Save this article to read it later.
Find this story in your accountsSaved for Latersection.
Im a married man with kids and theres no scandal about me, hesaid in 2015.
I dont think Ive done anything to create any mystique around myself.
Damons right: Theres little mystique about him.
Clearly, thats just the way he has always wanted it.
But the highs still show off his range, and his intelligence.
He has put together a three-decade career at this point.
He has, all told, rarely stepped too far afield.
There are no truly bad Damon performances: Hes too controlled for that.
Hes the ultimate professional.
41.We Bought a Zoo(2011)
41.
This movie gets a little more embarrassing every year.
The film ends up dragging him down in its callowness.
40.Suburbicon(2017)
40.
ButSuburbiconis so wandering and consistently misfiring that Damon never really gets to play anyone but a thesis.
39.Elysium(2013)
39.
38.The Brothers Grimm(2005)
38.
(This wasrightbeforePirates of the Caribbean.)
He needs to be a little wobblier, a little loonier.
37.GreenZone(2010)
37.
There were many, many movies like this around this time.
Just watchNo End in Sightinstead.
36.All the Pretty Horses(2000)
- movement anytime soon, the outlines of what this could have been are visible.
35.The Legend of Bagger Vance(2000)
35.
34.The Monuments Men(2014)
34.
33.The Adjustment Bureau(2011)
33.
The movie is mostly known now forBarack Obamas joke about it.
Just the other day, Matt Damon … said he was disappointed in my performance.
Well, Matt, I just sawThe Adjustment Bureau, so right back at you, buddy.
32.Hereafter(2010)
32.
Hes too good at being ordinary to pull off this fantastical conceit.
31.The Zero Theorem(2014)
31.
Thats pretty much right!
Were not sure about the movie, but Damon sure seems to be enjoying himself.
30.The Great Wall(2016)
30.
DamonsChinese ponytail movieis neither goofy enough to be delightful nor stirring enough to be epic.
Reread that last sentence and ask yourself: Why isntThe Great Wallthe greatest movie ever made?
Part of the problem is Damon, who seems a bit lost amidst the CG and corny storytelling.
He plays his character so seriously that it only makes everything around him seem sillier.
29.Promised Land(2012)
29.
Theres a coldness to his photogenic demeanor thats awfully appealing.
Eventually, though,Promised Landloses its nerve and the character blands out.
28.Stuck on You(2003)
28.
(Its a shame we cant put hisCarol from30 Rockon this list.
Im a doorman … to the sky.)
27.Invictus(2009)
27.
Can a bad accent torpedo a performance?
In the case of Damon andInvictus, yes.
Clint Eastwoods drama is a different throw in of sports film, merging politics with on-the-field action.
You never quite buy it.
26.Margaret(2011)
26.
Kenneth Lonergansembattled post-9/11 dramastarred Anna Paquin as Lisa, a Manhattan teen seemingly at war with the world.
25.TheRainmaker(1997)
25.
(Its sort of amazing that Coppola, Robert Altman, and Sydney Pollack all made Grisham films.)
This is more boring than Damon usually is, but he does the job hes asked to do.
24.Stillwater(2021)
24.
23.The Instigators(2024)
23.
By comparison,The Instigatorsis a junky and formulaic crime-comedy, although not without its charms.
22.Courage Under Fire(1996)
22.
This Edward Zwick drama was one of Damons first semi-big films, although its still a relatively small part.
Ilario is broken up about Waldens death, but Damon doesnt oversell the waterworks.
21.Dogma(1999)
21.
20.Syriana(2005)
20.
19.Interstellar(2014)
19.
(Matthew McConaugheys crew rescues him, only to discover that Mann has been hiding information from them.
We dont expect it out of Damon, who subverts his nice-guy persona with relish.
18.Rounders(1998)
18.
We have no doubt that this movie is No.
1 on this list for regular listeners of Bill Simmonss podcast.
17.SchoolTies(1992)
17.
This was Damons first major role he was just 21 years old whenSchool Tieswas filmed.
(you could also spot him very briefly inMystic Pizza.)
Were glad he didnt go that way, but this is proof he could have done it.
16.Oppenheimer(2023)
16.
15.TrueGrit(2010)
15.
Nonetheless, its deeply fun to watch him play LaBoeuf, a buffoon whos awfully proud of himself.
14.The Last Duel(2021)
14.
Damon has portrayed understated heroism inSaving Private RyanandThe Martian.
Hes played villains inThe DepartedandThe Talented Mr. Ripley.
But his performance inThe Last Duelis something different.
13.Gerry(2002)
13.
12.Contagion(2011)
12.
(Never mind that he has to process the fact that she was cheating on him.)
11.Saving Private Ryan(1998)
11.
10.The Good Shepherd(2006)
10.
9.Air(2023)
9.
Before this true-life drama, Damon had never been directedby his buddy Ben Affleck.
8.Ford v Ferrari(2019)
8.
Its Damon who makes that work.
7.TheOceansmovies(2001, 2004, 2007)
7.
Damon is light and funny but still fits into the overall vibe, just pleased to be fitting in.
6.Good Will Hunting(1997)
6.
Movies about Troubled Youths are commonplace, but Damon andGood Will Huntinglocated the humanity within the trope.
5.TheDeparted(2006)
5.
In this live-wire film, Damon seems juiced not just by the dangerous milieu but by his exceptional co-stars.
4.TheBournemovies(2002, 2004, 2007, 2016)
4.
PostGood Will Hunting, Affleck had the starrier career.
It wasnt until 2002sThe Bourne Identitythat Damon found his franchise and proof that he could be an action hero.
For a short period, the Bourne films were the best movie series going.
By 2016sJason Bourne, it was reset the old thrill wasnt there anymore.
3.TheMartian(2015)
3.
In many ways,The Martians Mark Watney is the embodiment of what makes Matt Damon a movie star.
But if you let it,The Martiancan make you want to believe.
Its the sort of movie-star performance youd expect from a Tom Hanks.
2.The Informant!
(2009)
2.
1.The Talented Mr. Ripley(1999)
1.
We wanted Ripleys humanity to come across, Damononce said.
He believes whats happening and he believes the world hes indulging in.
Damon provides the character with his humanity, sure, but also whats so sinister about the man.
Twenty years later, the performance is still a shock.
