars on writing and directing. That's pretty. Zach: Mm-hmm. Yeah, right. They're like A list, like, you know, top of the bill top of the, you know, billing, right? Like actors and yet justin: Yeah, I mean Ben Affleck is, he's Batman for Christ's sake. He played Batman. Yeah. Zach: He's such a good director though. I like his directing. The town is excellent. Argo is excellent. Like I just want him to direct more. And he's re he's a great actor too. Like he goes through a slump where he gets like a little big for his bridges, but justin: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Maybe, maybe... Yeah. I feel like as actors and actresses get older, I feel like that's when they start branching out into other roles in Hollywood. not to get on a tangent here, do you know what? I didn't understand that Sean Astin is like the president of SAG-AFTRA. I had no idea. But I saw him doing something, yeah, the SAG president, Sean Astin. was like, what the fuck? Zach: Mm-hmm. really? I think they vote on that. It it's I think they change it like every two years. It's not like they don't stay president very long. Cause someone we were watching last in last week, I think one of the actors we in in The Graduate was was in was a president of ZAG at some point too. but Yeah, no, I mean Yeah. justin: Yeah. Mm-mm. Just interesting. But maybe as they continue. Zach: The T the T V screen acting or the T V acting guild. There's like another one. The f fucking Fran Jess Dresser was like the president of that. Like the nanny. justin: Mm. Yeah. Yeah. What? Yeah, maybe as old Ben and Matt get older, maybe they'll do more writing, maybe they'll do more directing. Like who is, like I think of like Clint Eastwood, not that Clint Eastwood is, you know, but I feel like he was a major actor for such a long time and then in his older years he was just a director. Zach: Yeah, I would love for them to do something like that. Yeah, and he yeah. I mean, you know, whatever you think about him, like great actor, great director, like really well well done movies, so I think they both got it in them to do more, you know. Alright, you wanna get into our superlatives? justin: Yes, what do we got up first? Zach: Alright, so first is best scene. Then we'll do best character, worst character, weakest link in the film. that one's gonna be hard. the then we got Age the Best, Age the Worst, which there is some things I think about this movie that has not aged great, but justin: Yeah, I know. Hmm. Zach: WTF are they talking about? And then what would be a sequel or like what might happen the next day after this movie ends? And then last we'll do our nitpicks and hot takes. So let's get into best scene. You wanna do you wanna hit throw us out with the nomination? justin: Mm. Bessine. Yeah, this was tough. I literally had seven that I wrote down. It's the most I think I've ever written down before on one of these. But I drilled it down to my top three. I'm not going to go through all three. number one. Yeah, there is I'll throw one out if it doesn't hit it hit your list as well. But number one, I think is Zach: Ha ha ha. Okay. I'm sure we have a lot of crossover on this one. Okay. justin: When Sean helps will have his breakthrough at the end of the movie. It's not your fault That's that scene is I mean, it's powerful. It's it's everything that you want to happen. I think at the end of the movie because Will I feel like is so Zach: No, yeah, yeah, classic scene. Mm-hmm. justin: god, he's such a turd for such a majority of the movie. He pushes everybody away that tries to help him all the things and then he finally has that breakthrough and it's like, it's almost like you can breathe after that. But yeah, I mean it's a powerful scene. I think that takes my number one, but it gives me teary-eyed thinking about it right now. It's not your fault. Zach: Mm-hmm. Yeah. That's great. It's a powerful scene. For sure. There's no doubt. Like it's just it's a classic scene from the movie. It's Robin Williams hitting lights out, Matt Damon hitting lights out, right? They're just in there. Yeah. A wonderful scene. justin: Yeah, if you ever become a huge problem, I'm just gonna back you down slowly and keep saying it's not your fault until you decide to cry and you're like, eww, and then you're better. But yeah, it's a good one. Yeah, no it does, yeah. Zach: It's a little corny, but like it works. So I'm not sure it's like the best therapist move, but you know. Yeah. justin: Yeah, I don't know if that's a strong tactic. Zach: But it's a great scene. the first I had the Harvard Bar scene where he dresses down like the the the pony ponytail guy. Yeah. It's such a it's such a great scene too. It's also like it's so cliche, right? Like it's it's just so like orchestrated, right? But it's still a great scene. It's it's awesome. justin: Mmm. yeah. The Michael Bolton clone. Yeah, I had that one on there. Yeah. And the cherry on top is when he sees him after they leave the bar and he and he's what yeah what does he say like he like apples or something like that and then he he holds up Skyler's number. That's Zach: Mm-hmm. How about them apples? Yeah, he's like, hey, do you like apples? Yeah. I got her number. How about them apples? I also love like Casey Athlick in that scene. He's like, yeah, my boy's wicked smot, you know? justin: I think the Apple's line is probably what secured their Oscar win for best writing. That's a good one. Zach: There you go. The in that scene too, it's like I was I just love like Ben Affleck throughout this whole movie. He does like these little things like like you know, it'd be telling a story and like just start coughing midway through it or like he's just kinda like I don't know, this like the his little mannerisms he has. But you can like tell when the guy's like he's lying about going to Harvard, obviously. And like I don't think he's like, you know, he's not like, this is gonna work. You know, but the guy's like dressing him down a little bit and just like his whole mannerisms during that scene, he's like, I I don't know what this guy's talking about. He's like I gotta it's like all right, I just gotta go beat this guy up, I guess, because I don't know what he's talking about. justin: Mm-hmm. Hahaha! Yeah. Zach: You just like see it in his face, like this mix of like, okay And then he's like, I'm gonna go hit him justin: Yeah, yeah, it's also it's funny introduction to Will, because Will, he wins the intellectual battle. But when he sees that like the Michael Bolton clone is like not, you know, he's not ready to back down. He's like, or we can take this outside if you want to. Zach: Mm-hmm. no, the yeah, he's he's justin: He's exceptionally smart, but because he's from the streets, he's ready to get physical. Which is just really funny, clearly the Michael Bolton clone, I feel like I don't know what his name is, but that's what they talk to him about, or refer to him as. No. Yeah, it's just, yeah, it's perfect scene, it's funny. Zach: Yeah, I don't know. Ponytail Michael Bolton clone. Yeah. That's great. what else you got? justin: Okay, one of my other top favorite scenes purely because I think it raises like a really good hypothetical is when Jerry goes to meet Sean at the bar and he asks Sean if he has talked to Will about his future and they kind of have like that back and forth argument over sandwiches. But I think it raises a really good hypothetical because I think both sides are very valid. Jerry is arguing that Will is the next Einstein and that should not be withheld from the human race. His purpose is so much greater than his own wants and needs, but Sean argues like, what if he doesn't want that? He needs to find his own way. We don't need to push him. And I think it just, brings up a really, really good point with all of it. Because yeah, they both have, I think they both have valid standings, but. it kind of helps you figure out like where do you lie? Do you think Will needs to serve something bigger than himself or should he just be satisfied and be happy and pursue his own personal goals and not, you know. Zach: Mm. Yeah, the r the relationship between Stell and Skarsgaard and Robin Williams in that movie, like their chemistry and everything, their their scenes are all great. I think that one too, it's like like kinda a little spar off between like, okay, what about this genius? Do you know who this is? Do you know who this is? He's like you know, like the little like kinda like the little sparring they have too is so great in that scene. justin: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Hmm. Yeah. But it's purely just for that one question, because like the whole time, I don't want to say like the whole time, but like, we're made to believe that Will is here to serve a bigger purpose. And through Sean, we kind of, Sean helps us tone that down as like the audience, right? It's like, hey, just, yeah. Zach: Mm-hmm. Yeah, it's like he's a kid. Let him be a you know, let him figure it out. Like we all did. justin: Like it's not that, yeah, it's not that serious. Like he needs to focus on like what's gonna make him happy and what's gonna, you he wants to pursue. Not necessarily he needs to go on to be the next Einstein. Zach: Yeah, yeah. That's a great scene. I ha I mean, I don't know how to like every single therapy scene, but I think in particular I love the Red Sox one where he's talking about yeah. The Red Sox. justin: Hehehehe. Yeah, that was my last of the top three. God, it's such a good one. Zach: Yeah. and he's like, yeah. He's like, I don't know, I didn't see it. I was talking to a girl. He's like, Wait, what are you talking about? You know, and they're so exc he gets so excited about the game and he's just like, Yeah, you know, there's more important things in life, you know. It's just it's Robin Williams is electric in it. Yeah, it's great. justin: Yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Well, he plants that idea in Will's head, and Will carries that with him all the way to the very end when he leaves Sean that note. It's about, I gotta go see about a girl. Because yeah, mean, especially from Will's standpoint of his friends, right? Throughout most of the movie, he would never put anything above his friends. And so to hear that Sean, Zach: Yeah. justin: skipped a huge Red Sox World Series game with his friends to go see some girl at a bar. It like blows Will's mind like what? Zach: I I like the idea too that like that he's like yeah but my friends like, Yeah, that makes sense, you know. You gotta do it, girl you gotta do it, man. You know? And I think that his friends are that way too. They're like, Yeah, you gotta do it. Or at least at least at least Ben Affleck's character is, right? So The justin: Mmm. Yeah. Zach: The other scene I had was this my last one, but I think the I just think because it's like comedic, but I really like I really do like the the fight scene where they just like blindside that guy. justin: Yeah. Zach: And they're like in slow motion and they're like getting close ups on their face and like you know and they're like, you it's like I just think it's like a very good it's not the best scene, but I think it's very comedic, it's fun, it's like you're like, wait, what? And this is so silly. And like it just like it's again, it's like takes that drama and any other movie would make this like, you know, like r more violent, and then they ta they turn the violence into something more charming. justin: Yeah. Yeah, I still do Mm-hmm. Do we know why they he jumped Billy? I think his name was Billy But why I still don't understand why they jumped him Zach: Yeah, I it just that he was beat up when he was like in kindergarten I think. Just holding a grudge, just being just Boston punks, you know? justin: Sorry. Cause like I know they like they drive past him while they're walking or they're driving past like the basketball court and they, I think they see Billy like say something to somebody, but I don't know if you, if we ever explicitly know what Billy says, but they just jump out and they go whoop his shit. And I mean, it is really funny cause it's like, what is happening? Where does it come from? Zach: Mm-hmm. Mm. I just think they're like just Boston punks like like they're just looking to get in a fight and they have an excuse because this guy picked on Will when he was in kindergarten or whatever. So I just think they're just being like Boston punks. I think that's like all it really is. justin: Yeah. Mm-hmm. No. Man, you in this punk verbiage. I'm gonna start... So what's happening to you? Are you turning into an old man? Zach: I'm like one of those nationwide commercials or whatever. You're like turning into my parents. justin: Yeah, he can't can't stop you from turning to parents. Yeah, you punk. Yeah, that's you took all of mine those are the red socks therapy session That was that was my last one that I had cuz there Zach: I think the Red Sox therapy session is probably my favorite scene. I think the like it's not your fault is gr iconic and great. I think I love the Harvard Bar scene, but I think the Red Sox scene, it's just like the the Robin Williams and Matt Damon interactions in this movie are like the heart of the movie and some of the best scenes. And I think that scene's probably like one of the my favorite ones. justin: Hmm. Yeah. Hmm. I feel like it's probably one of the... It's not like one of the first time that they kind of start to become buddies, but it's one of the first scenes where they're really kind of... Yeah, Will's not being an asshole to Sean. He's very much starting to open up and have good conversation with him. Zach: Bonding. Yeah. Yeah. What about the Ben Aff like retainer scene? He's like, retainer. He was like, we're already offering you a job. It's like 200 bucks. What do you got on you right now? justin: It's really funny. I loved it because he's in a suit that looks like it's from the 70s or something. Yeah. And he's got his hair slicked over with tennis shoes. Yeah, it's really funny. Zach: Yeah, it's like too small on him. No. So what what's your what's your final verdict? What's your favorite scene? justin: Yeah, I'd like the Red Sox scene. It's not your fault scene. It's good. It's not enjoyable. It feels... What's the word I'm looking for? It feels earned, I guess. But it doesn't... It's not like I want to go back and watch that scene. I feel like I could watch the Red Sox scene 200 times and I would enjoy it every single time. Zach: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Agreed. All right. Best character. Who do you want to nominate? justin: Sean, hands down, he's, it's, god damn it, it's Robin Williams. He's so good. But just everything about his character, how he gets to Will, how he gets him to open up, how he looks out for Will when Jerry does not. I mean, he just, he's everything that you want Sean to be. I feel like he plays it perfectly. Zach: Sean, yeah. Yeah, no, he's great. What about Matt or Ben? justin: I mean, Ben's good. I feel like Ben doesn't have a whole lot to do in this movie. I like the purpose that Ben serves, right? He serves as Will's kind of, I don't want to say wake-up call, but when he sees that his best friend wants him to do more with his life, I feel like that brings home to him. Because I don't know, not to get into any nitpicky writing stuff, but it does almost feel kind of cheesy that like... his best friend would be like, I'm gonna whoop your ass if you're still here in 20 years, because like you need to be doing more with yourself. you know, like, I don't know, it's, he plays it really well. But I mean, compared to Matt Damon, mean, Matt is the, he's the lead of the movie and he's, he's phenomenal in every aspect. Like you truly. Zach: Yeah. justin: I get so frustrated when everybody is doing so much for Will and he just spits in their faces time after time after time and you're like, dude, what are you doing? Because he plays it so well, it's so believable. Zach: Yeah. It's a it's actually like it's incredible that he's not less likable, you know? Like he's so likable then you just see like him like reflect and he's like, I'm gonna go back to my safe space, which is like distancing and and I think the the that one s that scene that you were talking about with Ben Affleck and him on the car at the construction site, and he's like, If you're here in like twenty years, like I'll fucking kill you, you know? Like and it's like it is a moment I think justin: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Zach: In some ways, despite all the efforts that Sean or Doctor Lambeau or Professor Lambeau has done, to that point it takes like his buddy being like, Dude, get get your head out of your ass. Like I have no ch other choice. You do. Like you know. And it's a so I think it's it's it I I think that's like Ben Athlick's scene to shine. I think Matt Damon steals the movie from him in most of the scenes. I mean just like but justin: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Hmm. Zach: And then Robin Williams just outshines everyone. I mean, I think Mi Minnie Driver, I think she's great in it. I'm not like the biggest Minnie Driver fan in anything else, but I think she's good in this. justin: She was really good. Yeah. Yeah, she was phenomenal. Zach: I think Stellan Skarsgard is good in it. I think the rest of the crew, like Casey Athlick, he's got some pretty funny lines. I think Cole Hauser is good. He doesn't have as much to do, but you know. I think he's good too, like the whole little crew, like not to step on age the best, but I think the casting in this movie is like pretty pretty solid. justin: Mhm. Yeah, if you took away Robin Williams and Matt Damon, I don't think I could tell you who would be the next best aspect of this movie, because everybody is so good. as the two main leads, they are just far and above everybody else. They just get more screen time, and they're exceptionally good. And their characters are really good, too. Sean is my pick, but I also... Zach: Uh-huh. Yeah. Nah, he's easy. No, he wins it. He's the best. Like, this is my favorite Robin Williams performance ever. Yeah. justin: similar. Yeah, similar to Guy Pearce. I think if you put Robin Williams in just about anything, he's going to be my favorite. I just, have a sweet spot for Robin. He's so good. Zach: Ha ha ha. Yeah, same. Alright, what's the weakest link? I feel like this is the hardest one. Lambo's assistant? I don't even know. But he's kinda weasley. You he's like yeah, he's like a little kiss ass. Actually, you know who my two favorite other best characters are? When Lambo goes to like find out who Will is, so he goes over to like the justin: Hmmmm Tell me What's this assistance name, I don't even know No, yeah Hmm. Zach: Like the janitorial space. And there's the two guys there and he's like, I'm Professor Lambeau. He's like, Yeah, this professor, whatever. He's like, don't give a shit about this guy at all. justin: Yeah Yeah, he called... No, Lambo walks away and he calls him an asshole. He's like... He's just asking for help. Zach: I know it's the it's so boston, I love it. justin: Yeah, I think you're right. Maybe they should be best character. They'll share the nomination. Zach: Though. I yeah, I don't know. Like I don't really have like a w a we like Minnie Jarver's probably a little bit a weaker act of the actors, I feel like. Like I feel like her character's okay. But she's got great moments in it. Like definitely not bad at all. So I don't like I'd even be hesitant to call her a weak link. like justin: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Mm-mm. Yeah. Zach: Yeah, I mean they justin: The only thing that I, and I really, had to, I feel like I had to reach to pull this out. And it's not from an acting standpoint, purely from a character standpoint, but. I Jerry purely because it feels like towards the end of the movie he starts seeing Will as less of a person and more of like a potential societal impact. Like he needs to be the next Einstein. He's so much more talented and smarter than me. Like he needs to serve a bigger purpose. But even that, like you can make the argument that Jerry cares about Will more than anybody because he was the one that got him out of Zach: Mm-hmm. justin: jail got him on this path like outside of his motivations i mean like he is the one who constantly is checking in on will making sure he's doing what he needs to be doing and like he cares about him but i don't but like Zach: Yeah. He's Mm-hmm. Yeah, but there's like a greater purpose, I think, in his mind. It's like, you know, it's not just will, right? Like I think like Sean cares about will as the person where Lambeau cares about will, but he also cares about like he feels a duty that this to make sure that this kid is on the right path to the world because the world is gonna benefit from him. And not that Will owes something to the world, but that the world justin: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah, for sure. Zach: needs something from him, I think is how he looks at it. justin: Hmm. Yeah, but like that's that is the only Weak I don't want to say weak character, but that's like the only downside of a character that I could find everybody in this movie is so good And Everybody is extremely supportive of will and like trying to help will I guess except for maybe the Michael Bolton clone but Zach: Mm-hmm. justin: that one maybe yeah he's maybe maybe he gets worse character by default because everybody else is really good i don't know that's it Zach: He's the villain. He's the real villain of the movie. He's good he's good at being a completely like a Harvard douche. But justin: Yeah. That's a one. It's tough. Zach: Alright. Let's say we don't need to dwell on it. Everyone's great in this movie. You know, fuck that category. Alright. Age the best. justin: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. the boston accents hands down yeah it's really good the entire time i was trying to mimic their accents robin Zach: yep. But I I had Boston just in general, Boston. Like s yeah, it's awesome, isn't it? Yeah. No, they make they make like being like a like a just like a blue collar Boston guy seem great. Like get the hang out of your buddies all day, you go bars, you yeah, you talk some shit with each other. It's all great. It sounds like a this is great life. justin: I know. They come pick you up and ride with your buddies to work every day and just hang out. Yeah, absolutely. I mean, yeah, all jokes aside, like the Boston accents are really fun, but I so much about this movie, everything about it, from the acting, the writing, it's timeless. Mm-hmm. Zach: Mm-hmm. Yeah. No cast casting, writing, I had dialogue, like it feels so like these guys just feel like yeah, they're just giving each other shit, you know. Right. the I had Robin Williams, just R.I.P. I miss I put I miss him, frowny face. justin: Yeah. Mm-hmm. You RIP Rob. Zach: Yeah. I like their f the friendship of the of the girl of the g of the guys, of the kids, like just the camaraderie that they have ages well. I also like I really like how it's this and this I think is part of this time period. And it it it it's like part of that like I was telling you like that like that dr that like easy watching drama of the nineties. Like justin: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Zach: They're just they're filmed on film. They're filmed with like what feels like natural light. It doesn't have this like glaze of of color over it or saturation. It doesn't have this glaze of like CGI or like digital over it. You know, it's like just film, natural light, just feels really like tactile and and like the really in a in the world, right? You know, and I I just don't I don't make film like that really anymore. justin: Hmm. Yeah. Yeah, I completely agree with you. Yeah, it's just like we said, it's almost 30 years old and I feel like this movie has stood the test of time. And I feel like in another 30 years, it's going to be just as good. It's going to be incredible. Zach: yeah, that's all I had, I think, you know. But I mean like it's just like the film in general. Just loved it. Boston. I had dive bars. Great. Love that love a good dive bar. justin: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. yeah. Mm-hmm. Zach: yeah. Anything else you got? Okay, let's get into some age the worst then. justin: No. It's, Okay, this is, this was just my personal taste, but the wardrobe. Several... Zach: I have I have Lambeau's scarf. Not good. justin: I keep forgetting Ben Affleck's character. His name is Chucky. So many of Chucky's outfits were painfully, yeah, they're like really like late 90s, but not in a good way. Like the tacky tracksuits. There's one scene where he's wearing a tracksuit and a turtleneck. Zach: Chucky, yeah. the track suits. No, I almost had that in Age the Best. I love like Chucky's outfits. He look I mean, I would never in a million years, but I'm like, this just he's almost like a cartoon. justin: I think Billy, the guy that they jumped, he was wearing a leather jacket with white stripes in it and they had, I don't know, they're just some of the wardrobe picks. They're very, very... You can tell just with one look. You know when this movie was made, just based on the wardrobe alone. Zach: Yeah, no, not good. It's very nineties, yeah. Yeah, yeah. A hundred percent. So like I I had so one of my now it works in this movie. They're in Boston and they're like it's all about being smart, right? So they have Harvard and MIT in this movie. It really works in this movie. To me, like it's the exception. I cannot stand in movies that everyone goes to Harvard or goes to MIT or goes to, you know, Stanford. Like it's just like screenwriting shorthand for this guy's really smart. He went to Harvard. And I'm like, not everyone goes to Harvard and is really smart. Like it drives me crazy in movies when everyone is like always going to an Ivy League school. And I'm like, ugh, like it just it makes me go insane. justin: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Hehehehehe It's like a generalization. Zach: Yeah, it it's just short it's just like movie ri it's like almost like Hollywood has a mandate and someone will write a script and they're like, okay, we'll change University of Arizona to Harvard to make this guy sound smarter. It's just like shorthand for he's smart, but I'm like, it drives me crazy. So this movie it works. Like this movie is like the only one it works in. Because it's like built around those two universities. But justin: Yeah, for sure. Yeah. Yeah, I would love to know. Yeah. Sure. I would love to know why they do it. Maybe just because it's such a recognizable name. Like even people who are not familiar with Ivy League schools, they'll hear Harvard and be like, he's really smart. Like that's where he goes. Zach: Yeah, I think they give you like three schools. It's like if you're an engineer, it's MIT. If you're if you're like law or anything else is Harvard, and then if it's the movie takes place on the West Coast, it's Stanford. But like other than that, there's like it's no Browns, you know, there's no Chicago booth, right? It's no Northwestern in these movies, even though those schools are equally as like but it's just it's just screenwriting shorthand. It drives me crazy. justin: Mm-hmm. Mm-mm. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah, there you go. Zach: lots of R words. justin: our words. Zach: Like for mentally challenged. yeah. I mean it's Boston. They're Boston, they're meant to be crude, right? But it's like I don't o of all the words they use, that one hit the hardest. Today versus the nineties. Probably a little less in the nineties. justin: Oh, I- were there? I didn't even catch that. Okay. Maybe I just zoned out on like certain... Mmm. Yeah. That's a good pickup. I didn't even like really catch it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Absolutely. I had, I don't know if you caught it, but Lambeau or Jerry being kind of creepy around some of his female students. Yeah. There was only two scenes, but they were noticeable enough that I jotted them down. Zach: No, f the female students, yeah. justin: But yeah, like an older professor kind of flirting and hitting on younger students like, don't know. Zach: There was I had two I have two more, or three more actually. So one when he's interviewing with the NSA and he's telling the story about like how like you know, he's like Should I work there? And he like goes on this like rambling tangent about like how justin: Mm-hmm. God, yeah. Zach: I'm gonna like kill people and then it's gonna cause this ripple effect, this ripple effect. The one thing he says in it is that gas w is like two cause of me, gas would be two fifty a gallon and like that's expensive. And like nowadays we're like it's five dollars. You know, like that one got me. And then the other one I had was I think it's Ben Affleck, but they're talking about Indian. justin: Mmm, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Mm. Zach: Like Indians. And he's like red dot or feather. And I'm like, Well, that's justin: it's Jerry and Sean. Yeah, yeah, yeah. They're talking about the one dude who was like, he was like Will, he was a, He was like a, yeah. Yeah, that's a good pick up, yeah. That's a good sign at the time. Zach: Jerry and Sean, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Like a savant also, yeah. And I was like, red daughter feather. I'm like, well it's not very You got anything else? 'Cause I got one more big one, but justin: Mm-mm. No, no, I only had the wardrobe and Lambo being creepy. Zach: I think it just ne this one just needs to be said. We don't dwell on it, because we already kinda dwelled on it with Reservoir Dogs, but this is produced by Miramax, which is Harvey Weinstein's company. Obviously, just not Not good that one. Probably the winner of which AIDS the worst. Harvey Weinstein, like besides like Castle Rock is Rob Reiner's company. He definitely helped this script get up and going and like justin: Yeah. No, yeah. I think you're right on. Mm. Zach: kinda bet on these guys, but like it didn't ever materialize with Castle Rock and it went through like a lot of hands. And then it was really Harvey Weinstein who picked the script up from Castle Rock and like committed to these guys and like really their career got started in a lot of way. Like he plays a very big part in starting their careers. And he's just the fucking worst. Right? So justin: Mm-mm. Yeah. Yeah. Good call. Zach: Yeah. So I think like anytime I just see Miramax, I'm like, or Weinstein, you know, depending on which production company at the time. like this. Alright. all right. WTF. justin: Mm-hmm. I actually have two this time. Believe it or not. Yeah, I actually paid attention. Okay, the first one when Will is in the first therapist session and the first therapist, I think his name's Henry or something, but he tells Will to stay out of trouble and no more Ballyhoo. Never heard Ballyhoo before. But yeah, that was one. And then Sean. Zach: Okay, let's do it. It's like cheers. It means like yeah, like cheers in good times, right, Palihu? justin: Well, it said, according to Google, a ballyhoo is like an attention-seeking act. Like you want attention. But there was no more ballyhoo, and then Sean tells Will that his wife knew all of his peccadilloes. I never, I never heard of peccadilloes before. That was the first. Zach: Like merriment. okay. Yeah, I had Peccadillas written down. Yeah, yeah. So I had I I didn't have too many like you, like Peccadillos is like really the one thing I had. But I wrote down like a bunch of like their Bostoni like their Bostonisms 'cause I was like like the one the first scene when they get to the dive bar and justin: Mmm, yeah. Zach: Chucky is like talking to that girl who's Hey, how come I didn't get any of that little nasty hoochie hoochie whoochie? And then she's like I don't she she calls him like like I would never your Irish curse chuckle. And then she's like your little two-searl dick. And it's just those like, a little just Bostons, like just crude and and and I loved it. I thought it was so funny. And then justin: Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Zach: There was like one probably d anage the worst too. They they the the guy they beat up, they call him like a guinea, which is just like like an Italian immigrant, but definitely like a like a slang term. and then when he's talking to that one Matt Damon's getting it's like his first or will, it's like his first therapy session with that like that British guy. And he's like just like justin: Mm. Yeah. Zach: he calls him gay. He's like, I don't care if you if you're putting through the r from the rough. That was like another good Boston Bostonism. Bon like he's talking about getting drunk is like calling someone bombed out of a tree. Like I don't know. There were so many good ones. you know, I don't know. So I just really like the f the whole the little nasty hoochie boochie and then him calling him a toocy roll dick. justin: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And the Tootsie Roll, yeah. I did think that scene was really funny. Zach: This is great. The Yeah, so yeah, not too much. I mean the movies from ninety seven, right? So it's like a little couple of little Boston isms here and there and yeah. Alright, you wanna get into some nitpicks? no, let's do sequel, sequel first. justin: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah, I mean, I think really we just we have to see what happens with Will and Skyler because he goes to he goes to chase her down in California and see what he ends up doing with his future. I mean, that's the big question is what is what is Will going to do and Zach: Mm-hmm. justin: he pretty much has his pick of whatever he wants to do in life. It's just a matter of what he decides he wants to chase. So I feel like that's what I put down. What happens with Will and Skyler and what he does with his future. Zach: Yeah, yeah. Yeah. So this movie, when they originally wrote this movie, I don't know if you saw this in the research, but this is like the first half of the original movie they wrote. The second half was like like a they were on the run from like the CIA. Like they get into some mess with the CIA and it's like kind of this like on the run like not spy thriller, but like, you know, kind of Jack Ryan-esque more. justin: Who? Hmm. Yeah. Zach: movie and everyone's feedback was like cut the CIA shit like the movie the script's too long as it is and it's just like focus on what the what you know focus on the heart of the movie right so it's like everyone's feedback was cut the CIA shit. And then I think like I think yeah if it turns into like an action movie, Chase movie, I'm like that's just like whole different direction. but the justin: Yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. It makes total, yeah. Mmm... Yeah. Zach: so there's a movie with Ben Affleck called The Accountant. Have you heard of it? So I think this was I'm st I'm stealing this again from my rewatchable the podcast, but I was like I really liked this theory is that like that that thought of like this like savant guy, smart guy, like mixed up with the wrong side of the CIA was like just stayed back in like Ben Affleck's mind. And that this movie justin: Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, I've seen it. Mm. Zach: is that the counting is like him like realizing the second half of Good Goodwill Hunting. So I was like the unofficial sequel is is Ben Afflick's accountant. Not a good movie. justin: Yeah, maybe an unofficial sequel. Yeah, that was super smart that they did not try to take an action route, because yeah, how would that... my god, that would have completely ruined whatever they had in the first half. Yeah. It makes no sense. my god. I did see... Yeah. Zach: And it was both them. It like them on the run. So like Chucky had a much bigger s part of that. Totally unnecessary. So there's your sequel. There's your sequel. Little and Chucky on the run from the CIA. justin: I did see something that like somebody approached Matt Damon like recently within like the last few years about a sequel to Good Will Hunting and he said no we're not we won't pursue that or something. So. Zach: It's untou it's un I don't know if it's untouchable, but it's it doesn't it's unnecessary, right? Like who cares what Will is gonna be successful. There's no doubt like he just has to like, I'm alright, I'm ready to settle in. And then like he's already off to go have Mini Driver who's already like she's in, he's just being a dick, right? So it's like there's some drama there, but we don't need to see. Will's career is like the secondary part of this movie. It doesn't really matter. justin: Yeah. Hmm. Zach: Like you know, the the movie ends perfect. He's on the road, gotta go see about a girl. Yeah. Alright, let's get into some nitpicks. I only have two, so I'm pretty c justin: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah, I agree. Mm-hmm. I was going to say, you kick it off because I only have one and we already kind of touched on it. Zach: Okay. So Will gets in the fight, gets arrested. He can't talk his way out of the judge because the judge is like, Yeah, you can cite all the shit you want, but like you are a repeat offender, so like I'm ac you're actually gonna get some jail time. Then Lambeau shows up and is like look, this guy's really smart. Instead of going to jail, I'll just justin: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Zach: Take him under my wing, I'll watch out for him and I'll give him put him in therapy. Like that's the solution to going to jail? I'm like what? Like how much sway does Lambo have? Like how is he getting I I just I didn't understand how that deal worked. Like, why is this deal agreed to by the judge? Like, are they dropping the charges? Are the charges still there? Like, is this his conviction is like do math? Like, I don't understand. justin: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And there's virtually... Yeah. Virtually. mean, like, he also, so prior to this, we know that he did have a parole officer. Zach: Mm-hmm. justin: Like law enforcement was involved in his, you know, like trying to stay on the right track, but there's no, I don't think there's any law enforcement involved. It's just Lambeau decides to give the judge or whoever a good report card every week. And that's good enough to keep him out of jail. I don't know. Yeah, yeah. Zach: I don't get it. I don't know I don't know how that works, like how that's agreed to. Seems like a pretty much a miscarriage of justice, but the guy who got beaten up's like, what the fuck? Could put that guy in prison. justin: Yeah, for sure. Yeah. Yeah, it's, yeah. Similar to like the fight is kind of goofy because they needed some type of incident to send Will into this, this scenario, right? Like, Zach: Mm-hmm. justin: They need some type of overhanging threat to where if Will doesn't go to therapy, if he doesn't keep doing math stuff with Lambeau, he's gonna go to jail. It feels kinda loose and they just needed a reason to have that threat there so that he would stay in those situations, but it's pretty goofy. Zach: Yeah. justin: Yeah, my only nitpick, I know you liked it, but the slow-mo fight scene, it really, I just thought it was goofy. Because the slow-mo is really bad in certain parts. No. Zach: No really? Yeah. It's almost like they're not even doing slow mo. It's almost like they're acting slow mo. Yeah. justin: Exactly. That's what it looked like. It looked like the film was actually rolling at regular speed and they were like trying to do it themselves. there was one Casey Affleck in particular is really, really bad. Like you can tell he's doing, you know, one-to-one speed slow-mo himself and it just looked corny. Zach: Yeah. I think I s I think what they're trying to do 'cause like nowadays you can film at like a hundred rates per second, right? Like a hundred frames per second or whatever. So you can actually slow down, you know, and do the whole bullet time and you know, f three hundred kind of movements, right? But I think back then and they were right on the edge of it, like slow motion was like when we watched Tombstone and like he's you know justin: Mm-hmm. Hmm. Zach: He Carussel stands up is like, No, at the end we're killing Curly Bill. And it's like kinda like, you know, the motion blur gets slowed down, but it's still full motion blur, right? Like they don't the the frame rate's not high enough to really slow things down to so it's like they're almost like we have to act out the slow motion because we can't film it in slow motion at full speed with the with the, you know the justin: Noooo Hmm. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. But it's... Zach: But the what's yeah, so I I I g I get what you're saying. it's definitely a silly scene. I think I just it's like it like unintended or maybe I don't know if unintended, but it was just like an it was a comedic scene, which I kind of enjoyed about it, but justin: What? Yeah, yeah. I guess like after I was watching it, all I could think of was why did you choose to do this slow-mo? You could have just had a regular fight scene, not slow-mo, and it would have still worked. To your point, it probably wouldn't have been as goofy or funny, and maybe that's exactly what they were going for. They wanted it to be goofy and funny, but yeah. So, but that was all I had. That was my only nitpick out of the entire movie. Zach: Yeah, more charming, I guess. I don't know. Okay. My biggest one, and I just the little league game that they're at before the fight. Why are they at that game? It's a little kid's little league game. I'm like, are any of them rela they know the character's name, the hitter, the bait, like the guys up but I'm like, are they related to him? There's no like indication of relation to anyone there. That was my only one. I'm like, why are they at this game? justin: that's a good... Yeah, yeah, who is... Yeah. That's a good point. And I think the only other time... Yeah. The only other time it comes up is when they're talking on the hood of Chuckie's car, and Matt Damon's like, yeah, in ten years or whatever, our kids are gonna be going to Little League together. That's the only other time it comes up. But you're... Yeah. You're exactly right. I don't know why they're there. It's... It's beyond me. Zach: Yeah, but they don't have kids. It's not their kids. justin: Maybe it's like a society thing in South Boston. know, go and... Yeah, yeah. It's not creepy. It is. Very bizarre. That's a call out. I didn't even think about it. Because at the beginning of the movie, like those scenes, the Little League game, the fight at the basketball court, they happen fairly quick. Yeah. Zach: Yeah, or something. Just like yeah, it's like I we got nothing to do. Go s go watch go watch little kids play baseball or something. Just goofy. I don't get it. Yeah, the the movie's got a pace, right? Like the bar like when they get to the bar and they you know it's all about little moments to build these relationships and to build these characters, right? And that's what's more it's more important than like you know necessarily the plot at that point. It's just get through their day in their life and build the characters, build build the build the relationships. Plot secondary. So Alright man. You ready to rate it? justin: Yeah. Should this be a classic? Yeah. No? Okay. Sounds good. Not a classic. Thanks for tuning in. I think, yeah, I think for me, absolutely, I think it's phenomenal from start to finish. If you somehow have not seen Good Will Hunting, you need to see it. Zach: Whether or not we think this should this be a classic? No, I don't think so. I think Yeah. No I love this movie. justin: because it's just a, like you said at the beginning, it's a great feel good movie. Like when you, I feel like when you roll the credits, you're happy. You're just happy. It's one of those. Zach: No. It's great it's like this is like a a back in the day aging us, like a T B S classic, you know, it's like it was on all the the radio and every or not the radio, what am I saying? Stupid. On television and all the time and it's just it's a it's so rewatchable, it's so fun, it's so well written, the dialogue is great, like yeah, I'm all about it. I love that I think it's a great movie. It's justin: Yeah. Zach: It's a it's an easy classic for me. The gra apparently the graduate was not. Someone's some film, you know, historian is rolling over in their grave, you know. Roger Ebert are like, Ugh, god these two. The worst. justin: Yeah. I'm just... I don't know. I'm sure they are. Obviously, everything is subjective, but I look at it like this movie that's decades old. Like, it still hits really hard today. Whereas The Graduate, it feels like it's from a different time. There are things that don't really line up with, you know, modern standards and... But... Zach: Yeah. Yeah, like I I don't think y there's a better way to make this movie. Where I feel like if you remade the graduate pfff there's like there's a like you could apply modern filmmaking techniques to it. Even though I think that movie invented a lot of modern filmmaking techniques. you could apply it that maybe would make it feel a little smoother, help the dialogue, you know, come out a little easier. Where this movie I just I don't I don't I don't think there's a way to improve this movie. justin: Mm-hmm. No, think it's, yeah, it's perfect the way that it is. Yeah, a shootout between Chuckie and the cops. Why not? Zach: Just maybe a C a s a CIA chase scene at the end of the movie. But other than that. I gotta see about a girl, but first I gotta uncover the government conspiracies. justin: Yeah. God, I'm so happy they didn't do that. Jesus. Zach: No, it will ruin the movie. Yeah, I I mean I've s I'm not saying this is like a perfect movie, right? But like I don't know. It's like 'cause it is very saccharine. It's very can be a little cheesy, a little corny, but that's like part of what I love about it, right? It's like Yeah, we should have happy endings. We should have nice moments, we should have the big speeches. Like all that stuff is fun and nice and it's delivered really well and Yeah, so it's great. Yeah. justin: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah, completely agree. Classic it is. Zach: All right. Sounds good. Perfect. Any other final thoughts? justin: no. No. I don't have anything. We left it out all on the table. Zach: There go. Well, everyone, thank you for listening. if you want to reach out to us, you can email us at popcorn and pals at gmail.com, all spelled out, all lowercase. Tell us, you know, any movie recommendations, tell us if we're annoying, let us know it's not our fault, you know. It's not our fault. justin: Yeah, it's not our fault. Zach: And then we also have a YouTube channel. Come check us out there. We're just, you know, we post the pod and some shorts of the of the podcast. in the meantime, everyone, again, thank you so much for listening and keep popping that popcorn.