Each Ben Affleck & Matt Damon Film, Ranked From Worst To Finest

Through the years, Hollywood has delivered an abundance of memorable on-screen partnerships — Bob Hope and Bing Crosby, Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau, Paul Newman and Robert Redford, Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy, and Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, amongst many others. Over 30 years after their first collaboration, it is in all probability secure so as to add Matt Damon and Ben Affleck to the checklist. 

Collectively, the dynamic duo have produced memorable leisure aplenty, placing their exceptional chemistry to good use in every little thing from Kevin Smith’s “Dogma” to Affleck’s “Air.” These guys have teamed up on practically a dozen initiatives, even for a quick cameo or minor supporting function. Not too long ago, their partnership has intensified with the aforementioned “Air” and Ridley Scott’s “The Final Duel,” it is a disgrace they have not discovered extra movies to work on collectively through the years, as a result of these boys are depraved smaht.

To have a good time this long-running partnership, we determined to rank the movies by which Damon and Affleck seem collectively from worst to greatest. How do you want them apples!  

Sure, Affleck and Damon are apparently in Phil Alden Robinson’s basic baseball drama “Subject of Desires.” Good luck discovering them, nevertheless, as they do not really seem on display. As a substitute, they served as extras through the Fenway Park bit the place Kevin Costner’s Ray Kinsella, seated alongside the late, nice James Earl Jones, receives one other important message from a mysterious voice. In keeping with Damon, in an interview with Dan Patrick, he and Affleck simply wished to go to Fenway. Remarkably, the pair struck up a five-minute dialog with Costner, choosing his mind in regards to the film enterprise. Even crazier, Costner remembers assembly them, as recounted in an interview with Jimmy Kimmel.   

That stated, contemplating their lack of a outstanding look within the well-liked movie, we determined to checklist “Subject of Desires” as an honorable point out. Had they loved display time, this entry would’ve made it near the highest. “Subject of Desires” is an absolute basic, brimming with cinematic magic, and one of many all-time nice endings. So, subsequent time you watch, do not forget that this fabulous movie performed a component in creating Affleck and Damon’s large careers.

Additionally, as a facet word, Affleck went on to work with Robinson on “The Sum of All Fears.” 

A wannabe “Actuality Bites,” 1995’s “Glory Daze” might be greatest remembered for its gorgeous ensemble of rising superstars, chief amongst them being Affleck and Damon (the latter in a quick, non-speaking function), together with Sam Rockwell, French Stewart, Alyssa Milano, Matthew McConaughey, Brendan Frasier, and Leah Remini — hopefully, the casting director acquired some type of compensation someplace down the road.

In any other case, this throwaway comedy from Wealthy Wilkes, of “Airheads” and “xXx” fame, lacks the punch of comparable Gen X flicks. The plot revolves round a bunch of faculty children staring down the chilly actuality of life on the eve of commencement. None, particularly Jack Freeman (Affleck), is able to transfer on, whereas others rush to meet unrequited love or create new reminiscences earlier than their time at college expires.

It isn’t a horrible movie, nevertheless it has nothing new to say, and it would not take advantage of its giant ensemble. Nonetheless, there’s sufficient right here to warrant a glance, offered you retain expectations in examine. “Good Will Looking” this ain’t, people, although we’ll advocate it to anybody craving to see their favourite stars yucking it up ’90s model. 

Damon and Affleck spent a great deal of their early careers drifting out and in of Kevin Smith’s filmography, finally culminating in 1999’s “Dogma.” Each would really feel a selected dedication to the person who helped form their careers and infrequently toss him a bone or two. Sadly, what began as a lovely partnership devolved into 2019’s “Jay and Silent Bob Reboot,” a “satisfying however clumsy” comedy that attempted a bit of too arduous to rekindle the magic of Smith’s early movies however lacks the ingenuity mandatory to tug off the feat.

In an act of overt fan service, which, let’s be sincere, is mainly “Reboot” in a nutshell, Affleck and Damon reprise their roles from “Chasing Amy” and “Dogma,” respectively, they usually every clarify what they have been as much as within the years since. Affleck’s Holden McNeil determined to have a baby with ex-girlfriend Alyssa Jones and has totally embraced fatherhood. In maybe the movie’s greatest scene, the actor delivers a heartwarming monologue — at Comedian-Con, no much less — about being a father that resonates deeply. Damon, then again, reveals that Loki, the fallen angel, survived the occasions of “Dogma” and returned as each Matt Damon and, humorously, Jason Bourne. It is all for the sake of nostalgia and innocent enjoyable for followers of the View Askewniverse, nevertheless it’s a far cry from Smith, Damon and Affleck’s greatest work collectively.   

Higher than “Reboot” by a longshot, “Jay and Silent Bob Strikes Again” sees Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes’ foul-mouthed protagonists set off on a quest to forestall a comic book guide movie based mostly on their likeness from destroying their picture. Alongside the best way, they stumble upon previous View Askewniverse characters, together with Affleck’s Holden McNeil and, in a terrific cameo, Damon as Will Looking, at the moment taking pictures “Good Will Looking 2: Looking Season,” which additionally contains Affleck reprising his function. The pair recreate the well-known bar scene from their Oscar-winning drama — “Do it for the paycheck,” Damon tells his pal earlier than the cameras roll — besides this time, slightly than take part in a verbal joust with Clark (Scott William Winters), they blow the poor man away with a shotgun. Yeah, it is that sort of movie.

Once more, like most of Smith’s work, you are both in on the joke or not. Fortunately, “Jay and Silent Bob Strikes Again” is fairly rattling humorous, with notable appearances from Jason Lee, Will Ferrell, Carrie Fisher, Chris Rock, and Mark Hamill.

1992’s ” Faculty Ties ” is heavy-handed with its messaging to a fault, nevertheless it’s little question compelling. It sees David Greene (Brendan Frasier), a younger Jewish boy, incur bigotry throughout his senior yr at a Massachusetts prep college. In a meaty co-starring function, Damon performs the primary antagonist, Charlie Dillon, whereas Affleck seems in a minor half as Chesty Smith, one other in an extended line of merciless younger males who make David’s life a residing Hell. Will our younger sufferer rise towards his attackers or flounder towards adversity?

“Faculty Ties” might have been completed with a bit of extra nuance. Director Robert Mandel lays it on thick, hits a few emotional excessive notes and gleans essentially the most from its spectacular ensemble, even when it took three tries to nail the ending. Damon, particularly, performs a terrific villain, displaying the precise wormy, self-serving nature that he would use to vital impact in Martin Scorsese’s “The Departed” practically 15 years later. 

Co-starring Chris O’Donnell and Cole Hauser, “Faculty Ties” delivers strong, albeit predictable, drama that grew to become a breeding floor for Hollywood superstars.

The very best-grossing movie within the View Askewniverse, “Dogma,” gives an irreverent takedown of Catholicism by way of a narrative a few pair of fallen angels making an attempt to work their means again to heaven. What follows is a surprisingly considerate, albeit hilarious, story about religion, redemption, and the significance of free will, crafted by Kevin Smith’s righteous hand.

Affleck and Damon star as Bartleby and Loki, two angels exiled from Heaven after failing to meet their chosen duties. Fortunately, they uncover a loophole that enables them to return residence, nevertheless it requires going towards the very fundamentals of God and would result in the destruction of mankind. Naturally, solely Jay and Silent Bob, a disillusioned Catholic named Bethany (Linda Fiorentino), an apostle (Chris Rock), and a muse (Salma Hayek) can save the day.

“Dogma” affords Affleck and Damon the prospect to point out off their celebrity charismas, and the duo delivers the products with well-honed performances that seize the essence (and humor) of their character’s plight. On the very least, they seem like they’re having an absolute blast, as is Smith, who creates maybe essentially the most comedian guide film of his profession. Co-starring Jason Lee, Alan Rickman, and Alanis Morissette, “Dogma” is a blasphemous good time.

If you happen to missed out on its launch 25 years in the past, fret not for Smith has huge plans for “Dogma” within the coming years, now that it is lastly in his management. 

Our last entry in Damon and Affleck’s collaboration with Kevin Smith is the director’s greatest work. This considerate dramedy stars Affleck as Holden McNeil, a comic book guide artist who falls for a author named Alyssa (Joey Lauren Adams). Issues come up when Holden discovers that Alyssa is a lesbian, leading to an advanced relationship that shakes the very material of his life, notably his friendship along with his greatest pal Banky (Jason Lee). As is typical, Smith tackles advanced points along with his trademark bluntness however reveals a softer facet not sometimes seen in his options.

As for Affleck, Holden stays maybe his trickiest function, taking part in a flawed protagonist whose choices harm everybody round him. But, we empathize with him as he struggles with self-doubt and root for the person to succeed regardless of his immaturity. As for Damon, the younger actor solely seems in a minor cameo as an govt working to show Holden and Banky’s comedian guide right into a multimedia franchise. It is a brief however pivotal scene that provides an additional layer of drama to the proceedings — does Holden promote out or proceed serving as a real artist? 

Essentially the most distinctive movie on this checklist, Ridley Scott’s “The Final Duel,” appears at a heinous crime from three views. Set in medieval France, the movie stars Matt Damon as Jean de Carrouges, a seemingly virtuous knight who accuses his former pal, Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver) of raping his spouse, Marguerite (Jodie Comer). At first, we see this story play out from Jean’s viewpoint and witness a person struggling to take care of his advantage in an unjust world. Later, nevertheless, we see the identical narrative from Jacques’ perspective and at last from Marguerite and study that this explicit state of affairs is much extra difficult than initially introduced.

Affleck co-stars because the hedonistic Rely Pierre d’Alencon, a morally ambiguous overlord whose actions exacerbate the state of affairs. This results in a violent trial by fight by which Jean and Jacques battle one another to the dying. Although troublesome to observe given its subject material, “The Final Duel” nonetheless is a strong exploration of reality, honor, and justice, and it is “status interval filmmaking” instructed with panache by a grasp filmmaker.

If you happen to’re on the lookout for a enjoyable cinematic train, watch “Good Will Looking” and instantly comply with it up with a viewing of 2023’s “Air,” simply to see how Damon and Affleck have modified as actors. That is not a critique of their work of their Oscar-winning 1997 drama, however seeing how they’ve developed through the years is fascinating. Fashionable-day Damon is much extra nuanced and may convey a lot with a easy expression. Affleck can rapidly morph from a charismatic buddy to a world-weary man harboring painful inside demons. Life does that to a man.

As for the movie, “Air” is a terrific true-life story delivered to vivid life by Alex Convery’s sharp script, Affleck’s energetic route, and high quality performances from the spectacular ensemble — particularly, Damon, Affleck, Jason Bateman, Marlon Wayans, Chris Messina, Chris Tucker, and Viola Davis. The story revolves round Nike’s courtship of Michael Jordan to endorse their new basketball shoe line, a wedding culminating in thousands and thousands for the corporate and its crass executives. Damon takes the lead as Sonny Vaccaro, who’s liable for securing the deal, whereas Affleck performs Nike co-founder and CEO Phil Knight. 

Collectively, the 2 stars create a totally charming, although underneath appreciated, enterprise drama that successfully celebrates the Nike model.    

The plain alternative for No. 1 on this checklist, “Good Will Looking,” wracked up a slew of Academy Awards, together with Finest Screenplay for Damon and Affleck, earned a killing on the field workplace, and immediately catapulted Damon and Affleck to superstardom. On the time, every had already caught the attention of the moviegoing public due to outstanding roles in movies such because the aforementioned “Faculty Ties,” in addition to “Braveness Beneath Hearth” and “The Rainmaker.” However “Good Will Looking” modified every little thing, reworking them into bonafide superstars that Hollywood took full benefit of.

Following Gus Van Sant’s image, Damon earned gigs in Steven Spielberg’s “Saving Non-public Ryan” (although he was really solid earlier than his newfound fame) and finally scored “The Bourne Id” and “Ocean’s Eleven” franchises. He has since labored with iconic administrators like Martin Scorsese and Christopher Nolan. Affleck starred within the blockbuster “Armageddon,” and have become a critically acclaimed director, incomes an Academy Award for Finest Image on “Argo.”

Damon stars as Will Looking, a troubled teen who occurs to be a secret mathematical genius. After attacking a police officer, Will is compelled to see a shrink (Robin Williams), forming an unlikely friendship that locations him on a greater path. Co-starring Affleck, Stellan Skarsgård, Minnie Driver, and Cole Hauser, this uplifting drama celebrates the ability of self-discovery and second probabilities. And do not even get us began on that ending. It is one for the ages.