Tears of a Clown Blogathon: Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting






My contribution for the Tears of a Clown blogathon hosted by Wendell at Dell on Movies. The rules are simple:


1. Create a post about a comedic actor in a non-comedic role. Tell us what are your favorite comedic roles of this performer. More importantly, tell us why you like the dramatic role in question. Be as thorough as you feel you need to be. Convince us it's a great performance.

2. Use one of the banners in this post.

3. Include a link back to this post.

4. Leave a link to your post in the comments section below or tweet it to me @w_ott3

Multiple posts on the same performance are allowed, so don't worry about who picked what. You're all pretty creative so I'm sure we'll get a nice variety.

The deadline for this is two weeks from today - Friday, May 29, 2015







Good Will Hunting (1997) is a favorite of mine from the 90s. A number of movies set on campus are about parties and sex, and the deeper aspects of being young and confused are often glossed over. Gus Van Sant's film is that rare Hollywood movie that isn't dumbed down. The scenes with Robin Williams and Matt Damon are for me the highlights of the movie. Williams steals the scenes he's in, winning an Academy Award for Best Supporting actor for his performance. The film was also acknowledged for its outstanding writing, taking home an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.

What made Williams' performance so memorable to me is I watched it for the first time as a 16-year-old when your window is wide open to input and you are searching for a path in life. I'm not a genius, but I could identify with Will and his need for guidance.

While Dr. Sean Maguire (Robin Williams) may not have as high an IQ as Will Hunting (Matt Damon), Sean is far more experienced and wise. He passes on many valuable things to Will, how you can't get everything from books, the difference between knowledge and experience, the importance of love and tenderness, and how you need someone who challenges you. Dr. Sean Maguire is a person you would want in your corner. The character is layered and not infallible, sensitive to criticism when Will comments on his painting. Yet knows who he is and what is important to him in life, and is open to helping and sharing personal anecdotes from his life despite Will's cocky attitude. I think most people have someone special who has motivated them to grow into who they are. I know I have several. What's great about the film is it's not simply a mentor passing on wisdom and a young man receiving, Sean is also challenged by Will.

Williams gives the character both vulnerability and strength, and I really believed he was a therapist. I was able to care about him, despite Williams only on screen for a few scenes in the movie. Others have argued John Keating in Dead Poets Society (1989) is Robin Williams' defining dramatic role, and I wouldn't argue against that. You could even make comparisons between John Keating and Sean Maguire, which are both characters that inspire others to find direction. I haven't even mentioned Robin Williams' comedic roles such as Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) or his stand-up shows. It's very sad he is no longer with us. He had a lot to offer the world.






Have you seen Good Will Hunting? What did you think of Williams' performance? Which is your favorite dramatic performance by Robin Williams?


14 comments:

  1. That is great man. It is one of Williams' best performance although I think his best dramatic work is in The Fisher King.

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    1. @thevoid99: Thanks, I remember you are a fan of Robin Williams. I need to rewatch The Fisher King, saw it many years ago

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  2. I might lean toward Dead Poets Society as his best dramatic turn, plus I have a soft spot for One Hour Photo. Still, he is so great here, I wouldn't argue against it. And he did have much more to offer the world. Thanks for participating!

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    1. @Wendell Ottley: Yeah, in Dead Poets he was basically the lead actor and it’s a great performance. One Hour Photo is very different and creepy. The guy had range
      I had fun joining in, you’re welcome!

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  3. I did saw this movie. Williams was good. Great at comedy and also drama, such depth. Great choice for the topic!

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    1. @Andina: Agree Williams was good, and yes, he could do many things as an actor. Thanks!

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  4. This is a wonderful choice! I really liked this movie too, and Dr. Sean Maguire is one of the few positive portrayals of therapists in movies. You could see that he felt Will's pain.

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    1. @Irene: Thanks! I hadn’t thought about therapists in general in movies, good point that he is depicted positively. I agree he felt Will’s pain, even when Will was hiding it.

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  5. Great write-up. This is my favorite Williams performance, and one of my favorite performances of all time. Ah, I just love it. Still miss the guy.

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    1. @Alex Withrow: Thank you. Yeah, this is right up there among my favorite supporting performances as well

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  6. Brilliant choice! I've always loved the film and Williams' performance. His versatility was so underrated.

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    1. @Josh: Thank you! He was versatile. I just saw the trailer for Boulevard (2014), his last dramatic role. Might be good, at least his performance.

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  7. Nice take on this piece of work. I like that shared how you related to the performance. He was a great and versatile talent, such a shame he was haunted by demons.

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    1. @joel65913: Thanks, I connected with the story, especially in the 90s when I first discovered it. Yes, such a shame Williams suffered from depression

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