The movie was also written by Damon and Ben Affleck, who has a small role. Damon's the flavor of the month right now, but for a very good reason: he's gorgeous, a good actor, and a good writer. He's got so much natural charm that he can reply to "Were you hoping for a goodnight kiss?" with "No, actually, I was hoping for a goodnight lay," and get a laugh instead of a slap.
Though Damon is excellent in the lead role, the rest of the acting isn't very remarkable. Robin Williams is miscast as the counselor. Minnie Driver, as Damon's love interest, is slightly less annoying than in her past two films, but her range stretches from unremarkable to profoundly irritating. I don't know who keeps putting her in movies. And she has to be the worst fake crier I've ever seen.
The movie reminded me a little bit of Shine -- troubled prodigy, conflicts with father figure(s), the arcane nature of the field in question (I never thought I'd hear the words "exciting math theory" in a movie) -- but I connected with Will in a way that I never did with David Helfgott. Maybe it's just cause I've known people like Will, or felt like him sometimes myself, but for me he was a rare find: a character who doesn't seem like he's in a movie.
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