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PLOT BREAK DOWN OF “GOOD WILL HUNTING.”
By: Travis Haan Original screenplay by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck
CHARACTERS
Hero: Will Hero’s signature strength: Genius Hero’s signature flaw: Won’t leave his comfort zone Hero’s life goal #1: Stay in a state of arrested development Hero’s life goal #2: Be genius
Hero’s antagonist: Lambeau Hero’s mentor: Sean Hero’s best Friend: Chuckie Hero’s love interest: Skylar One-off bad guys: Clark: An opponent who thinks he has more of the hero’s signature strength than the hero does, but the hero proves his mastery of their signature strengths is greater. Judge: An authority figure who has the power to punish the hero for his signature flaw and is in a position to be swayed by the Antagonist. Bobby Champa: An opponent the hero wants to fight, who is tailor made to receive the wrath of the hero’s flaw.
QUEST CHAINS Quest chain 1: Will wants to stay in a state of arrested development. (61 beats) Quest chain 2 : Lambeau wants to find the next big genius (14 beats) Quest chain 3: Will and Chuckie want to be best friends (25 beats)
Quest chain 4: Will and Skylar want to fall in love (31 beats) Quest chain 5: Sean wants to stay in a state of arrested development(19 beats) Quest chain 6: Will wants to stay out of jail. (30 beats) Quest chain 7: Will wants to use his genius (10 beats) Quest chain 8: Will wants to meet with Lambeau for math mentoring (8 beats) Quest chain 9: Will wants to meet with a therapist for life mentoring (20 beats) Quest chain 10: Lambeau wants to exploit Will (9 beats) Quest chain 11: Will needs a real job. (18 beats)
ACTS Act 1: Beats 1- Introduce all the main characters and give them each a strength, flaw and goal. Act 2: Beats 13- The antagonist hunts for the hero while the hero meets his love interest. Act 3: Beats 23- The antagonist traps the hero, and the hero fights back. Act 4: Beats 31- The antagonist recruits a mentor for the hero, whom the hero rejects while getting closer to his love interest. Act 5: Beats 40- The hero pulls away from the quest he should be on, but he’s no longer satisfied with his old life. Act 6: Beats 52- The hero applies himself to his quest but pulls away again when he starts to make progress. Act 7: Beats 60- With pressure mounting, the hero rides the fence and is even less satisfied with his old life. His allies finally help him overcome his signature flaw. Act 8: Beats 74- Denouement
BEAT 1
Summary: Will and his friends sit at a bar telling jokes and laughing.
Beat Functions: Prologue
Introduce the antagonist Backstory/setup of Quest Chain #1’s inciting incident Begin Quest chain 2.
Quest chain 2 : Lambeau wants to find the next big genius Step 1: Introduction Quest chain 7: Will wants to use his genius Step 2: Antagonist creates an opportunity for the hero
BEAT 4 Summary: Will and Chuckie goof around at their favorite hangout spot and make plans to go to a Harvard bar.
Beat Functions: Begin Quest Chain 4. Character development
Quest chain 1: Will wants to stay in a state of arrested development. Step 3: Will’s normal life Quest chain 3: Will and Chuckie want to be best friends Step 2: Will’s normal life Quest chain 4: Will and Skylar want to fall in love Step 1: Prologue/setup to meeting Skylar
BEAT 5
Summary: Sean sits on his roof looking morose, avoiding going to his college reunion.
Beat Functions: Introduce the mentor Establish mentor and antagonist as foils of each other Begin Quest chain 5.
Quest chain 5: Sean wants to stay in a state of arrested development Step 1: Introduction
BEAT 6
Summary: At his class reunion, Lambeau’s students tell him someone has solved his math challenge.
Beat Functions: Progress Quest chain 2
Quest chain 2 : Lambeau wants to find the next big genius Step 2: Setup Lambeau discovering Will Quest chain 7: Will wants to use his genius Step 3: Will has used his genius secretly
BEAT 7
Summary: Will and his team goof off and see Bobby Champa, a person who beat up Will in the past. (metaphor for Will’s father)
Beat Functions: Setup to Will’s arrest Demonstrate Will’s flaw (misplaced anger) Introduce a little of Will’s backstory of abuse
Quest chain 1: Will wants to stay in a state of arrested development. Step 4: Show will’s flaw holding him back Quest chain 3: Will and Chuckie want to be best friends Step 3: More of Will’s normal life
BEAT 8 Summary: Lambeau tries and fails to find out who solved his math challenge by searching among his students in the hallway of MIT. Then he issues a new challenge.
Beat Functions: Antagonist fails to achieve his goal. (find the next big genius)
Fight scene Act 1 threshold
Quest chain 1: Will wants to stay in a state of arrested development. Step 6: Will demonstrates he can’t control his flaw , and it is destroying his life. Quest chain 3: Will and Chuckie want to be best friends Step 6: Chuckie continues to demonstrates he’ll do anything for Will.
BEAT 12
Summary: Sean sits morose on his roof having skipped his class reunion.
Beat Functions: Demonstrate mentor’s flaw (arrested development)
Quest chain 5: Sean wants to stay in a state of arrested development Step 2: Sean fails to confront the past, which is holding him back.
BEAT 13
Summary: Chuckie picks up Will from the courthouse after being arrested.
Beat Functions: Begin Quest chain 6
Quest chain 1: Will wants to stay in a state of arrested development. Step 7: Will suffers the consequences of his failure at the end of Act 1. Quest chain 3: Will and Chuckie want to be best friends Step 7: Chuckie helps Will while enabling his self-destructive behavior. Quest chain 6: Will wants to stay out of jail. Step 1: Introduction
BEAT 14
Summary:
Lambeau and his students gather in class to learn who solved the second math challenge. They fail to achieve their goal. Lambeau creates a new goal for Will.
Beat Functions: Antagonist fails his second attempt. Antagonist begins new, escalated attempt.
Quest chain 2 : Lambeau wants to find the next big genius Step 4: Fail second attempt. Begin third attempt. Quest chain 7: Will wants to use his genius Step 5: Will has used his genius in secret again, and the antagonist creates a new challenge for him.
BEAT 15 Summary: Lambeau catches Will solving the third math challenge, but Will runs away.
Beat Functions: Hero’s refusal of the call Antagonist makes progress in Quest chain 2 Antagonist and hero meet for the first time Hero’s flaw negatively impacts his life again (Will feels the need to quit his job.)
Quest chain 1: Will wants to stay in a state of arrested development. Step 8: Refusal of the call Quest chain 2 : Lambeau wants to find the next big genius Step 5 : Lambeau succeeds at finding his genius, but it’s a false victory as Will runs away. Quest chain 7: Will wants to use his genius Step 6: Refusal of the call
BEAT 16
Summary: Will, Chuckie, Billy and Morgan go to Casey’s bar as discussed in Beat 4. Will says he lost his job and Chuckie says he can get him a new job.
Beat Functions:
BEAT 19
Summary: Will saves Chuckie by humiliating Clark intellectually.
Beat Functions: Demonstration of hero’s signature strength (genius) State the stakes (Staying in arrested development leads to perpetual poverty.) Fight scene Act 2 threshold
Quest chain 1: Will wants to stay in a state of arrested development. Step 10: Will glorifies his poverty and is reminded of the consequences Quest chain 3: Will and Chuckie want to be best friends Step 11: Will saves Chuckie. Quest chain 4: Will and Skylar want to fall in love Step 5: Will impresses Skylar Quest chain 7: Will wants to use his genius Step 7: Will uses his genius successfully
BEAT 20
Summary: Skylar gives Will his prize for beating Act 2 threshold beat-antagonist (Clark)
Beat Functions: Act 2 prize (Skylar’s number) Progress Will and Skylar want to fall in love
Quest chain 4: Will and Skylar want to fall in love Step 6: Skylar gives Will her phone number.
BEAT 21 Summary: Will taunts Clark with Skylar’s phone number.
Beat Functions: Victory dance
Quest chain 4: Will and Skylar want to fall in love Step 7: Will demonstrates that he’s kept Skylar’s phone number.
BEAT 22 Summary: Chuckie takes Will home from the bar.
Beat Functions: Transit/transition Demonstrate the quality of Will’s life
Quest chain 1: Will wants to stay in a state of arrested development. Step 11: Will returns from Harvard to his poverty stricken neighborhood Quest chain 3: Will and Chuckie want to be best friends Step 12: Chuckie helps Will by taking him home.
BEAT 23 Summary: Lambeau looks for Will by talking to Will’s previous employer.
Beat Functions: Chase Find a clue
Quest chain 2 : Lambeau wants to find the next big genius Step 7: Antagonist searches for Will and finds a clue (Will’s parole officer’s phone number).
BEAT 24
Summary: Will fails to argue his court case before the judge. Lambeau intercedes to save and indebt him.
Beat Functions:
State the stakes of Quest chain 6 Begin Quest chain 8: Will wants to meet with Lambeau for math mentoring Begin Quest chain 9: Will wants to meet with a therapist for life mentoring Foreshadow conflict in Quest chain 9 Provide hero with resource for next conflict in Quest chain 9 (Knowledge of henry Limpkin’s books)
Quest chain 1: Will wants to stay in a state of arrested development. Step 14: Will refuses to cooperate with Quest chain 9. Quest chain 2 : Lambeau wants to find the next big genius Step 9: Lambeau finds Will. Quest chain 6: Will wants to stay out of jail. Step 4: Lambeau creates two conditions for Will to stay out of jail. Quest chain 8: Will wants to meet with Lambeau for math mentoring Step 1: Introduction Quest chain 9: Will wants to meet with a therapist for life mentoring Step 1: Introduction/Refusal of the call/Receive useful information
BEAT 27
Summary: Will tells Chuckie the results of his trial.
Beat Functions: Restate the conditions of Quest chain 6.
Quest chain 1: Will wants to stay in a state of arrested development. Step 15: Will hides his true self from his best friend. Quest chain 6: Will wants to stay out of jail. Step 5: Restate the stakes and conditions. Quest chain 3: Will and Chuckie want to be best friends Step 13: Will hides his true self from his best friend.
BEAT 28 Summary: Will reads Henry Limpkin’s book.
Beat Functions: Prepare for conflict in Quest chain 9
Quest chain 1: Will wants to stay in a state of arrested development. Step 16: Will prepares to fight to defend his flaw. Quest chain 6: Will wants to stay out of jail. Step 6: Will prepares to do something that will conflict with his goal (to stay out of jail). Quest chain 9: Will wants to meet with a therapist for life mentoring Step 2: Prepare for conflict
BEAT 29
Summary: Will meets with Henry Lipkin, who states the stakes and conditions of Quest chain 1, and Will rejects both Henry Lipkin and the message.
Beat Functions: State the stakes of Quest chain 1 (The pressure Will feels is holding him back) State the conditions of Quest chain 1 (let go of the past) Hero’s flaw yields false victory Major conflict in Quest chain 9
Quest chain 1: Will wants to stay in a state of arrested development. Step 17: Will uses his flaw again. Quest chain 6: Will wants to stay out of jail. Step 7: Will’s flaw causes him to fail to meet the condition of his goal Quest chain 9: Will wants to meet with a therapist for life mentoring Step 3: Major conflict with false victory
BEAT 30
Summary: Lipkin storms out of his session with Will, embarrassing Lambeau.
Beat Functions:
Second major conflict/false victory in Quest chain 9 Setup next major conflict in Quest chain 9 Setup combining Quest chain 5 with Quest chain 9
Quest chain 1: Will wants to stay in a state of arrested development. Step 20: Will rejects exploring his past. Quest chain 6: Will wants to stay out of jail. Step 10: Will’s flaw causes him to fail to meet the condition of his goal again Quest chain 9: Will wants to meet with a therapist for life mentoring Step 6: Second major conflict Quest chain 5: Sean wants to stay in a state of arrested development Step 3 : Lambeau gives backstory on Sean (Lambeau and Sean were college roommates) and prepares to introduce him to Will
BEAT 33
Summary: Sean lectures a bored class about the importance of therapists gaining their client’s trust, and Lambeau interrupts his class to talk about Will.
Beat Functions: Progress in Quest chain 9 Character development
Quest chain 1: Will wants to stay in a state of arrested development. Step 21: Sean states a condition of Will confronting his past (trust Sean). Quest chain 6: Will wants to stay out of jail. Step 11: Lambeau searches for another therapist for Will Quest chain 9: Will wants to meet with a therapist for life mentoring Step 7: Lambeau searches for another therapist for Will Quest chain 5: Sean wants to stay in a state of arrested development Step 4: Sean is a dejected professor who is given an opportunity to confront his own past by the antagonist, who is a bad memory from his own past.
BEAT 34
Summary:
Will and Skylar go on their first date.
Beat Functions: Foreshadow complication (Skylar is leaving for Stanford at the end of the semester)
Quest chain 1: Will wants to stay in a state of arrested development. Step 22: Skylar mentions Will’s disdain for success and preference for poverty.
. Quest chain 4: Will and Skylar want to fall in love Step 9: Will and Skylar’s first date
BEAT 35
Summary: Sean and Lambeau make small talk and reminisce at a diner.
Beat Functions: Sean demonstrates his history of arrested development Introduce background info (Sean’s wife, Nancy, died) Refusal of the call (Sean refuses to see Will but relents)
Quest chain 2 : Lambeau wants to find the next big genius Step 11: Lambeau prepares to enlist Sean’s help. Quest chain 6: Will wants to stay out of jail. Step 12: Lambeau prepares to enlist Sean’s help Quest chain 9: Will wants to meet with a therapist for life mentoring Step 8: Lambeau prepares to enlist Sean’s help Quest chain 5: Sean wants to stay in a state of arrested development Step 5 : Sean demonstrates his state of arrested development and the cause (his wife, Nancy’s, death)
BEAT 36
Summary: Will and Skylar make small talk at a diner and kiss.
Beat Functions: Escalate Quest chain 9
Quest chain 6: Will wants to stay out of jail. Step 14: Will meets with Sean Quest chain 9: Will wants to meet with a therapist for life mentoring Step 10: Will meets with Sean for the first time Quest chain 5: Sean wants to stay in a state of arrested development Step 7: Will goads Sean into expressing how emotionally Nancy’s death has affected him
BEAT 39
Summary: Sean tells Lambeau he wants to continue seeing Will.
Beat Functions: Sean makes progress in confronting his demon Quest chain 5
Quest chain 6: Will wants to stay out of jail. Step 15: Sean will continue to be Will’s therapist Quest chain 9: Will wants to meet with a therapist for life mentoring Step 11: Sean will continue to be Will’s therapist Quest chain 5: Sean wants to stay in a state of arrested development Step 8 : Sean commits to confronting his past by submitting himself to Will’s attacks
BEAT 40
Summary: Will and Skylar go on their second date, and Will lies that he has a big, happy family.
Beat Functions: Will’s flaw sets up a future conflict in Quest Chain 4
Quest chain 1: Will wants to stay in a state of arrested development. Step 25: Will refuses to open up to Skylar and be honest about his life Quest chain 4: Will and Skylar want to fall in love Step 11: Will and Skylar’s second date
BEAT 41
Summary:
Sean sits at his small, dirty apartment alone drinking and thinking.
Beat Functions: Repercussion of conflict Preparation Soul searching
Quest chain 9: Will wants to meet with a therapist for life mentoring Step 12: Sean prepares for his next meeting with Will Quest chain 5: Sean wants to stay in a state of arrested development Step 9 : Sean confronts his inner demons via personal reflection
BEAT 42 Summary: Sean lectures Will about being an inexperienced boy and needing to talk about his past.
Beat Functions: Major moment of truth for Will
Quest chain 1: Will wants to stay in a state of arrested development. Step 26: Major turning point. Quest chain 6: Will wants to stay out of jail. Step 16: Will sees Sean again Quest chain 9: Will wants to meet with a therapist for life mentoring Step 13: Sean cuts Will down to size Quest chain 5: Sean wants to stay in a state of arrested development Step 10 : Sean gives backstory about his traumatic life and how it made him stronger.
BEAT 43 Summary: Will tries to call Skylar but hangs up.
Beat Functions: Refusal of the call
