GOOD WILL HUNTING

Will Hunting (Matt Damon) is a math genius. But he is not in school or college. He is a janitor in a University College. Accidentally a Professor finds Matt’s penchant for solving seemingly unworkable math problems. What he has given to his students as a work out is solved even before the students think of putting chalk on board. After a search of who is solving these problems incognito, the Professor finds Matt.

But Matt is least interested in pursuing a structured life let alone a math career. He is forever fighting in the streets and end up in jails. He is a free bird and wants to be one – not tied to anything, not even to love. But the Professor feels otherwise and would want to do everything to get the lad into maths. He takes him to a series of psychologists to mend him and all give up just after one sitting.

So, the Professor finds his long last friend and a rival math genius (brilliantly played by Robin Williams) to help him out. During the course of interactions these two protagonists (Matt and Robin) “find themselves”. Robin tries to steer Matt towards what Matt likes, where as the Professor wants Robin to lead the lad to the Math Lab. Conflicts occur. Brilliantly captured arguments about career and what your heart desires.

Meanwhile, Matt’s love interest leaves town having fed up of Matt’s intransigence. Unknowingly Matt is shattered, but does not want to show or admit to himself that he is tied (to his heart) even though he wants to be free.

But the Professor accuses Robin of diverting the mind of Matt from Maths and spoiling his career, just as “he-has-done-with-his”. This infuriates Robin to no end but yet goads Matt do what he is comfortable with.

Matt then realises that he is missing his lady love and runs away to Calif to be with her as she had demanded when she left Boston to pursue her career.

The film is an excellent portrayal of human emotions. Interestingly love triumphs over maths.

THE LIVES OF OTHERS

This is a German Film – subtitled. So we don’t know the actors. That does not matter.

Whoever is interested in political theories (socialism, communism etc), Iron Curtain, Cold War and all that should not miss this film.

As you probably know immediately after WWII, Germany is divided – the communist Germany (GDR) and the Democratic (capitalistic) Germany (FDR).

Early in the morning of Sunday, August 13, 1961, the GDR began under the leadership of Erich Honecker to block off East Berlin and the GDR from West Berlin by means of barbed wire and antitank obstacles. Streets were torn up, and barricades of paving stones were erected. Tanks gathered at crucial places. The subway and local railway services between East and West Berlin were interrupted. Inhabitants of East Berlin and the GDR were no longer allowed to enter West Berlin.

GDR is communistic and has a strictly authoritarian regime. There is always a strict vigilance (surveillance) of all that goes on in public life by the State (referred to as Stasis). Stasis (political history), is a set of symptoms indicating an internal disturbance in both individuals and states.

So, no dissent. This leads to curtailment of even artistic freedom. And artists/writers commit suicides by the droves. Even this news is suppressed to show a picture of well being of the masses in the socialistic milieu. But even then some leaks occur as they are corrupt men in the border check posts of the Wall, as anywhere else. Many artists compromise and others show dissent and face the consequences – leading to complete ban of their artistic presentations (plays, shows etc). And sometimes jails if enough corroborative evidence is found that the person is acting against the State Interest and laws.

This is the story of one writer-director (WD) of theatre and his leading lady (also lady of love (LL)).

The WD having heard the suicide of his mentor – a Director of Repute – decides to bring the story of the plight of writers/artists to the Western World – thru a magazine printed from west – Der Spiegel. There are many ingenious ways of smuggling articles to this magazine, which cashes in printing stories about the communist regime.

Stasis has wind of this and starts surveillance. Unmindful of this WD goes about his job including relationship with his lady love. During this surveillance, one of the guards (G) convinced of the efforts being put in by WD and the cover-up efforts of his superiors converts himself to the cause of WD. And G finds few nasty things about his own government. The State doubts G’s obedience to the State, but can’t pin point.

Meanwhile the article gets printed in Der Spiegel and all hell is lose. And there is a ride on WD’s home to find some evidence (pinpointed by a series of detection to a type writer of special vintage) to arraign him. They don’t find any evidence, as it is stashed away where no one can find it. The location of this secret type writer is known, apart for WD, to only two other persons – G because of surveillance and his LL (accidentally, she has the key to enter the house after all). G enters the room after the raid and takes away the type writer thus acting against the State – he is now fully converted.

Meanwhile LL is interrogated by the State and she spills the beans (of the location of the type writer). So there is another raid, now by senior functionaries to find the type writer. When they just about the open the wooden floor where the type writer is stashed away LL enters the room and through the exchange of glances WD understands that LL has sold him out. Otherwise how can they know where is the type writer? (He is totally unaware of the surveillance). LL feeling guilty runs out of the house and his killed by a running truck.

But the wooden floor does not have the type writer! After all, the type writer has been taken away by G now.

WD no is of the opinion – presumably – his LL has saved him by taking the type writer away and feels sorry for having doubted her involvement. It is actually G who has thrown away the evidence.

The State Officers believe that G has some unexplained role in this whole episode and is stripped of his job.

Because they don’t find any evidence the case is dropped.

On Nov 9, 1989 Berlin Wall collapsed and End of Cold War.

It is then WD comes to know of the surveillance ( thru a accidental meeting of the official who is responsible for putting tabs on public during that period) and deducts that the Guard, who was responsible for surveillance has actually saved him by taking away the type writer (evidence), as records do show that his LL has spilled the beans of the secret place of the type writer. So he finds the identity of the guard from the archives of East German Government. (Yes, you can find the secrets of War from the archives of WWII in any German Library now).

WD finds him. G is now a lowly post man. WD does not attempt meet up G, but dedicates a book to him.

G finds about the book through a sale window of a book store and finds that it is dedicated to him. G buys the book as a souvenir.

Thus this is the story of love and commitment to a cause.

A must see film. Great acting by every one.