Daily Dialogue — November 11, 2013
INT. SEAN’S OFFICE — DAY
Lambeau stands across from Sean, seething…
LAMBEAU: You’re wrong, Sean. I’m where I am today because I was pushed. And because I learned to push myself!
SEAN: He’s not you!
A beat. Lambeau turns, something catches his eye. Sean turns to look, IT’S WILL. He is standing in the doorway.
WILL: I can come back.
LAMBEAU: No, that’s fine, Will. I was just leaving.
There is an awkward moment as Lambeau gets his coat and leaves.
WILL: Well, I’m here. (beat) So, is that my problem? I’m afraid of being abandoned? That was easy.
SEAN: Look, a lot of that stuff goes back a long way. And it’s between me and him and it has nothing to do with you.
WILL: Do you want to talk about it?
Sean smiles. A beat. Will sees a FILE on Sean’s desk.
WILL: What’s that?
SEAN: Oh, this is your file. I have to send it back to the Judge with my evaluation.
WILL: You’re not going to fail me are you?
Sean smiles.
WILL: So what’s it say?
SEAN: You want to read it?
WILL: No. (beat) Have you had any experience with that?
SEAN: Twenty years of counseling you see a lot of–
WILL: No, have you had any experience with that?
SEAN: Yes.
WILL: (smiles) It sure ain’t good.
INT. WILL’S CHILDHOOD APARTMENT — FLASHBACK
From a child’s P.O.V. we see a man, partially obscured by a doorframe. The man turns toward the P.O.V.
CUT BACK TO:
INT. SEAN’S OFFICE — DAY
SEAN: (after a pause) My dad used to make us walk down to the park and collect the sticks he was going to beat us with. Actually the worst of the beatings were between me and my brother. We would practice on each other trying to find sticks that would break.
WILL: He used to just put a belt, a stick and a wrench on the kitchen table and say “choose.”
INT. WILL’S CHILDHOOD APARTMENT — FLASHBACK
A large, callused hand sets down a wrench next to a stick.
CUT BACK TO:
INT. SEAN’S OFFICE — DAY
SEAN: Gotta go with the belt there…
WILL: I used to go with the wrench.
SEAN: The wrench, why?
WILL: ’Cause fuck him, that’s why.
A long quiet moment.
WILL: Is that why me and Skylar broke up?
SEAN: I didn’t know you had. Do you want to talk about that? (beat) I don’t know a lot, Will. But let me tell you one thing. All this history, this shit… (indicates file) Look here, son.
Will, who had been looking away, looks at Sean.
SEAN: This is not your fault.
WILL: (nonchalant) Oh, I know.
SEAN: It’s not your fault.
WILL: (smiles) I know.
SEAN: It’s not your fault.
WILL: I know.
SEAN: It’s not your fault.
WILL: (dead serious) I know.
SEAN: It’s not your fault.
WILL: Don’t fuck with me.
SEAN: (comes around desk, sits in front of Will) It’s not your fault.
WILL: (tears start) I know.
SEAN: It’s not…
WILL: (crying hard) I know, I know…
Sean takes Will in his arms and holds him like a child. Will sobs like a baby. After a moment, he wraps his arms around Sean and holds him, even tighter. We pull back from this image. Two lonely souls being father and son together.
— Good Will Hunting (1997), written by Matt Damon, Ben Affleck
The Daily Dialogue theme for the week is therapy, suggested by Despina. Today’s suggestion by Zach Jansen.
Trivia: Matt Damon, a former Harvard student, originally intended to make the title character a physics prodigy. He discussed his idea with Sheldon L. Glashow, a Nobel laureate in physics and at the time a Harvard professor. Glashow told him that the premise did not ring true to him and suggested that the main character be a math prodigy instead. He referred Damon to his brother-in-law, Daniel Kleitman, a professor of mathematics at MIT who provided advice on the story. Both Glashow and Kleitman are thanked in the credits.
Dialogue On Dialogue: Commentary from Zach: “Because, honestly, don’t we all want therapists like this?”
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