Will To Power
I saw Matt Damon in Mystic Pizza, Field of Dreams, School Ties and Courage Under Fire but never really noticed him. It wasn’t until I saw Good Will Hunting that I felt a connection to him.
The character of Will Hunting reminded me of my ex-boyfriend who was a troubled genius. The scene where he tells Skyler that he doesn’t love her had me bawling. I understood her pain because I’d lived through being told I wasn’t loved by someone too damaged to do anything but push me away. That Matt Damon not only acted in the title roll, but that he wrote the script with Ben Affleck made me wonder what his own personal experiences had been. Could Damon have suffered abuse like my ex-boyfriend? Would he be someone I’d date in real life? Hell, would he date me in real life?
He said that he and Ben wrote the script so that they would have something good to act in. Indeed, the script won awards, but then the duo stayed busy working on independent projects after that. Damon was in Rounders, The Talented Mr. Ripley and Saving Private Ryan afterward. He did take brief break from his drama-heavy schedule make a cameo in Chasing Amy and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back with Ben Affleck . Later they reappeared in Kevin Smith’s world via Dogma.
He did some voice work in Titan AE and in Spirit. He spent time hanging with Hollywood heavies like George Clooney and Brad Pitt in the Oceans 11 and Oceans 12 movies. He became a full fledged action hero when he chose to be in The Bourne Identity. I loved him in that movie! I also loved him in The Brother’s Grimm.
His choices are varied, ranging from goofy comedies to very serious drama. His character Will Hunting was so smart that the CIA was willing to offer him a job. The CIA seems to hold some fascination for Matt. Not only did mention the CIA in Good Will Hunting, but he acted as a CIA agent gone rogue in The Bourne Trilogy, he acted in The Good Shepherd about the formation of the CIA. His intelligence is something that might have sparked an interest in gathering intelligence, but that this stage in the game, he’d be too visible and famous to ever be an actual agent. Wouldn’t he? Hmmm.
Despite being famous, Matt Damon has done a better job than his pal Ben Affleck at keeping his head down and keeping out of the limelight. He did have several high profile romances, including one with Minnie Driver and one with Winona Rider. In the end, he married someone who wasn’t an actress, but beautiful enough to be one! They have three daughters together.
Since becoming a father he has taken roles in more family oriented films, including Happy Feet 2 and We Bought A Zoo. He tackled a more adult subject in the movie Behind the Candelabra and acted in a two smart science-fiction action thrillers—The Adjustment Bureau and Elysium. Got to love him for his geeky Science-Fiction fan side in addition to everything else!
Man, he has been busy both personally and professionally. But what I want to know is if he and Ben Affleck are going to write any more movies together? Their first script was terrific. But after some 17 years have passed since their first outing, how different would their second script look? Both have gotten married and had children since they won their Oscar. How has those things changed their perspective? What would they even write about?
Anyway, when I went to Boston in 2007 to visit my then-husband’s old home, I found myself wondering if I might run into Matt Damon while I was there. No such luck. But I did feel strangely closer to both Damon and Affleck after having visited their hometown. I know that both he and Affleck like to play poker and I work at a Casino currently. Sometimes I find myself hoping to run into either one of them where I work. No such luck so far, but hey, you never know! In any case, Damon feels like that ex-boyfriend that you still have feelings for long after they are out of your life. Perhaps that I why I keep wishing I’d run into him. Lol.
carilynn27 