In defense of Ben Affleck

Success in the entertainment world is such a fragile thing.  Talent isn’t enough.  Looks aren’t enough. Luck isn't enough.  Talent, looks and luck doesn’t cut it.  Sometimes someone succeeds and someone else doesn't for reasons that can only be described as ephemeral.

In 1997 two charismatic young actors won Oscars for Best Original Screenplay.  Forget the persistent rumors that William Goldman actually wrote the script, the fact is that Matt Damon and Ben Affleck were on top of the world.  Where things went from there is two stories.

Damon was cast in The Bourne Identity and became the most famous spy in filmdom since Sean Connery was cast as James Bond.  He worked with Steven Soderburgh in the Ocean’s Eleven films. His career even survived The Brothers Grimm, no mean feat.  Success after success, with only a few bumps.

Ben Affleck became a punchline. He battled a killer asteroid in Armageddon.  He single-handedly nearly defeated the Japanese in Pearl Harbor.  The duo that was “Bennifer” begat Gigli, one of the ten or so worst films ever (although my money is still on Zardoz for all time worst).  He married another Jennifer, Garner not Lopez, and made Jersey Girl and Saving Christmas. 

I want to give a full throated defense of Ben Affleck, but I find it hard because frankly I've never understood all the hate.  I liked Daredevil, despite its 42 Metacritic rating (I will not defend the horrible sequel, Elektra; that’s all on Mrs. Affleck).  I liked Paycheck, the John Woo directed flop that Affleck starred in with another of my favorite actors, Aaron Eckart, that got a similar Metacritic score of 43.  He gave a solid supporting performance in the Oscar winning Shakespeare in Love, and did a great job re-teaming with Damon in Dogma. For that matter he was the best actor in a number of Kevin Smith vehicles, most notably Chasing Amy.

But weep not for Mr. Affleck.  For one thing, did I mention he is married to Jennifer Garner, a beautiful and talented actress (who was robbed by not winning a Best Actress Emmy for Alias)?  Professionally things started looking up for him in 2006 when he co-starred in Hollywoodland, where he played tragic TV star George Reeves.  He was nominated for a Golden Globe and his failure to get an Oscar nomination was considered a major snub.

He then started an impressive directing career with 2007’s Gone Baby Gone and 2010’s The Town.  That of course was followed by 2012’s Argo, winner of the Oscar for Best Picture despite the fact that its director, one Mr. Affleck, failed to get nominated for Best Director. This snub was completely unwarranted, as Argo was a period film with exquisite attention to detail and done with nearly unnoticeable technical craftsmanship. The only knock on Argo was that Ben Affleck was wildly miscast as protagonist Tony Mendez, and Affleck gives one of his most subdued performances.

Ben Affleck is now receiving the best reviews of his acting career for Gone Girl, the David Fincher directed film about a man whose wife disappears and he becomes the leading suspect in the media.  Fincher, best known for the technical brilliance and the visual look of his films, has always gotten exceptional performances from his actors (Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt in Seven, Jodie Foster in Panic Room, Edward Norton and Brad Pitt in Fight Club, Pitt again in Benjamin Button).  It should hardly be surprising that an actor with Affleck’s background should flourish under his direction; maybe Affleck will finally get that Oscar nomination for acting.  Of course he’ll still be trailing Damon who has two Oscar nominations for acting.

Of course Ben Affleck’s next role is taking over the cowl of the Caped Crusader, a role that seriously damaged the careers of Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer and even George Clooney.  I think he’ll be okay as long as his Bat-costume doesn't have nipples.