This rewatch just upset me with how mental illness and Will's rejection of so many great job offers is portrayed. He also is portrayed like so many successful STEM folks in movies; everything is effortless and he's allowed to be an ass to people regularly because he's seen as a demigod
This happens in countless biopics glorifying famous scientists, mathematicians, and founders. Steve Jobs (the Fassbender one), The Social Network, A Beautiful Mind. I understand if makes for dramatic cinema. And of course abnormally intelligent and successful people can be mean. But most days they're just people
And yeah of course we're supposed to feel bad for Will because trauma, but real people react to trauma in many different ways: crying, introversion, paranoid fear that mostly doesn't hurt anyone else...
Gosh and they do that other trope where it's so effortless for him. Plenty of geniuses only know their field with any depth. Will randomly remembering obscure detailed Southern antebellum facts and organic chemistry is a bit much
I still liked the effort they put in; Robin Williams' character is very very likable, and there are a few great jokes, one of which equitably goes to Minnie Driver being one of the guys in the bar. Robin and Will definitely have a deep friendship that "Mr. Fields" can't parallel
SPOILER ALERT:
But perhaps it's the ending that's always really rubbed me the wrong way; we're meant to cheer for Will's choice?! He could have at least lined up a job on the West Coast before spontaneously throwing his life into disarray. Very common in American movies to glorify love, impulse, and rugged individualism instead of sensible decisions
Despite all my criticism, I do enjoy most of the movie. It gives us STEM folks more visibility and was really put together skillfully. There are just enough decisions to dislike, and it upset me. But I laughed, and certainly felt things
4.0 / 6 Stars
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