Good Will Hunting (Live from Boston)
19 winners · 3 left open
Who won the movie?
DeclaredMatt Damon and Ben Affleck
The room ultimately says the movie belongs to Damon and Affleck together because they wrote it, starred in it, and made it happen.
Most rewatchable scene
Apparent consensusThe playground fight scene
The hosts first settle on the playground fight scene before spending a lot of time debating the Harvard bar sequence too.
Apex Mountain
No consensusNo clear winner
The conversation ranges across several possible apex candidates, but no single winner is firmly locked in.
Open the full ledger19 more categories, in podcast order↓
What's the most 1997 thing about this movie?
Apparent consensusNo internet / payphones / pre-smartphone life
They land on the movie's pre-internet world, especially payphones and how much easier it was to communicate then.
What's age the best
Apparent consensusThe Boston accents
The room singles out the Boston accents as the element that has aged best, with some support for the film's friendship chemistry too.
Great shot, Gordo
Apparent consensusThe construction-site / Chucky monologue sequence
They choose the construction-site moment as the standout visual sequence, while also praising a couple of smaller camera moves elsewhere.
Den of Thieves Benihana Award for scene stealing location
DeclaredThe Boston Common
The hosts specifically name the Boston Common as the scene-stealing location.
Chess Rockwell and Brock Landers Award for best character name
DeclaredChucky Sullivan
They crown Chucky Sullivan as the best name, with Lambeau noted as the main challenger.
Vincent Chase award for are we sure this character was actually good at his job?
No consensusNo clear winner
The discussion turns into a debate over whether Sean is actually a competent therapist and whether Lambeau is a strong professor, without a clean consensus.
Weak link of the film
Apparent consensusTom, the graduate assistant
They mostly settle on Tom, the graduate assistant, as the weakest supporting piece in the movie.
What's age the worst?
Apparent consensusHarvey Weinstein as the movie's hero / the Miramax baggage
The strongest answer is the Harvey Weinstein/Miramax hero framing, with several other 1997-era details also called out.
The Sean Penn, I brought my own pack award for excellence in on-screen smoking
DeclaredDamon
They single out Damon as the clear winner for on-screen smoking.
Best that guy word
DeclaredScott Winters as ponytail guy
They identify Scott Winters, the ponytail Harvard bar guy, as the standout that-guy performance.
Dion Waiters Award
DeclaredJimmy Flynn
After a few nominees, they settle on Jimmy Flynn as the memorable low-line-count player who stands out most.
Recasting couch director's city
Apparent consensusPhilip Seymour Hoffman as the Harvard ponytail guy
They float Philip Seymour Hoffman in the ponytail-guy role as the clearest recasting idea.
The Sean Fennessey Award for a stealth homage that gives every movie nerd a criteria orgasm
DeclaredThe Chasing Amy naming callback / Chinatown line / Hearts of Darkness bug line
They call out multiple hidden references, especially the Holden & McNeil name and the 'how do you like them apples' callback.
Pick nits
Apparent consensusThe car logistics at the end
The hosts focus on the broken-car and travel-logic issues near the ending as the main nitpick target.
Unanswerable questions
No consensusNo clear winner
They toss around several hypotheticals about the movie's alternate timeline and character choices without settling on one answer.
Hottest take award
Apparent consensusWill Hunting is just the guy mocking the Harvard bar at the bar
Bill's strongest hot take is that Will is no different from the Harvard-bar blowhard he mocks.
How do you like them apples / life lesson
Apparent consensusIt's not your fault, but sometimes it is
They turn the last lesson into a mix of self-belief and the joke that not every problem is actually someone else's fault.
Best double feature choice
DeclaredAir
Bill picks Air as the pairing that best fits after Good Will Hunting.
Fantasy
DeclaredThe Martian
They choose The Martian as the better fantasy-style follow-up for Damon-at-his-smartest energy.