Though mostly remembered as a leading man in Hollywood, Ben Affleck has won most of his acclaim for his work behind the camera. From roles in some of the most explosive action spectacles ever produced to a somewhat misguided stint as a rom-com heartthrob, not all of Affleck’s most famous movies have received a lot of love from most critics.
But some of his lesser-known roles have garnered high critical praise and his transformation into a director, producer and actor on his own projects have brought him a new level of appreciation. Here are the ten best feature-length movies that Affleck has acted in, according to Rotten Tomatoes.
Changing Lanes (77%)
Affleck stars opposite Samuel L. Jackson in this dramatic thriller about a random encounter between Affleck’s unscrupulous lawyer and Jackson’s struggling insurance salesman, which leads to a bitter personal rivalry between the two.
The movie came as somewhat of a dramatic redemption for Affleck in the eyes of critics after the mauling of Michael Bay’s romantic war epic Pearl Harbor from the previous year, which remains one of Affleck’s worst-reviewed movies.
State of Play (84%)
State of Play is a conspiracy thriller movie adapted from a British TV series of the same name that was directed by Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts mainstay David Yates. Kevin Macdonald's Americanized version transposes London for Washington, D.C. with all of the political minutiae following suit but the core of the story – and the impressive quality of the cast – remains the same.
Affleck plays a congressman in the movie who’s embroiled in the death of a mistress, which uncovers a wider conspiracy when Russell Crowe’s old journalist friend gets involved.
Daddy and Them (86%)
Billy Bob Thornton’s comedy, about a very distinct – and argumentative – Arkansas family having to come together in the wake of a relative’s crime, is chock-full of unconventional characters. Thornton stars, as well as writing and directing, with an impressively eclectic cast.
Affleck appears in one of the movie’s supporting parts opposite Jamie Lee Curtis. The two play a husband and wife legal team with just as many bickering quirks as the Montgomery family at the center of the story. Daddy and Them is a genuine oddity that’s certainly not for everybody. But, as its critical score reflects, it’s bolstered by its unique sense of humor and its performances, particularly Laura Dern’s.
Gone Girl (87%)
Though definitely not an uncontroversial movie, David Fincher’s adaptation of Gillian Flynn’s bestselling novel of the same name (also written by Flynn) was a hit with audiences and critics alike. A notable feat considering both the provocative subject matter and the mix of genres. Part romance, part domestic drama, part mystery, part horror – Gone Girl was a huge success in a year dominated by effects-driven spectacles.
Affleck takes the lead in the movie, where he plays a distant husband who’s suddenly thrown into a media frenzy when his wife disappears and the evidence points to him being the prime suspect. Naturally, things aren’t quite what they seem.
Chasing Amy (87%)
Affleck stars as an immature comic book artist in Kevin Smith’s idiosyncratic sex comedy. The movie is often sold in popular culture as revolving around Affleck’s character attempting to pursue a woman despite knowing that she’s a lesbian. In reality, the movie focuses much more on feelings of sexual inadequacy and remorse from Smith’s perspective as a straight working-class man from a strong Catholic upbringing.
It’s Smith’s highest-rated movie on the site barring his breakthrough hit Clerks and, next to that, it’s clearly his most personal film and perhaps his most mature also.
Dazed and Confused (91%)
Richard Linklater’s cult coming-of-age classic is full of unforgettable characters, performances, and dialogue. Affleck plays a kind of pseudo-antagonist in Linklater’s laidback microcosm of a typical high school football town in Texas that’s preparing for summer.
The iconic cast of jocks, losers, and cool kids featured a number of soon-to-be stars other than Affleck, including Milla Jovovich, Renée Zellweger, and her Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation co-star Matthew McConaughey in one of his most infinitely quotable roles.
Shakespeare in Love (92%)
John Madden’s 16th-century romantic comedy rode a wave of love from critics and audiences all the way to an impressive sweep at the Oscars, winning seven awards including Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Picture. The screenplay – also Oscar-winning – tells a fictionalized romance between the famous playwright and Gwyneth Paltrow’s actress while incorporating a number of hallmarks from Shakespeare’s writing.
Affleck plays a smaller supporting role as Ned Alleyn, one of the story’s numerous historical figures and a prominent actor from theater of that time.
The Town (93%)
Ben Affleck’s second feature film as a director was his first with himself in front of the camera as the main character too. The success that he found on The Town would kickstart the next phase of his career, where he could be writer, director, and star of his own awards-quality blockbusters.
Affleck plays a bank robber from Boston’s Charlestown neighborhood who begins to contemplate a new life when he becomes romantically involved with a witness to one of his robberies. The entire ensemble gives great performances but its Affleck's flair for action sequences that really stands out.
Argo (96%)
Affleck’s next film, after The Town, would prove to be perhaps his most successful endeavor to date (in terms of acclaim, at least). Now a producer as well as the star and director, Affleck would earn an overwhelming enough level of praise to eventually win him an Oscar for Best Picture to add to his award for screenwriting.
The movie adapts the true story of CIA operative Tony Mendez’s plan to extract American embassy workers from Tehran after they had evaded capture during the seizing of the embassy building in November 1979. Mendez’s plan to use a fake science-fiction film as cover for their team’s travel to Tehran combined the Oscar voters' famous love for incredible true stories with their equally famous love for Hollywood history.
Good Will Hunting (97%)
Affleck’s highest-rated movie on both Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb would feature him only in a supporting role but won him his first Oscar nonetheless for his shared screenplay credit with lead actor Matt Damon. Affleck and Damon instantly became one of Hollywood’s most iconic duos of the modern era, the two going on to often appear together on screen for comedic effect.
Affleck and Damon’s friendship would be reflected in their characters in the film, with Affleck playing the close friend of Damon’s titular Will Hunting who spurs him on to use his intellect to better his own life.