United States of America

Drama

BostonMassachusettsProfessorBaseballMathematicsGeniusHarvard universityMale friendshipAmbitionFlashbackLoveFriendsPsychologistJanitorUniversityCourtroomProdigyMath geniusJaysgayadan

Gus Van Sant

Matt Damon, Robin Williams, Ben Affleck, Stellan Skarsgård, Minnie Driver, Casey Affleck

Matt Damon, Ben Affleck

Miramax, Lawrence Bender Productions, Be Gentlemen Limited Partnership

Taglines: Some people can never believe in themselves, until someone believes in them.

When professors discover that an aimless janitor is also a math genius, a therapist helps the young man confront the demons that are holding him back.

Reviews:

Author: FilipeManuelNeto
**A very good film, but with some flaws and problems that deserve attention.** This film is about a boy from Boston, who comes from very poor backgrounds, but who has a gift for mathematics, easily solving theorems and advanced problems that leave Harvard professors unanswered. He is discovered after solving one, at night and without telling anyone, and one of the professors at the university decides to help him be someone and make use of his gift. The problem is that he doesn't want to, he's not able to trust anyone, and he's seriously stuck with justice. Therefore, he will recruit an irreverent psychiatrist to try to help the boy. The film's premise is very good, and the story has merits that we cannot ignore or minimize. It's one of those delicious movies to watch, that leaves us without feeling the time that passes. We really know that guy is not a bad person, but it's not easy to like the character due to his options and his bad social attitude. However, what bothered me the most was the construction of Robin Williams' character and his whole way of acting and accompanying that patient. I think anyone who has ever had the need to see a psychiatrist knows that they have strict rules about what they can and cannot do, and Williams' character breaks a good number of them. And this leads us to talk about actors. I really enjoyed Williams' work, but he is a long way from the best that the actor has given us. Matt Damon also did a good job, perhaps one of the best of his career, and one that opened more doors for him in his professional life. Stellan Skarsgard also intelligently took advantage of the opportunity to impose himself on the American cinematic scene, with a job well done and of great merit. Minnie Driver also did an interesting job, perhaps even more so than Ben Affleck, whose character doesn't have as much visibility or relevance. Technically, the film has many merits, starting with the excellent cinematography, a good set of sets and interesting costumes. The effects are understated, but they work quite well, and the soundtrack also does a pretty good job. It is not, however, a film that stands out for its technical aspects, nor could it be. The important thing in this film is the story it brings us and the work of the cast.