· 61 comments · Save ·
For Sale Mar 31, 2026 at 12:40 AM

Movies like Goodwill Hunting with a mentor and student?

Posted by SubordinateTemper

Movies where there’s some kind of a relationship between a mentor and hard-to-reach student. Also could be any stand-in parental type figure to a “lost cause” type of kid. Doesn’t even have to be a kid, just someone who needs guidance in any way (even if they don’t think they need it), which leads up to some kind of cathartic moment with them and the mentor.
🚩 Report this post

61 Comments

Sign in to comment — or just click the box below.
🔒 Your email is never shown publicly.
llewsor Mar 31, 2026 +24
dead poet’s society, half nelson, the holdovers 
24
SubordinateTemper Mar 31, 2026 +2
Loved all these
2
beebs44 Mar 31, 2026 +15
Finding Forrester
15
TomatoAdventurous139 Mar 31, 2026 +12
You're the man now, dawg!
12
innerShnev Mar 31, 2026 +3
Punch the keys for God's sake!
3
OldObligation8303 Mar 31, 2026 +2
Yes… YES!
2
HankSteakfist Mar 31, 2026 +2
Punch God for cheesecake!
2
seb2b9 Mar 31, 2026 +2
Part of me wishes this movie had come out before Good Will Hunting so it would have gotten more acclaim than it did.
2
MudBloodLite Mar 31, 2026 +9
Kingsman
9
thespianomaly Mar 31, 2026 +6
Oxfords, not brogues
6
humbuckaroo Mar 31, 2026 +8
Apt Pupil
8
InertiasCreep Mar 31, 2026 +5
Uhh . . .
5
TomatoAdventurous139 Mar 31, 2026 +3
LMAO.
3
ShameApprehensive710 Mar 31, 2026 +6
peaceful warrior-2006
6
RegalReturn Mar 31, 2026 +2
Came into say this. Naturally, the book is a bit better. but aren't they always?
2
Altruistic-Low-4726 Mar 31, 2026 +7
The Karate Kid is the classic version of this trope
7
Ok-Detective7794 Mar 31, 2026 +4
the edge of seventeen, scent of a woman, ordinary people (AND the mentor is a therapist just like in good will hunting!!!!!)
4
DukeRaoul123 Mar 31, 2026 +4
Stand and Deliver, Dangerous Minds Ordinary People kinda
4
TomatoAdventurous139 Mar 31, 2026 +3
Teachers 1984, karate kid, perfume the story of a murderer
3
orwll Mar 31, 2026 +2
Double Indemnity
2
xone2three Mar 31, 2026 +2
Stand and Deliver (1988)
2
army2693 Mar 31, 2026 +2
Star Wars.
2
Klutzy-Delivery-5792 Mar 31, 2026 +2
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer 
2
steelyoates Mar 31, 2026 +2
The Emperor’s Club (2002)
2
Mr_Evil_Dr_Porkchop Mar 31, 2026 +2
The story itself was determined to be absolute bogus, but *The Blind Side* covers that if you look past the real life events and just care about the film take
2
PhiloLibrarian Mar 31, 2026 +2
Educating Rita
2
InertiasCreep Mar 31, 2026 +2
Great flick.
2
bradltl Mar 31, 2026 +2
Into the Spiderverse
2
brickiex2 Mar 31, 2026 +2
Spy Game
2
ZorroMeansFox Mar 31, 2026 +2
**To Sir, With Love**.
2
gtwise Mar 31, 2026 +2
The Man Without a Face
2
Orinthias Mar 31, 2026 +2
Omg yesss, Great Will Hunting is such a classic. Have u seen *Dead Poets Society*? That nails the guidance dynamic.
2
idkidd Mar 31, 2026 +2
Searching For Bobby Fischer (1993) Two teachers for the price of one! Now that I think about it, Platoon (1986) also falls into this category…
2
OreoSpeedwaggon Mar 31, 2026 +2
Leon: the Professional
2
AdorablePainting4459 Mar 31, 2026 +3
The Giver, The Emperor's Club, Batman Begins, Iron Eagle (1986), Karate Kid, Dangerous Minds, The Substitute (1996), Dead Poets Society, American Assassin, Cinema Paradiso, Dirty Dancing, Little Man Tate, Finding Forrester, Good Will Hunting, Great Expectations, The Count of Monte Cristo (2002), The Mask of Zorro (1998), Haywire (2011), Freedom Writers (2007), The Great Debaters, MacFarland USA, The Ron Clark Story (2006), Beyond the Blackboard (2011), Lean on me (1989), Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse, The Boy who harnessed the wind (2019), The Audition (2019), Detachment (2011)
3
SubordinateTemper Mar 31, 2026 +2
Thank you!
2
R3alHumanBeing Mar 31, 2026 +2
Whiplash
2
SubordinateTemper Mar 31, 2026 +1
Great one
1
TomatoAdventurous139 Mar 31, 2026 +2
Eh, not my tempo.
2
Golden-Holden Mar 31, 2026 +1
Not a teacher and 1 student but Coach Carter
1
bigwomby Mar 31, 2026 +1
Not a feel good one, but Apt Pupil. (Really Dark)
1
SubordinateTemper Mar 31, 2026 +2
Def not wholesome, but this actually looks pretty interesting. Gonna check it out t
2
SubordinateTemper Apr 1, 2026 +1
Just finished watching—WTF
1
bluejester12 Mar 31, 2026 +1
Creed
1
itchy_008 Mar 31, 2026 +1
The Drunken Master
1
Gas_Station_Man Mar 31, 2026 +1
Tenacious D.
1
NWO_IV_LIFE Mar 31, 2026 +1
Whiplash?
1
gepetto27 Mar 31, 2026 +1
Ordinary People
1
BellaKKK72 Mar 31, 2026 +1
I saw an Italian film a few years ago called Il Champione (The Champion) which was about a young prodigy soccer player with issues who is given an ultimatum by his club to finish school or lose his contract. They hire him a tutor and the film is largely about their relationship- including the big cathartic moment on both sides.
1
Amazing_Purpose_2897 Mar 31, 2026 +1
If you're looking for that specific mentor-student dynamic, 'Finding Forrester' (2000) is often cited as the closest vibe to 'Good Will Hunting'. 'Whiplash' (2014) is another incredible take on that relationship, though much more intense and adversarial. For something more classic, 'Dead Poets Society' (1989) is a must-watch.
1
tardis42 Mar 31, 2026 +1
Kill Bill, sorta
1
fuxoft Mar 31, 2026 +1
Detachment (2011)
1
duffeldorf Mar 31, 2026 +1
[Big Brother (2019)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9FXJqrRPS4) Classic "teacher tries to teach the class of no-hopers" story, except the gimmick is the teacher is Donnie Yen playing a burnt out military vet
1
Lloytron Mar 31, 2026 +1
Probably not at all what you were after, but Drunken Master meets your requirements there! And it's fab.
1
Barry_Vigoda Mar 31, 2026 +1
Dutch
1
[deleted] Mar 31, 2026 +1
Karate Kid
1
Felis_bieti Mar 31, 2026 +1
Crossroads. Ralph Macchio as a classically trained guitarist on the road with an old blues man played by Joe Seneca. Dealings with the devil lead to a blues 'cutting heads' contest with their souls on the line.
1
SubordinateTemper Apr 1, 2026 +2
I love this movie!
2
Imaginary_Try_1408 Apr 1, 2026 +1
- The Way Way Back - Wonder Boys - Coach Carter - Gran Torino - With Honors - An Officer and a Gentleman - The Man Without a Face - CODA - Hunt for the Wilderpeople - Jojo Rabbit
1
shinyhpno Apr 1, 2026 +1
It's not the main focus, but Edge of Seventeen with Hailee Steinfeld and Woody Harrelson.
1
Designer-Fix-2861 Mar 31, 2026 -1
50 shades of gray.
-1
← Back to Board