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Are you stuck in movie logic?

(usefulfictions.substack.com)
239 points eatitraw | 3 comments | 17 Nov 25 12:06 UTC | HN request time: 0.587s | source
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ekjhgkejhgk ◴[17 Nov 25 18:31 UTC] No.45956424[source]▶
I completely agree with the point, and I've made the same point myself.

However, I think "good will hunting" is a bad example.

> “I feel like you have a tremendous amount of intellectual potential that you’re wasting here — why are you getting in fights rather than trying to do something interesting?”

There is a scene where they have this conversation without words. Robin Williams is asking him without spelling it out and Matt Damon understands what the question is and dances around it. They both know what they're talking about even if they don't put it into words. In the case of this specific movie the problem isn't communication, it's just that the main character is incapable of dealing with things inside him that he doesn't understand (aka "emotionally immature"). (well, that was my interpretation anyway).

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mattmanser ◴[17 Nov 25 21:04 UTC] No.45958278[source]▶
Ben Affleck's character says it to him too directly:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0g_1FjDHjBM

Maybe the author's not watched the movie in a while, as it's a direct contradiction of his blog post. The entire movie is about a bunch of people desperately trying to communicate to Will he can live a much fuller life if he drops his pride or attitude or fear of failure or whatever you want to call it.

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1. listenallyall ◴[17 Nov 25 22:24 UTC] No.45959092[source]▶
True, however this speech finally comes in the last 15 minutes of the film, in response to Will saying something profoundly stupid, that he'd rather stick around and work construction than actually use his enormous talent.

It's also notable that this talk comes after (or near the end) of his sessions with therapist Sean and working with the professor - so he has come to terms with his past abuse (not claiming he is "healed" but he certainly is in a better place), learned a bit about structure from the professor, started interviewing, and now the final hurdle holding Will back is the intense loyalty to his friends. Chuckie not only gives him permission to leave them behind but tells him how stupid and disappointing Will would be if he didn't. He even tells him how to leave - just go, no warning, no message, no planning.

It's obvious this is something Chuckie has thought for years, but only verbalizes at the very end when Will needs (and is able to act upon) that final push.

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2. hattmall ◴[18 Nov 25 14:55 UTC] No.45967001[source]▶
Personally, I don't get why he has to leave. They are in Boston, obviously there's colleges and stuff, why can't he just do smart people things and hang out with his friends too. I feel like the whole "you must leave everything behind" is more movie logic than anything else.
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3. listenallyall ◴[19 Nov 25 23:03 UTC] No.45986529[source]▶
Yea, well once Skylar moved to California his fate was to go chase her. You could call that movie logic, you wouldn't be wrong, but it's a lot better ending than "hey guys I got a job at <boston based tech co>, now let's go chase broads"