The new Batman in town has a fair share of failures under his belt but that didn’t stop him from flexing his acting and directing muscles to prove everyone wrong. This handsome actor, producer, and screenwriter is also known for an array of high-profile movies including Gone Girl, Argo, Good Will Hunting, The Town, and of course Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. He has also directed, co-wrote, and co-produced Gone Baby Gone as well as Argo which won a Golden Globe award for best director as well as an Oscar for best picture. Here are the 15 best Ben Affleck movies of all time:
15. Man About Town (2006)
High-profile Hollywood agent, Jan Giamoro, is dedicated to his work but tends to neglect his wife, Nina. Everything is going smoothly for him till he discovers that his wife has cheated on him with his top client.
This leads him to enroll in a self-help course for which he starts keeping a diary which falls in the hands of a freelance writer who is going to reveal a massive scandal. Affleck brilliantly portrays the role of the Hollywood agent who is on his way to the top but instead finds himself on the verge of losing everything.
14. Daredevil (2003)
Attorney Matt Murdock is blind but his other senses work with superhuman sharpness. Working as a vigilante at night, he finds himself fighting to save his own life, with the aid of his girlfriend Elektra, when Wilson Fisk sends Bullseye to kill Daredevil.
Despite the negative feedback from critics, this movie grossed more than $179 million at the box office. Affleck plays the role of a blind superhero flawlessly. There was a plan for a sequel to Daredevil but was later canceled after the commercial failure of Elektra, a spin-off movie released in 2005. Netflix and Marvel Studios have released a TV series that has been renewed for its third season.
13. Forces of Nature (1999)
Ben Holmes is running late for his wedding due to a hurricane. With no other choice, he agrees to join Sarah Lewis for a road trip back home. However, he finds himself getting close to Lewis.
Affleck and Bullock play the convincing roles of two young individuals complementing one another’s weaknesses and strengths. Affleck’s great performance won him the Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Actor.
12. Live by Night (2016)
This crime drama movie is based on a novel by Dennis Lehane of the same name. It has been co-produced and directed by Affleck, who stars in the leading role. The movie revolves around a Boston criminal, Joe Coughlin, who rises to power and runs an empire for an Italian mob in Florida.
Affleck gives an impressive performance as an Irish Mafia member. His performance is supported by a remarkable supporting cast including Elle Fanning, Sienna Miller, and more. It was a box office hit and grossed a whopping $22.3 million worldwide.
11. To the Wonder (2012)
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This experimental romantic movie is directed and written by Terrence Malick. It narrates the story of a young couple in Paris who struggle to maintain their relationship after they move to America.
A highly underrated movie, it shows the touching performance by Affleck as an affectionate lover desperately trying to hold on to his love. This movie won the Best Cinematography Award at the San Diego Film Critics Society Awards, Dublin Film Critics Circle Awards, and CinEuphoria Awards.
10. Bounce (2000)
Buddy Amaral, a hotshot arrogant advertising executive, offers his seat to a young writer desperately in need of going home. This out-of-character kindness turns out to be a life-changing event for Amaral as he finds out that he escaped death because of his act of kindness when that man dies in a plane crash.
After failing miserably to drown his complex emotions by drinking, he seeks the man’s widow, Abby, and his kids. Amaral starts falling in love with Abby and wants to become a part of their family.
Affleck and Paltrow both gave one of their best performances with maturity and thoughtfulness that it was easy to get caught up in their dilemma. Affleck and Paltrow won the Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Actor and Favorite Actress. This movie grossed $11.4 million at the box office on its opening weekend.
9. The Accountant (2016)
Christian Wolff is a mathematician who uses the CPA office as his cover while making a hefty amount of money as a freelance accountant for high-class criminal organizations. With a treasury agent trying to uncover his secret, Wolff takes on a legitimate client but finds himself in another dangerous situation as he gets closer to unearthing the truth behind a discrepancy.
Affleck is the one to shine with his mesmerizing and engaging performance. It is one of the best roles he has played in his career. This movie opened up to mixed reviews but earned $155 million worldwide.
8. Going All the Way (1997)
This movie is based on a novel of the same name by Dan Wakefield. It is a story about the power of love, friendship, discovering oneself, and learning to let go. The story is set in post-Korean War America. Servicemen Gunner and Sonny used to go to high school together but fate brings them together on a train while returning to their native lands.
Their friendship blossoms as they lean on one another for emotional support in the trials of dating. The touching friendship between these young men is the core of this movie. The chemistry between Davis and Affleck is heartwarming. Affleck is inspiring and gives one of his best performances.
7. The Company Men (2010)
Bobby Walker is a young executive on the way to the top. However, this rising star’s journey comes to an abrupt halt when he and two of his colleagues are laid off. Suddenly on the unemployment line, these three struggle to cope with the post-career landscape.
The acting of the entire cast is exceptional which makes the movie even more touching. Affleck was nominated for the Jupiter Award for Best International Actor. The movie also won the NYFCO Award for Best Directorial Debut.
6. Changing Lanes (2002)
A young Wall Street lawyer’s car crashes into an insurance salesman’s car, who is also a recovering alcoholic. Soon the two men get engaged in a series of illegal and immoral actions to get back at one another and end up making a drastic impact on each other.
This movie was a major box office success, with a budget of $45 million, it grossed $95 million. It would have been easy to be dismissed acting next to the legendary Jackson but Affleck made sure to give out a gripping performance as a ruthless man with an immoral character. It was a refreshing change from his usual heroic roles, showing the diversity of roles he can successfully play.
5. State of Play (2009)
This political thriller is an adaptation of a British TV series of the same name. The story revolves around Stephan Collins, a congressman being seen as the next presidential nominee for his party. However, things take a turn when his mistress is found dead and some well-hidden secrets start coming out. Cal McAffrey, a journalist and Collins’ friend investigates the murder and gets involved in a major cover-up.
With a strong cast, this movie was a hit at the box office grossing $87,812,371 worldwide. Affleck and Crowe were outstanding in their roles. Affleck played his role as the devastating congressman on the verge of losing everything with charisma and finesse.
4. Chasing Amy (1997)
Banky and Holden are coauthors of a successful comic book and are also best friends. Their friendship gets strained when Holden falls for Alyssa, who turns out to be a lesbian. The best thing about this movie is how it perfectly handles a serious theme without being pompous.
Affleck and Adams gave an incredible performance and convincingly displayed the complications of their relationship. With a budget of $250,000, this movie grossed $12,021,272 and later earned $1,642,402 when it was released in 494 other locations and quickly moved to the top 10.
3. Gone Girl (2014)
Undoubtedly one of the best psychological thrillers to be made in recent years, Gone Girl is based on the novel of the same name by Gillian Flynn. The story revolves around the mysterious disappearance of Amy with the prime suspect being her husband Nick Dunne.
With the gripping story, phenomenal pacing, and outstanding performance, this movie was an instant success and grossed $369 million which made it the highest-earning Fincher movie.
Affleck perfectly portrays the character of the husband and depicts the right expressions and awkwardness which makes him the prime suspect in his wife’s disappearance and possible murder. This movie won plenty of nominations and awards including the BFCC Award and Saturn Award for Best Thriller Movie.
2. The Town (2010)
Affleck’s second feature film as a director, this crime drama is based on the novel Prince of Thieves by Chuck Hogan. The movie follows a gang of bank robbers led by Doug MacRay and Jim.
It opens with a bank robbery gone wrong and the gang has to kidnap the manager to save themselves. Affleck not only portrays the role of MacRay splendidly but also proves his directorial skills the second time, showing he is not a fluke.
This movie opened as number one at the box office grossing $23.8 million on its opening weekend and grossing a total of $154 million worldwide. This movie won the AFI Award for the Movie of the Year, and Jupiter Award for Best International Film, as well as got nominated for various other awards.
1. Argo (2012)
This movie is set in 1980 during the U.S. hostage crisis in Iran. A CIA agent working undercover as a Hollywood producer looking for a location for a sci-fi movie launches a daring operation to save six Americans trapped in Tehran.
Affleck again proved his skills as a filmmaker by masterfully handling this political story, without touching the politics and also adding some comic relief to the tense storyline. It was a major hit and grossed $232,324,128 worldwide. If The Town wasn’t enough to prove Affleck’s skills as an outstanding dual director/actor, Argo certainly made its point.
This mover bagged plenty of nominations and awards including an Oscar for Best Motion Picture of the Year, BAFTA Film Award Best Film, Golden Globe Best Motion Picture, and AFI Best Movie of the Year, while Affleck also won Golden Globe Award, AAFCA Award, ACCA, and Critics Choice Award for Best Director and Aspen Filmfest’s Audience Special Recognition Award.
Honorable Mentions
Aside from these, we believe the following two movies deserve an honorable mention for Ben Affleck’s outstanding performance:
- Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
- Reindeer Games (2000)
Which one is your favorite from our listed best Ben Affleck movies of all time? Comment below and let us know.
