Good Will Hunting's reputation is spreading rapidly in Boston.
Since its nationwide release on January 9, 1997, this independent art film, with a budget of only ten million US dollars, has been unleashing a terrifying reverse-trend storm in American theaters, fueled by Miramax's aggressive screening schedule and the local sentiment in Boston. By March, in Harvey Weinstein's box office briefings to Lin Qi every three days, the total North America box office had easily surpassed the one hundred million dollar mark.
With the 69th Oscar ceremony just around the corner at the end of March, the frenzied hype from the American media has not diminished its fervor; on the contrary, it seems poised to ignite the entire spring movie season.
Local Boston newspapers were discussing it, people in bars were talking about it over drinks, and even the staff at the Celtics' training facility, who usually only cared about tactical videos and free throw percentages, would chat about a few scenes from the movie during lunch. Every Boston sitting in the theater felt like they were examining their own adolescence.
Because prime-time screenings at all the city's major cinemas had already been snapped up by enthusiastic citizens, Lin Qi booked the VIP private screening room at the Case Theatre that evening.
When afternoon training ended, Lin Qi called out to the young man who was packing up Garnett's locker in the hallway and casually handed him a few admission tickets.
" Andrew, there's a private screening at the Case Theatre tonight. There aren't many seats, and it's mostly family. Kevin's been playing a lot of away games lately, so why don't you take Garnett's mom and sister to relax? No need to wear formal attire." Lin Qi patted him on the shoulder, his tone as casual as if he were handing out free theater tickets.
Andrew Miller accepted it, somewhat flattered.
In the original true story, this now humble handbag assistant would, two years later in 1999, team up with Garnett's own sister to kick out Eric Fleisher, the agent who signed Garnett to a staggering $126 million contract, and start their own sports agency.
Miller is currently just a low-level assistant sent by Eric Fleisher's agency in New York. In the eyes of those high-ranking partners and bigwigs in New York, Miller is doing the most lowly babysitting job—taking care of Garnett's daily life, helping his mother move, helping his sister find a school, and even having to brave the cold Boston Late Night wind to buy Garnett the brand of hamburger he prefers after Garnett finishes an away game.
In the original true history, this now humble handbag assistant would, two years later in 1999, team up with Garnett's own sister to kick over the meritorious agent who signed Garnett to a staggering $126 million contract, under the spotlight of the entire American media, and start his own business to become a new generation of sports mogul.
The trap that Lin Qi set up today was specifically designed for him.
But for Garnett, this assistant, who wasn't much older than him, was the only close friend he could confide in in the cold, capitalist league. They grew up together, ate together, and would sit in hotel rooms during away games, arguing heatedly about whose crossover was harder to defend in NBA Live 97.
Wherever Garnett goes, Miller is basically there too. Tonight, for this top-notch private movie, Miller naturally drove up and brought the entire Garnett family along.
After the movie started, Garnett initially seemed a little impatient.
He's not the kind of person who enjoys sitting quietly for two hours watching art films. Especially movies without gunfights, explosions, or stadium conflicts; for him, they're more like a training session of patience.
But as he continued reading, he gradually fell silent.
On screen, the young man from South Boston is prickly, stubborn, sensitive, and frighteningly intelligent, yet he always uses aggression to push away or hurt everyone who tries to get close to him.
As Garnett watched, he sank deeper into the back of his chair.
He didn't cry, nor did he show much emotion. But Lin Qi noticed that after one scene ended, Garnett didn't change his posture for a long time. He just stared at the screen, his jaw clenched tightly.
After the movie ended, the theater was quiet for a while.
Garnett was the first to speak, and as if to cover something up, he deliberately cursed.
"That kid's really stubborn."
His mother glanced at him but didn't respond to his joke.
She simply whispered, " Kevin, in some ways, he's a lot like you."
Garnett immediately frowned. "Mom, I'm not a white genius mathematician."
"The child in the movie was very smart," the mother continued, "But he didn't believe that people genuinely wanted to help him. He always felt that people approached him to take something away from him."
Garnett looked down and fiddled with the drink in his hand, offering no rebuttal.
After the screening, Lin Qi took them to a quiet restaurant nearby.
The atmosphere at the dinner table was much more relaxed than in the movie theater. Garnett reverted to his usual loud voice, joking with his family, complaining that the Boston accent in the movie was too exaggerated, and saying that Matt Damon's eyes looked like he was "punching over but not bad."
Andrew Miller didn't say much.
Only after the waiter had finished serving the food did he suddenly point to the loose-fitting work jacket that Garnett's sister was wearing.
"Is the same brand that Will wears in the movie?"
Lin Qi glanced at him.
You noticed?
Miller smiled. "Of course I noticed. That outfit doesn't appear often, but it's always perfectly timed. It's not a forced advertisement; it makes you feel that the character should naturally wear something like that."
He paused, then continued, " South Boston, workwear, streets, young people, geniuses who don't want to be disciplined. This brand is closely tied to the spirit of the film. Once the film's awards come in, this stuff will sell very well."
Lin Qi didn't reply. He simply picked up his water glass and took a sip.
Miller's words, more quickly than he had expected, got to the heart of the matter.
Lin Qi then slowly spoke.
"If you're interested," he said, "I know someone at that brand. I can introduce you."
Miller paused for a moment. "You know him?"
"Hmm." Lin Qi didn't explain further, only adding, "I also invested a small amount in this film."
He didn't say how much he invested.
The people at the table all looked at Lin Qi.
"Speaking of which," Lin Qi said, glancing at his watch as if suddenly remembering something, "I have a friend in town tonight."
Without saying much, he took out his phone, walked to the side, and made a call.
The call was very short, less than a minute.
Lin Qi returned to the table, sat down again, and offered no explanation.
About twenty minutes later, the restaurant door was pushed open.
A young man dressed simply, yet exuding a street thug vibe, walked straight over. He wasn't tall, but his build and face looked vaguely familiar to the people at the table.
"Hey, Lin Qi." The man grinned, his Boston accent tinged with familiarity, "You've been on the phone so much I haven't even had time to eat."
Lin Qi stood up, shook hands with him, and turned to introduce him, " Kevin, this is Mark Wahlberg, Mark native Boston."
Garnett was stunned for a moment, then realized what was happening, and his eyes widened.
"Marky Mark?! No... you, you're not the one from the movie just now..."
The young man shrugged and plopped down. "Don't mention that name, I'm acting in movies now."
The table suddenly became incredibly lively.
Garnett's sister covered her mouth, and Garnett himself gasped. Just twenty minutes ago, his whole family was shedding tears for the South Boston thug on screen who was full of roguish charm and risked his life for his brothers in the streets. And now, this living, breathing movie star was sitting at their dinner table like a henchman at their beck and call, all because of a phone call from Lin Qi.
Mark was put into the cast of " Good Will Hunting " by Lin Qi, and also became the spokesperson for a streetwear brand. With such a deep connection of interests, it's no wonder he's available at a moment's notice.
Mark is also a die-hard basketball fan.
As soon as he sat down, he started chatting with Garnett. They talked about everything from the Celtics to the game-winning shot on Christmas Eve, from street basketball to the neighborhoods he used to hang out in. The two young men, who both grew up on the streets and were both full of sharp edges, became familiar with each other in just a few words.
Caught up in the conversation, Garnett slammed his hand on the table. "Let's have a one-on-one match sometime!"
"Sure," Wahlberg chimed in, getting into the spirit. "The loser treats."
Before leaving, Wahlberg put his arm around Garnett's shoulder and they made a promise to play basketball together another day.