Film Review - Love and Mercy By Director Bill Pohlad

Love and Mercy is set between the 1960's focusing on Brian Wilson, the leader of the Beach Boys. The movie looks at his younger years and in 1980 twenty years later. During that time he ends up being diagnosed with mental illness and is put under the constant watch of an unprofessional therapist.

The DVD shows his music genius as well as his struggle through psychotic episodes and his fight to maintain his independence in life. He finds love with a chance meeting that helps to give him hope in life again. The movie is quite an eye opening account of Brian's life, the good, bad and his amazing talent. Anne

Movie Club—Good Will Hunting

This month the Movie Club will be screening Good Will Hunting, directed by Gus Van Sant and starring Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and the late, great Robin Williams.

The film follows Will Hunting (Matt Damon), a janitor at MIT who is in fact a genius with a photographic memory and capable of completing the most challenging mathematical formulas with ease. This brings him to the attention of Professor Gerald Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgård) who sees the promise in Will although realising his troubling personality.

Lambeau strikes a deal with the judge at Will's latest assault trial to prevent him from going to prison, with two conditions: Will must work with Lambeau and attend therapy. Both prove difficult, but the therapy provides Lambeau with particular grief until he recruits Sean Maguire (Robin Williams), his estranged college roommate, who, like Will, is haunted by personal demons.

Through his sessions with Lambeau and Sean, Will grapples to come to grips with his enormous potential and his difficult upbringing, struggling to overcome his own prejudices and fears.

The script was penned by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, and provided the the pair with their breakout into stardom. The film garnered much critical acclaim, not least for the performances. Robin Williams was especially praised, with his performance gaining him the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. It also has many poignant parallels with William’s real life, brought to the fore by his tragic suicide last year.

The screening will be on Wednesday 14 October at 6pm at Narellan Library. Stay after the screening to share what about the film had the greatest impact on you, or join in a discussion about the films many powerful moments.