Good Will Hunting - I suspect the protagonist has Asperger's

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simplisticseth
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01 Jan 2014, 6:29 am

Think about it. This is from a fan's perspective, not a doctor or anything. Matt Damon's character (Will) is a well developed character has a troubled past, holds in the emotional pain (aware from experience), socially different, above average intelligence, etc.

What do you think? I also have Asperger Syndrome and I was observing these symptoms!



DarkRain
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01 Jan 2014, 7:01 am

I've seen the movie as well, and I've never noticed anything Asperger-ish about Damon's character. That's just me, though.



em_tsuj
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01 Jan 2014, 8:14 am

No. He is an adult child of a dysfunctional family. The story is about working through the effects of the trauma in therapy. Look at Antwon Fisher. It is kind of similar. Don't you think Antwon is kind of weird, socially awkward? It is not because he is autistic. It is because he survived extreme child abuse. I can identify with both of those guys but it is not because of autism. It is because the abuse I experienced was similar and the effects on me were similar.



ouroborosUK
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03 Jan 2014, 10:05 am

I think Will is most likely a "gifted" person, not an aspie. Remember the scene in the bar when he humiliates the jerk economy student ; when he wants it, Will can be a wonder of social grace, wit and sense of repartee. That level of social ability strikes me as above even most NT people ; I don't know if any AS person could do that (that would be incredibly high functionning). Will has a troubled behavior because he had a troubled past, and also because he is so ridiculously more intelligent than everyone around him that he can't really fit anywhere. Being a gifted child can be a difficult, lonely and even traumatic experience in itself, even if you don't have any autistic disorder.


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Fnord
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03 Jan 2014, 10:42 am

simplisticseth wrote:
Think about it. This is from a fan's perspective, not a doctor or anything. Matt Damon's character (Will) is a well developed character has a troubled past, holds in the emotional pain (aware from experience), socially different, above average intelligence, etc. What do you think? I also have Asperger Syndrome and I was observing these symptoms!

I think that Matt Damon is a second-rate actor.



Robdemanc
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03 Jan 2014, 1:46 pm

I have wondered about that character but I lean on the side that he is not on the spectrum. The fighting scene early in the film does not seem consistent with autism, he is also assertive in many scenes (the courtroom scene for example) and he decides in the end to ditch a high paying job where he'd spend all day looking at numbers in favor of the girl!! !! !

It's a great film though and Matt Damon wrote it too.