“Good Will Hunting” for Good Psychology

Graphic by Evelyn Crothal

I first saw “Good Will Hunting” during spring break after my first intro psychology course in sophomore year. It’s a classic film and a surprisingly accurate portrayal of psychotherapy. 

The movie centers around the 20-year old eponymous Will Hunting, portrayed by a then-blonder Matt Damon, a tough kid from South Boston who works nights as a janitor at MIT and spends his free time drinking with his friends. When he solves an insanely complex math problem but gets into trouble with the law, one of the math professors takes him under his wing on the condition that he sees a therapist. This does not go well; a revolving door of stuffy psychologists hit the wall of obstinance and mockery that Will throws at them, leaving only one option.

Enter a bearded Robin Williams with a tweed jacket and soft therapist voice. In one of his rarer dramatic roles as both psychology professor and psychologist, he plays a psychologist who is down to Earth, isn’t fooled by Will’s smart-alecky stunts and, most importantly of all, understands Will. As they begin to build a bond of trust, Williams’ character fills the role of a father figure for Will, helping him find direction and overcome the childhood abuse he suffered at the hands of his foster father.

Most movies tend to exaggerate mental illness and mental health treatment for dramatic tension, ranging from hypnotists waving golden pocket watches to bespeckled professorial Austrians asking about one’s father from a leather armchair. “Good Will Hunting” is a surprisingly accurate portrayal of the process of psychotherapy, barring a few key exceptions. 

But what do actual psychologists have to say about the film’s portrayal of, well, psychologists and psychological treatment?

“The film depicts psychotherapy with a 20-year old pretty well with only one exception,” stated Thomas Plante, a professor in Santa Clara University’s psychology department and a clinical psychologist. “Robin Williams, who plays the therapist, gets angry with Matt Damon, who plays the patient. And he throws him up against the wall. Of course, psychologists are not encouraged to throw patients up against the wall under any circumstances and never to do harm.”

“Good Will Hunting” will forever hold a special place in my heart. It’s one of my favorite films and follows the journey of a bright but broken young man learning to come to terms with his past and his future. There’s something we can all get from the movie, but, if nothing else, budding or practicing psychologists should remember the greatest lesson of all: For the love of God, do not physically attack your patients!