Good Will Hunting (1997)Movie Script

(beat) Sean, in 1905 there were hundreds of Professors who were renowned for their study of the universe. But it was a 26-year-old Swiss Patent clerk, doing physics in his spare time, who changed the world, Sean. Can you imagine if Einstein had given that up? Or gotten drunk with his buddies in Vienna every night? All of us would have lost something. And I'm quite sure Timmy never would have heard of him.

SEAN:

Isn't that a little dramatic, Gerry?

LAMBEAU:

No, Sean. This boy has that gift. He just hasn't got the direction. We can give that to him.

A beat.

SEAN:

He married his cousin.

LAMBEAU:

Who?

SEAN:

Einstein. Had two marriages, both trainwrecks. The guy never saw his kids, one of whom, I think, ended up in an asylum- possible Unabomber addition--

LAMBEAU:

You see, Sean? That's exactly not the point. No one remembers that.

They--

SEAN:

I do.

LAMBEAU:

Well, you're the only one.

Beat.

LAMBEAU:

This boy can make contributions to the world. We can help him do that.

SEAN:

Just... take it easy, Gerry.

LAMBEAU:

Look, I don't know what else I can say. I'm not sitting at home every night, twisting my mustache and hatching a plan to ruin the boy's life. But it's important to start early. I was doing advanced mathematics at eighteen and it still took me twenty-three years to do something worthy of a Field's medal.

SEAN:

Maybe he doesn't care about that.

A beat.

LAMBEAU:

Sean, this is important. And it's above personal rivalry--

SEAN:

Now wait a minute, Gerry--

LAMBEAU:

No, no you hear me out, Sean. This young man is a true prodigy--

SEAN:

Personal rivalry? I'm not getting back at you.

LAMBEAU:

Look, you took one road and I took another. That's fine.

SEAN:

Is it Gerry? 'Cause I don't think it's fine with you. Give him time to figure out what he wants.

LAMBEAU:

That's a wonderful theory, Sean. It worked wonders for you.

A beat. Lambeau gets up.