MovieChat Forums > Good Will Hunting (1998) Discussion > One thing that bothers me now...

One thing that bothers me now...

posted 9 years ago by sugar_n_spice
9 replies | jump to latest

I've loved this movie for many years. Though I love the performances as well, the script and score are probably my favorite elements. But I watched it again recently, and something struck me as... well, really stupid.

In the scene where Sean (Williams) and Lambeau (Skarsgård) are eating at that pub, and talking about discovering genius and what not (Einstein, Ramanujan, etc.), Sean ends up describing a guy who was pushed too hard to excel. When Lambeau asks what his name was, Sean tells him, "Ted Kaczynski." When met with confusion, Sean calls out to his bartender buddy to clarify who Ted Kaczynski is. Bartender replies, "Unabomber!"

I get that Sean asking, "Who's Ted Kaczynski?" fits in with Lambeau asking the bartender earlier, "Who's Jonas Sulk? Einstein? Okay... how about Gerald Lambeau, heard of him?" However... this requires Professor Lambeau to not know the name of the Unabomber.

The Unabomber was apprehended in 1996. This movie came out in 1997. You're telling me an M.I.T. professor doesn't know who the friggin' Unabomber is?

http://greens-end.myminicity.com/

[–] TxMike 9 years ago

Ah! Interesting point you have. I'll have to pull out my DVD and rewatch that scene. But it is possible that such professor would know "Unabomber" but not recall his actual name. You know, a mathematics nerd might only pay passing attention to the news, especially on things that don't affect him directly.

..*.. TxMike ..*..
Take a risk, Take a chance, Make a change. Kelly Clarkson - Breakaway

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] sugar_n_spice 9 years ago

I suppose that could be the case, Lambeau not really paying attention to the news (and Sean knowing this). I just figured that college professors specifically would've known the Unabomber's name, considering Kaczynski had been a professor, too (at UC Berkeley).

http://greens-end.myminicity.com/

[–] AllieMDA 9 years ago

Well, since they were both professors, Lambeau certainly should have been up to speed on that particular current event. It's a mystery.

[–] pdarred 9 years ago

It's part of the game that the professor played on him earlier. I think it would be obvious the real name of the unabomber. But, the point needed to be made so it's an intentional minor flaw on the actor's ignorance of current events or other average-person knowledge. I know many eggheads who can't change a light bulb but knows who invented it.

[–] AllieMDA 9 years ago

an intentional minor flaw on the actor's ignorance of current events

The character, not the actor, yes? I agree with you.

[–] isundling 9 years ago

He was so involved with himself, didn't surprise me at all..it fact, is was rather humorous..

[–] Fefu38 8 years ago

Since Kaczynski targeted professors, including one at MIT, you would think that Lambeau would know who he was!

[–] scuban 8 years ago

It's something I think came to mind when I watched it, too. How can he not know someone like that (especially since the terroristic mathematician was targeting professors like one poster mentioned)? However, it's possible that a busy math professor remembered him more for the moniker instead of his birth name.

Maybe they could have had the professor speechless while "Sean" asked the bartender who Kaczynski was.