The famous last line in the Good Will Hunting ending is even more memorable due to one key factor. At the end of the movie, Sean (Robin Williams) reads a letter from Will (Matt Damon) that he has to “go see about a girl“, a phenomenal callback to a previous conversation between Will and Sean earlier in the movie that created a unique and profound full-circle moment. The perfect ending to Good Will Hunting was one of the many creative contributions of Williams, whose brilliance shone throughout the film as the wise mentor to the troubled genius Will Hunting.

While there are many exceptional Good Will Hunting quotes, Williams saying “Son of a bitch. He stole my line” is a swift and complete way to wrap up the relationship between Will and Sean, but also to indicate the impact that Sean had on Will throughout the film. Will had been so reluctant to deal with his emotional trauma, which had affected his interpersonal issues. Sean was the only person who could successfully break down Will’s formidable barriers and teach him valuable life lessons that he could not read in any book, despite his innate intelligence.

What Happens In The Good Will Hunting Ending

Will Makes A Choice For His Future

Good Will Hunting’s ending sees the young protagonist at a crossroads concerning his future and making a key decision. Finally accepting that he has a brighter future than his friends because of his intelligence, Will is given the opportunity to take on a lucrative job set up for him by Professor Gerald Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgård). However, he is torn between that bright future and mending the broken relationship with his girlfriend Skylar (Minnie Driver), who he had pushed away due to his own anxieties.

In the final scene, Will fulfills the dream his best friend Chuckie (Ben Affleck) had for him to leave their neighborhood behind without so much as a goodbye. Will also stops to leave a note for Sean in which he explains that he will not be taking the job and offers his apologies to Lambeau, simply explaining “I had to go see about a girl” suggesting that he is going to reunit with Skylar and embrace love for the first time in his life.

The Deeper Meaning Behind Good Will Hunting’s Last Line

Will Shows Sean That He Learned From Him

The brilliance in Sean’s final line of Good Will Hunting was that it was the perfect callback to an earlier scene in which Sean tells Will a story that blows his mind and changes his perspective on meaningful relationships. Sean explains to Will that he had a ticket to Game 6 of the 1975 World Series, which became one of the most famous playoff games in Red Sox history.

With both Sean and Will being pᴀssionate Boston sports fans, Will listens in awe about Sean’s recollection of the memorable walk-off home run in the 12th inning hit by Red Sox legend Carlton Fisk. Sean didn’t actually go to the game because he met his future wife that very same day. He forfeited his ticket to “go see about a girl“, a girl who turned out to be the love of his life whom he speaks of very fondly throughout the film.

Will is shocked to hear of Sean’s sacrifice, initially believing Sean to be a fool to give up a chance to see that legendary game in person at Fenway Park. This, however, is one of the ways in which Sean is able to demonstrate to Will what truly matters in life. Sean saw the opportunity to be with his future wife and took that sH๏τ while the door was still open, inspiring Will to follow his heart and embrace love when it is offered as he does at the end of the film.

How Robin Williams Made Good Will Hunting’s Ending Even Better

The Moment Wasn’t Williams’ Only Ad-Lib In The Movie

Williams inspired much of the original dialogue and heartwarming moments in Good Will Hunting, including the last line of the film. Damon was stunned by Williams’ improv line that was completely unscripted and came about in one of the dozens of takes that Williams did for the final scene.

Williams had also improvised the hilarious story of his wife farting in her sleep, which made for one of the most memorably enjoyable anecdotes that Sean pᴀsses along to Will in the movie. Williams’ brilliance and understanding of the character dynamic between Will and Sean brought about his famous final line and made the ending of Good Will Hunting even better.

How The Good Will Hunting Ending Was Received

The Final Line Cements The Satisfying Ending

Good Will Hunting was a critical hit and went on to be nominated for nine Oscars, winning two for Best Original Screenplay for Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, as well as Best Supporting Actor for Robin Williams. Similarly, the reviews of the movie praised the script as well as Williams’s performance. Rogert Ebert’s review of the movie called it one of Williams’ best performances, and highlighting how much his final ad-lib adds to the film, Ebert found that the ending was a predictable conclusion elevated by special moments like that:

The outcome of the movie is fairly predictable; so is the whole story, really. It’s the individual moments, not the payoff, that make it so effective.

The movie was discussed on Reddit among fans as having one of the most satisfying endings of all time. One Redditor touched on the final decision by Will as a particularly moving aspect of the final moments and how it shows the growth of the troubled young man.

Good Will Hunting especially ties this to Will’s own character growth as he enacts his own will (heh) and goes off to “see about a girl” instead of taking the NSA job.

WhatCulture included Good Will Hunting and its ending as one of the greatest final movie lines of all time, touching on how effective the improvised line is for leaving the audience with a full and happy conclusion:

It’s a simple, heartwarming ending, made even more poignant by the fact that Williams improvised it, and in his delivery gave the movie one of its finest moments. If you’re not grinning ear-to-ear watching it, chances are you’re not human.