Fall Films: Little Women and Good Will Hunting Review

  As the leaves fall and the weather gets crisp, people everywhere turn to classic fall movies. Recently, this author watched two of the most popular, Little Women and Good Will Hunting. Below are my reviews for both.

     Little Women has been my favorite movie since it came out in 2019, and recently for a Semantics project I rewatched the film and remembered why I love it so much. Tasked with writing a speech about Lousia May Alcott, I thought to myself: what better way to research than watch Alcott’s greatest novel in movie form? The cast is star-studded: Saorise Ronan, Florence Pugh, Emma Watson, and Timothee Chalamet. All of the actors did an excellent job, especially Saorise Ronan, who won an Oscar for Best Leading Actress, and Florence Pugh, who won Best Supporting Actress. The film itself is perfect New England fall, as it takes place in Concord, MA. The movie follows a family of four daughters and their mother while the husband is serving in the Civil War, and is chock-full of messages about what it means to be a girl, and then a woman. For years and years, the story has been an inspiration to young girls everywhere, and the recent 2019 adaptation does an excellent job bringing the story to the big screen. The film is appropriate for all ages while also full of deep meanings for an older audience, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a beautiful, cozy, and bittersweet film this autumn. 

     With my family, I watched Good Will Hunting. I came into this movie with low expectations since my parents had asked to watch it and I wasn’t familiar with the movie. I was simply blown away by the extraordinary job done by Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and most importantly, Robin Williams. The film’s premise is about a genius janitor (Damon) who gets into trouble with the law and begins to work with a therapist (Williams), and in the process the two men learn a great deal about each other and what it means to be human. Themes of friendship, identity, trauma, love, and manlihood course throughout the film, creating a complex kaleidoscope of emotions. Also, since the film takes place in Boston, there are plenty of understandable references such as the constant presence of Dunkin Donuts. While the film is extraordinary, I wouldn’t recommend it for younger audiences because of language and references. But if you think it’s appropriate for you, I advise you to watch it, because it may change your whole perspective on life.

        Both films are tearjerkers and beautifully crafted, but they differ in premise, plot, and age ratings. If you have the time this fall/winter, I highly recommend watching at least one.  

by Molly Bloomfield