You don’t see a film about math very often. Yes, math. You also don’t see a film as good as “Good Will Hunting” very often, either.

The story centers on Will Hunting, played by Matt Damon in a real breakout performance. (Remember the name Matt Damon because I think, judging by his work here, you’ll be hearing it a lot in the future.)

Will, a high school dropout, is a janitor at MIT who likes to spend his free time hanging out and drinking beer with his friends. Oh, and he just happens to be the world’s most amazing math genius.

Will quickly solves huge math problems which have taken groups of award-winning professors years to solve. But he doesn’t seem to care about that; he still wants to hang out and drink beer. (I don’t mean to make that sound like it’s a BAD thing, unless you happen to be a super-genius who is killing valuable brain cells.) Will is a genius who doesn’t realize his own potential.

He’s surrounded by people in his life who don’t want to see him waste that potential. The supporting cast turns in some fantastic performances.

There’s the new girlfriend Skylar (Minnie Driver), whom Will thinks he doesn’t deserve. Their break-up scene is just one of several emotionally charged moments in “Good Will Hunting.”

There’s also best friend Chuckie (Ben Affleck — another name to remember.) He’s just a regular guy who wants more for his friend.

The scene that personally got to me the most was the one where Chuckie explains his hopes and his dreams for Will.

He may be locked into a dead end life, but knowing Will is out in the world making it would make Chuckie happy.

Rounding out the major characters is Robin Williams as Sean McGuire, a therapist who befriends Will. It’s the relationship between these two, as they help each other deal with life, that is the centerpiece and crux of the film.

Sean helps Will to let down the tough-guy facade he’s developed as a defense mechanism and realize he deserves to have good things happen to him.

Williams gives a great performance. It’s nice to finally see him in a role that doesn’t involve a dancing green booger or him dressing in old lady drag. You can always tell when Williams is going to get serious; he grows a beard.

The movie was written by Affleck and Damon, and they’ve done a great job — particularly with the dialogue.

These are interesting characters who have something worth while to say, and it all sounds like something real people may actually say. Also, if I ever write a movie for myself, I’m definitely writing in Minnie Driver as my love interest.##

“Good Will Hunting” is a movie full of fantastic moments, smaller scenes that work just perfectly. My favorite scene takes place in a bar where Will puts some uppity Harvard snobs in their place with his intelligence.

He goes on to suggest you shouldn’t throw thousands of dollars away on an education you could get for “$1.50 in late fees at the library.” I really, really like that line a lot.

Perhaps best of all, this movie knows when to stop. Most movies have a certain moment when they should stop, where if its ends at that moment it will be perfect, and then they go on for 10 or 15 more minutes. Not here.

I’m not exaggerating when I say “Good Will Hunting” is one of the best movies I’ve ever seen. Sure, there’s some rough spots, but it’s full of a lot of humor and a lot of emotional moments.

In other words, you’ll laugh and you’ll cry. Perhaps most important of all, we’re given characters to care about. This is another film not to be missed.

5 stars out of five.

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Mike Milik is a senior in advertising from West Des Moines.