Ben Affleck has had one of the most fascinating careers in Hollywood filled with incredible highs and lows. With a long filmography with a lot of recognizable titles, few stand out as much as Gone Girl, which is not only a great movie but features one of Affleck's best performances.
But looking at the rest of his career, is Gone Girl really the best of them all? Despite what some naysayers claim, Affleck is a truly gifted actor who has proven as much in many different roles. As impressive as Gone Girl is, there might be some other movies that could have it beat.
Gone Girl: Affleck's Celebrity
Affleck is one of Hollywood's most famous names, not just because of his movies, but also because of his frequent appearances in the tabloids. Thanks to his meteoric rise and some high-profile relationships, the press has been looking closely into his life for his entire career.
That aspect of his life actually makes Gone Girl a strange meta-commentary as his character of Nick Dunne finds himself under the microscope of the press. With every smile and gesture scrutinized, Affleck is perfectly cast in this role.
Alternative: Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021)
Even though Batman v Superman was a divisive movie overall, many fans agreed that Affleck made for a perfect new Bruce Wayne/Batman. The theatrical release of Justice League didn't do the character any favors but fans now see what the original plans for "Batfleck" were with Zack Snyder's Justice League.
While not everyone is a fan of Snyder's style, seeing his vision at work makes a much better movie than Joss Whedon's cut. And Affleck really shines in the ensemble as the older and grizzled Batman that fans want to see more of.
Gone Girl: David Fincher
Affleck has worked with some great directors over the course of his career but he really seemed to click with David Fincher on Gone Girl. Fincher is known for his very precise and clear vision in his movies which extends to the performances.
His use of Affleck in this movie really shows the collaboration of two artists, each of whom has a hand in shaping the Nick Dunne character. Affleck gives a stellarperformance but the movie around him is also so tight and compelling that it makes the audience more engaged with what Affleck is doing on screen.
Alternative: The Town
Along with his accomplishments as an actor, Affleck has also made a very impressive career as a director. While Gone Baby Gone and Argo are strong movies, The Town is a great vehicle for Affleck as both a filmmaker and an actor.
In the crime movie, Affleck plays a bank robber who begins a relationship with a witness of one of his heists. He is surrounded by great actors, some of whom have showier roles, but Affleck gives a very strong and understated performance as a man who feels like the product of his environment.
Gone Girl: The Mystery
Gone Girl is one of the most impressive thrillers of the 21st century for the way it keeps its audience on their toes. Just when one thinks they know where the movie is going and how it will all play out, there is another unexpected twist that takes it in an exciting new direction.
This mystery aspect also serves Affleck's performance very well as he gets to play a character whom the audience is unsure about. The first half of the movie plants the question in the audience's mind about if Nick Dunne killed his wife. Affleck is very effective at walking that line of someone who is not capable of such a thing and someone who definitely did it.
Alternative: Changing Lanes
Affleck obviously has a lot of high-profile movies on his filmography, but there are also some underrated gems that have slipped through the cracks. One of those movies is Changing Lanes which finds Affleck paired against Samuel L. Jackson.
Affleck and Jackson play two men who are involved in a minor traffic accident with each other. But when it throws their important days off-balance they begin targeting each other for revenge. It is a grounded and compelling thriller based on a small moment of road rage and features a great layered performance from Affleck.
Gone Girl: A Warped Leading Man
Affleck has often played the action heroes and the romantic leads but those roles seem to be the ones that have the most mixed results. As his career has proven, he is a much more compelling actor when he is playing those dirtier characters who have very obvious flaws.
The brilliance of Gone Girl is that it sets Affleck up in the charming, sympathetic leading man role but then warps that image. Aside from the mystery of whether he's a murderer, Nick Dunne is just not a very good person. Affleck knows how to play this man as a self-centered guy who makes dumb decisions without making the audience completely turn on him.
Alternative: Good Will Hunting
Most fans know the story of how pals Matt Damon and Ben Affleck got their big break by writing an Oscar-winning screenplay for themselves. Good Will Hunting is mostly known for that amazing Hollywood story as well as the performances of Damon and Robin Williams. But Affleck's own performance should not be overlooked.
Though it is a supporting role, Affleck's performance as Chuckie, Will's blue-collar best friend is the real heart of the movie. While he is the goofy sidekick for much of the story, he gets perhaps the best monologue in the movie, which really leaves an impact.
Gone Girl: The Range Of The Role
It seems like some audiences missed just how complex a performance this is from Affleck, who really gets the chance to play a whole range of emotions as one character. He plays the sadsack trapped in a loveless marriage, the man accused of a crime he claims he didn't commit, and he plays the playful boyfriend in Amy's memories. And that's just the first act of the movie.
As the movie goes deeper into the mystery, Affleck is really playing three different characters at once and making them all work so effectively. He plays someone else's warped version of who Nick was, he plays the man playing into the media, and he plays the real Nick trying to make sense of it all. It is a truly complex performance that Affleck really nails.
Alternative: The Way Back
Much like with Gone Girl, The Way Back is a movie that mirrors Affleck's own life in some obvious way. Affleck has been very open about his struggles with alcoholism and that painful topic is tackled in a realistic and emotional way in this movie.
While The Way Back also functions as a stirring sports drama about a man who returns to his old school to coach the basketball team, it is really a drama about this man's battle with his addiction. Affleck gives a very real and powerful performance that should not go unnoticed.