Christopher Nolan's latest film, The Odyssey, is here this month and with Matt Damon stepping into the boots of Odysseus, we figured it was the perfect time to look over the actor's career highs. So, the Bitesize crew has put their brains together to compile Bitesize Breakdown's consensus Top Five Matt Damon Performances.
As per usual, each writer ranks their top 15 performances in the category. Those lists are then weighted on a reverse point system. After all the points are tallied up, the entries with the most total points make up the Bitesize Top Five.
5. THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY
Generally, Matt Damon is not an actor that draws me to a film, but his turn as Tom Ripley in The Talented Mr. Ripley easily comes to mind when I think of incredible performances, in general. He even stands out amongst co-stars Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Cate Blanchett. Damon simply excels in this role, with his chameleonic performance embodying each of the characteristics that Ripley adopts as he evolves from the awkward outcast that garners empathy to smooth talking charmer to unnerving sociopath. Plus, set against the constant backdrop of gorgeous, sun-soaked scenes, his performance is juxtaposed with the picturesque setting in a way that further enhances his changeable and sinister nature. He is menacing in a way that makes for genuinely uncomfortable viewing while also demonstrating Ripley’s vulnerability and obsessive need to deceive, maintain his facade, and be accepted as he manipulates the characters around him as well as the audience. — Katie
4. FORD VS. FERRARI
There are actors we love that are absolute chameleons in every role they play, transforming into someone unrecognizable, no matter how famous they are (à la Christian Bale). Then there are actors we love who play a different version of the same greatness every time they hit the screen, and we don’t care because they are the best at what they do (à la Denzel Washington). I find that Matt Damon falls somewhere in between those two: sometimes transforming into vulnerable (Good Will Hunting), silent (the Bourne franchise), or insecure (Ocean’s Eleven) characters, but still falling into different versions of charming and cocky Damon. Ford v. Ferrari is my favorite version of the typical Damon. As automotive icon Carroll Shelby, he takes his indelible confidence and goes toe-to-toe with angry Bale, nice Jon Bernthal, boss-level Tracy Letts, and tentpole-asshole Josh Lucas and still gives one of the most memorable performances of the entertaining and stacked ensemble. Just two scenes — 1. Shelby calmly taking Letts’ Henry Ford on the fastest test drive in the history of mainline; and 2. fighting Bale’s Ken Miles in his front yard — were enough to make me think Damon might be the coolest person in any movie he’s in. — Amarú
3. THE DEPARTED
The Departed, the film that earned iconic director Martin Scorsese his first (and only) Oscar, features Matt Damon’s best performance. Of course, Damon gets to show off the charm that we expect from him, but when you’re working with Scorsese, you must get a little dirtier. His character’s moral decay and push further to the dark side are played with excellent internal authenticity by Damon. You don’t need a manic psychopath from him; that’s what Jack Nicholson is there for. What you need is for Damon to portray Colin Sullivan with just the right amount of inner struggle and ambitious lust for the highs the double-agent lifestyle provides, and as the wolves around him begin to circle, the fear that it’ll all come crashing down. For as stacked a cast as The Departed has, to stand his own amongst all the greats around him is proof that he’s deserving to be in the conversation with them. — Adriano
2. GOOD WILL HUNTING
It’s hard to imagine that Matt Damon’s career would be the same without Good Will Hunting. What started as a final assignment for a playwriting class became something much bigger, especially after he asked longtime best friend and future creative partner Ben Affleck for his input. The final result ended up winning two Oscars (including Best Original Screenplay) and becoming one of Miramax’s most profitable releases, taking both Damon and Affleck from relative unknowns to major stars practically overnight. It’s a great story that just so happens to be behind a great movie, and screenwriting accolades aside, Damon’s turn as the titular character shouldn’t go overlooked, as his open relatability and boyish charm make Will — the prickly but vulnerable genius that he is — easy to care about and root for. It’s affecting in all the right ways, and the fact that it’s only an early glimpse of Damon’s capabilities on both sides of the camera makes it all the more special. — Bode
1. THE MARTIAN
Ridley Scott's The Martian allows Matt Damon to showcase nearly every aspect of his acting chops, and as a result, he carries the entire film on his shoulders. He brings the audience into Mark Watney's psyche and keeps us deeply invested from beginning to end. Whether it's through his video logs or watching him go through both triumphs and setbacks, Watney feels like a real person whose optimism never comes across as forced. Frankly, what Damon does with this character is outstanding. He effortlessly balances comedy and drama throughout the film, which makes every emotional beat feel honest and real. His portrayal also gives the audience hope and faith that his character will survive. While many of his other performances are great, they all led to The Martian, which demonstrates all that he is truly capable of as an actor because Damon scienced the shit out of this role. — Paige
HONORABLE MENTIONS
TRUE GRIT
AIR
DOGMA
THE INFORMANT!
OCEAN'S ELEVEN