Film Costume: Good Will Hunting (1997)

- Barbara Leung

Good Will Hunting follows a math genius, Will Hunting (portrayed by Matt Damon), who is forced to see a therapist in order to avoid jail time and study advanced mathematics with Professor Lambeau. While the costuming is anything but elaborate, there are instances in which the clothing worn symbolizes and elicits certain sentiments that can be recognized when watching the film for the upteenth time. For instance, when Will is seen meeting with the first two therapists, both of whom he drives away, he is noted as wearing a red top. No where else in the movie is he seen red when he is the focus of the conversation. It is to say that the colour red communicates hostility and temporariness. When he meets with Sean Maguire, his therapist throughout the remainder of the film, he is seen wearing a more muted colour. The sleeve length between the first and second meeting with the therapists perhaps illustrate a distance that will have to be crossed before meeting Sean. It is to say that the he was wearing a jacket in the first meeting (as seen above) and a a t-shirt in the second meeting. With that said, it is interesting to see how quotidien clothing can communicate personality and tie together plot elements.