“The Best and Worst of” series chronicles the career
highlights and lowlights of an actor starring in one of the week's
new theatrical releases. This week, I take a look at the filmography
of “The Way Back” star Ben Affleck.
Films starring Ben Affleck that I've seen:
Dazed and Confused
Mallrats
Chasing Amy
Good Will Hunting
Armageddon
Dogma
Boiler Room
Pearl Harbor
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
Daredevil
Smokin' Aces
State of Play
Extract
The Town
Argo
Runner Runner
Gone Girl
Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice
The Accountant
Live by Night
Justice League
Triple Frontier
Jay and Silent Bob Reboot
Best Performance: Gone Girl (2014)
Rosamund Pike may be the clear runaway star of Gone Girl, but she didn't give the only terrific performance in David Fincher and Gillian Flynn's masterful mystery thriller. Affleck brings an ideal mix of charisma and sliminess to Nick Dunne that makes him the perfect morally questionable protagonist/murder suspect for a story that is almost exclusively populated by reprehensible characters.
Worst Performance: Pearl Harbor (2001)
The five or so subsequent years after his breakout in Good Will Hunting weren't kind to Affleck as he chose some really crappy projects to star in. As much as he stumbled through the likes of Armageddon and Daredevil, Pearl Harbor easily brought out the worst in him as an actor. He was stiff, awkward and possibly comatose as the lead in this melodramatic romance disguised as a war film.
Best Film: Good Will Hunting (1997)
As a lifelong Massachusetts resident, I'm actually legally obligated to pick something set in Boston as my favorite Affleck movie. While I do love The Town very much, his first Boston-set movie with his old childhood friend Matt Damon has an even more special place in my heart. Good Will Hunting is a timeless classic full of strong performances, rich characters and moving moments that puts me in a great mood every single time I watch it.
Worst Film: Pearl Harbor (2001)
What is there to say about Pearl Harbor that I haven't already said in the past? To be honest, probably nothing. Michael Bay's bizarre, completely fictionalized take on one of the most tragic days in United States history is one of the most notorious miscalculations Hollywood has made since I've been alive. The acting is embarrassing, the writing is way too corny and at over 3 hours long, this tedious pile of trash feels like it's never going to come to an end.
Thank you for reading this week's edition of “The Best and Worst
of”. The next victim of my praise and ire will be “The Hunt” star Emma Roberts.
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