American film Goodwill Hunting - Essay Example

Good Will Hunting Name: Professor: Institution: Course: Date: The Goodwill hunting is an American movie based on the life of a janitor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology called Will Hunting. The movie was released in 1997 and has had outstanding reviews according to many film review websites. The film was directed by Gus Van Sant. The main protagonists in the film is the Janitor Will Hunting, and it stars Matt Damon as Will Hunting, Ben Affleck as Chucky Sullivan who stars as Will’s best friend, Minnie Driver stars as will’s girlfriend and Stellan Skarsgard as Gerald Lambeau who plays as the mathematics professor who helps will turn his life around. The film has received world wide acclaim for its reviews on various psychological topics (Goldman, 2001). The film was distributed by Castle Rock films and is a whole 126 minutes of pure drama. The film begins where we are introduced to Will Hunting is a normally guy in working class neighborhood who lives his life working and hanging with his friends as well as getting into trouble with the authorities. Will is an orphan and spent most his early childhood in many foster homes and was abused in the care of those homes. In spite of his troubled childhood will is a mathematical genius though he keeps this fact to himself and spends most of his time reading books and enlightening his photographic memory. Will is battles identity issues as he blames himself for his troubled childhood and the issues that faced him as a child as he cannot quite fathom why he underwent those problems. Deep inside Will is faced with many psychological battles including self hate and therefore can neither maintaining normal employment nor a normal romantic relationship and keeps assaulting anyone who crosses his path. Will also has a toughness which he shows to the outside world and acts as compensation to him for his battled social life. Professor Gerald Lambeau who is a professor of mathematics leaves a mathematical problem on the hall way hoping that one of the students will be able to solve the complex mathematical equation. Will solves the problem and seeks anonymity, and everyone around the university is amazed. The professor posts another question and Will solves it. Meanwhile, the Professor catches up with him, but Will runs off and along meets Skylar who is a graduate and wants to study medicine at Stanford. Will goes on with his troubled lifestyle and is arrested for assaulting a man and Gerald takes the opportunity by seeking the release of Will on the condition that he will work with him in solving mathematical problems in his department and also take therapy classes to help solve his issues. However, Will is reluctant and does not see anything positive coming out of him based in his troubled past as well as his rebellious attitude. Will first undertakes the therapy classes but the therapist gives up based on the fact that Will is unwilling to cooperate. This then prompts Gerald Lambeau to contact his old buddy who is a psychologist to come to his aid and help sort out whatever problems that Will may be having. He agrees, and the film takes a dramatic turn in the lives off both will and Sean Maguire who is the psychologist that Gerald found. Initially, Will is unwilling to cooperate but later on decides to open up. This sees the development of a strong bond that culminates into a father-son relationship based on mutual trust. The relationship between Sean Maguire and the other psychologists that Gerald had consulted was that Maguire totally understood the issues that Will was going through as they came from the same neighborhood and also takes a different approach towards solving the issues that Will is facing by pushing him and finally being able to overcome the hostile behaviors that Will exhibits. Sean also uses a dual approach to help solve the problems that Will is facing by talking to him about his own problems too. Sean is also violent on Will when he talks about the reflective paint that he had which reminds him of his wife, this helps Will who thought of himself as a challenge that he is powerless and badly needs the therapy to help solve his issues which he subsequently agrees to undergo. The film has received enormous reviews and acclaims especially from the Social sciences world especially Psychology, and Sociology sit uses a totally different approach to solving problems and also has a lot of learning on psychology especially on behavioral approach which is equally indispensable in trying to solver particular issues in regards to human behavior. Good Will Hunting comes with a new concept that involves people who do not want to be pushed to be pushed to the limit. An example is that of Will Hunting who is contented with his life and is not willing to unleash his total potential yet he is a mathematical genius who can use his abilities to make his life better but seems happy to live in the impoverished neighborhood and also content with his daily routine. Will is also not ready to pursue a relationship with Skylar despite of it being evident that he has feelings for her. Will thinks that Skylar will complicate his lifestyle while the truth of the matter is that Skylar was a massive influence in his life, and yet he did not appreciate that. Another situation that seems to want to be pushed over the edge to perform is that of troubled psychologist Sean Maguire who has not yet moved on from the passing on of his wife to cancer. He easily gets offended when Will talks about the painting he has of his wife and also he is having problems career wise and also in his social life which can be attributed to n of moving on after the death of his wife. The film takes us through an illustrious journey that not only involves behavioral change but also jumping from the cocoons and closet to exploit our abilities and unleash our potentials to the fullest. In addition, from the film, counselors and psychologists can learn that in dealing with hostile patients, they need to take dramatic moves to make them open up. They could at first be courteous to the patients, but if there is no progress adopt a much tougher mode that will make the patient talk about the issues that maybe affecting them. Another issue that comes up is that of a dual approach when dealing with cases of patients. The psychologist tried relating himself to Will which eventually saw Will open up and also he tried to create an environment where Will felt he was safe from his insecurities and also felt that Sean was indeed his friend who was willing to help him solve whatever issues he had. Sean also used a different approach that is hardly used by most psychologists where he talked about his own personal life to the patient, and that was monumental in helping Will open up despite being initially harsh towards the psychologist. The dual approach is particularly relevant to a patient for the first few sessions of therapy in that it helps the patient view the psychologist from a different lens and angle first as a human being and also as a friend. It also helps the patient feel that the psychologist totally understands whatever issues the patient is going through majorly because they relate both physically, emotionally and mentally and this will help the patient open up and see the success of the therapy process. A psychological concept that also comes up from Good Will Hunting is that of cognitive dissonance where there is normally built up tension between two conflicting cognitions. These cognitions maybe in the form of thoughts, ideas, fears, beliefs, values which are conflicting. While in this state people feel mixed emotions and have mixed thoughts such as fear, guilt, and anxiety. The theory is based on social psychology and puts across an argument that all individuals have a motivation that tells them what is wrong and what is not and what they can do and what they cannot do. In the film, this concept of cognitive dissonance arises where Will knows that he has an immense potential but then is still not sure how he should exploit it and keeps blaming himself for the poor upbringing that he suffered and the problems he had. In a conversation with his close friend Chucky, Will talks about his plans of being a “Southie” a term used to refer to those who lived in South Boston but Chuck Interjects by telling him that he should find something to do and stop coming to his house to watch games and also working on the construction company. The other prominent scene that shows the cognitive dissonance in action is where Sean tells Will in the end that it is not his fault that he had a poor childhood and that he should stop blaming himself for the problems that he had. Will then says he is sorry for learning that his attitude towards himself was not actually a noble cause and a good thing for himself. There is also a dominant issue in the film, and that is the issue of childhood upbringing. It is imperative to note that Will often blamed himself for the problems that he faced majorly due to the fact that he was abused. Will also seems to have a massive problem with authority. First we are shown of him as a rebellious 20 year old and one who has no relationship whatsoever romantic or friendship. His friendships also do not involve anything concrete as most of the times he spends time with his friends drinking and just hanging out. In addition Will would not listen to Professor Gerald after he had intervened and finally he had to undergo five therapists before Sean and had a lot of problems settling with Sean. This puts into sharp focus issues on the upbringing of the children. Most children who lack sound parental care end up being exceedingly rebellious and also not being compliant with their social skills. The early stages of the childhood need to nurture the child to be friendly as well as ensure that the child listens and respects those in authority. The case of Will being abused by his father also brought into focus the role of father figures in the mentoring of children and making them better citizens and individuals in the future. References Goldman, W. (2001). Which Lie Did I Tell?: More Adventures in the Screen Trade. . Vintage. Sant, G. V. (Director). (1997). Good Will Hunting (1997) [Motion Picture]. Saul, M. (1998). Good Will Hunting. Read More

Sean is also violent on Will when he talks about the reflective paint that he had which reminds him of his wife, this helps Will who thought of himself as a challenge that he is powerless and badly needs the therapy to help solve his issues which he subsequently agrees to undergo. The film has received enormous reviews and acclaims especially from the Social sciences world especially Psychology, and Sociology sit uses a totally different approach to solving problems and also has a lot of learning on psychology especially on behavioral approach which is equally indispensable in trying to solver particular issues in regards to human behavior.

Good Will Hunting comes with a new concept that involves people who do not want to be pushed to be pushed to the limit. An example is that of Will Hunting who is contented with his life and is not willing to unleash his total potential yet he is a mathematical genius who can use his abilities to make his life better but seems happy to live in the impoverished neighborhood and also content with his daily routine. Will is also not ready to pursue a relationship with Skylar despite of it being evident that he has feelings for her.

Will thinks that Skylar will complicate his lifestyle while the truth of the matter is that Skylar was a massive influence in his life, and yet he did not appreciate that. Another situation that seems to want to be pushed over the edge to perform is that of troubled psychologist Sean Maguire who has not yet moved on from the passing on of his wife to cancer. He easily gets offended when Will talks about the painting he has of his wife and also he is having problems career wise and also in his social life which can be attributed to n of moving on after the death of his wife.

The film takes us through an illustrious journey that not only involves behavioral change but also jumping from the cocoons and closet to exploit our abilities and unleash our potentials to the fullest. In addition, from the film, counselors and psychologists can learn that in dealing with hostile patients, they need to take dramatic moves to make them open up. They could at first be courteous to the patients, but if there is no progress adopt a much tougher mode that will make the patient talk about the issues that maybe affecting them.

Another issue that comes up is that of a dual approach when dealing with cases of patients. The psychologist tried relating himself to Will which eventually saw Will open up and also he tried to create an environment where Will felt he was safe from his insecurities and also felt that Sean was indeed his friend who was willing to help him solve whatever issues he had. Sean also used a different approach that is hardly used by most psychologists where he talked about his own personal life to the patient, and that was monumental in helping Will open up despite being initially harsh towards the psychologist.

The dual approach is particularly relevant to a patient for the first few sessions of therapy in that it helps the patient view the psychologist from a different lens and angle first as a human being and also as a friend. It also helps the patient feel that the psychologist totally understands whatever issues the patient is going through majorly because they relate both physically, emotionally and mentally and this will help the patient open up and see the success of the therapy process. A psychological concept that also comes up from Good Will Hunting is that of cognitive dissonance where there is normally built up tension between two conflicting cognitions.

These cognitions maybe in the form of thoughts, ideas, fears, beliefs, values which are conflicting. While in this state people feel mixed emotions and have mixed thoughts such as fear, guilt, and anxiety. The theory is based on social psychology and puts across an argument that all individuals have a motivation that tells them what is wrong and what is not and what they can do and what they cannot do. In the film, this concept of cognitive dissonance arises where Will knows that he has an immense potential but then is still not sure how he should exploit it and keeps blaming himself for the poor upbringing that he suffered and the problems he had.

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