While Ben Affleck’s career has had some incredible highs, it’s also filled with underrated releases that deserve to be reappraised. Although some of Affleck’s underrated movies gained audience and critical acclaim at the time of release and even hit big at the box office, their lack of cultural relevance today means they have been largely forgotten by viewers at large. Other movies, while not entirely unknown, were absolutely fantastic and have only been recognized as such by movie connoisseurs who realized their status as underappreciated cinematic gems.
The best Affleck movies have had a lasting effect on contemporary cinema, as his Oscar-winning Good Will Hunting screenplay, which he co-wrote and starred in alongside his frequent collaborator Matt Damon, has become the stuff of Hollywood legend. However, other fantastic releases with notable directors like Ridley Scott or Kevin Smith have failed to register and gain the level of recognition they deserve. There were multiple reasons these movies have been so badly underrated, but viewers should be sure to go back and watch all of these fantastic Ben Affleck movies.
10 Paycheck (2003)
Ben Affleck as Michael Jennings
Alongside his roles in Gigli and Daredevil, Ben Affleck won a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actor for his performance in Paycheck. While critics slated this John Woo action sci-fi film upon release, it did not deserve its lackluster reputation and stood as a solid adaptation of a short story by Philip K. Dick. Boasting a cast that also included Uma Thurman, Paul Giamatti, and Michael C. Hall, looking back on this movie more than two decades later, it’s clearly underrated as its insightful science fiction story had just as much to offer as previous Woo classics like Face/Off.
Affleck played Michael Jennings, a reserve engineer whose memory was erased after every job to protect his client’s intellectual property. However, one memory wipe left Jennings unaware of the past three years and sent him running for his life as he struggles to pick up the pieces of a vast conspiracy. With plenty of high-concept sci-fi fun, clever plotting, and over-the-top action sequences, Paycheck was a solidly entertaining addition to both Affleck and Woo’s filmographies that deserved a far better reputation than it has ever received.
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*Availability in US Director John Woo Release Date December 25, 2003 Cast Ben Affleck , Aaron Eckhart , Uma Thurman , Paul Giamatti , Colm Feore , Joe Morton Runtime 120 minutes Main Genre Sci-Fi
9 Reindeer Games (2000)
Ben Affleck as Rudy Duncan
Reindeer Games was the final feature film by director John Frankenheimer, whose reputation as a box office flop and disappointing action thriller has followed it around for almost a quarter of a century. However, with a stellar cast, witty dialogue, and an enjoyable concept, Reindeer Games was harshly judged and deserves to be reappraised by modern audiences. Featuring a strong performance from Ben Affleck as the ex-con Rudy Duncan, Gary Sinise and Charlize Theron also contributed to the film’s seldom-appreciated appeal.
This story of Rudy being dragged into a situation against his will where he must help thieves rob a casino or face being killed featured many twists and turns. While Reindeer Games was not without its flaws or well-worn clichés, it was also a solid thriller that showcased Affleck’s skill as a bona fide action movie star. Taken on its own merits as pulpy, action-packed entertainment, Reindeer Games was a high-stakes heist filled with betrayal, deception, and shocking twists.
8 Dogma (1999)
Ben Affleck as Bartleby
While fans of director Kevin Smith have long known the appeal of Dogma, it’s been hugely underrated by general audiences. Featuring Ben Affleck reunited with Matt Damon just two years after Good Will Hunting, this story of fallen angels trying to exploit a loophole to gain access back to Heaven was the most ambitious and creative work in Smith’s entire filmography. As an enjoyable satire of religion, Dogma was a provocative, albeit not scathing, takedown of Christianity.
Affleck’s role as Bartleby alongside Damon as Loki proved the pair’s comedic skills alongside Smith’s dynamic duo of Jay and Silent Bob, standup legend Chris Rock, and singing sensation Alanis Morissette playing God herself. Dogma was a box office hit at the time of its release, earning $44 million against its $10 million budget (via The Numbers), although rights issues associated with Miramax’s former co-chairman and convicted abuser Harvey Weinstein meant it has long been unavailable on streaming. However, Smith has teased the re-release of Dogma, which will give viewers a chance to rewatch this underrated Affleck film.
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Dogma is a 1999 comedy that revolves around two fallen angels, Bartleby and Loki, who try to get back to Heaven after getting thrown out by God. It is part director Kevin Smith’s the View Askewniverse, and it counts with an ensemble cast that includes Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Alan Rickman, Salma Hayek, Chris Rock, Linda Fiorentino, Jason Lee, and Jason Mewes.
Director Kevin Smith Release Date November 12, 1999 Studio(s) Lionsgate Distributor(s) Lionsgate Writers Kevin Smith Cast Ben Affleck , Chris Rock , Matt Damon , Alan Rickman , Linda Fiorentino Runtime 130 minutes Budget $10 million Expand See at Walmart
7 Jersey Girl (2004)
Ben Affleck as Ollie Trinké
Jersey Girl was always the most divisive movie in Kevin Smith’s filmmaking career, and, alongside releases like Gigli and Daredevil, it was considered a low point for Ben Affleck. As a sentimental rom-com highlighting a widowed father looking after his young daughter, this sweet film never deserved the vitriolic criticism it has endured, such as three Razzie Award nominations, one of which was Worst Actor for Ben Affleck. But looking back on Jersey Girl today, this terrible reception felt unjustified, as Smith’s first attempt at a movie set outside his Viewaskew universe was a compelling and emotional success.
Jersey Girl
was released right alongside the media’s obsession with ‘Bennifer,’ the tabloid-given name of Affleck’s relationship with his then-girlfriend and future ex-wife Jennifer Lopez.
Jersey Girl was released right alongside the media’s obsession with ‘Bennifer,’ the tabloid-given name of Affleck’s relationship with his then-girlfriend and future ex-wife Jennifer Lopez, who also appeared in the movie. However, some viewers were disappointed that Lopez’s character was killed off early in the film and felt the excitement of seeing Hollywood’s most notable couple onscreen was not properly utilized. However, 20 years later, audiences should now revisit Jersey Girl and enjoy this underrated movie on its own merits.
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Jersey Girl is a 2004 romantic comedy-drama directed by Kevin Smith. The film stars Ben Affleck as Ollie Trinke, a music publicist whose life changes dramatically after personal tragedy forces him to reconnect with his roots and assume the role of a single father. Liv Tyler and George Carlin co-star in this story of love, loss, and familial bonds.
Director Kevin Smith Release Date March 26, 2004 Cast Betty Aberlin , Matt McFarland , Sarah Stafford , Paulie Litt , Christian Fan , Victor Chavez Runtime 103 minutes Main Genre Comedy
6 Changing Lanes (2002)
Ben Affleck as Gavin Banek
Changing Lanes was an enjoyable action thriller boasting two major stars that did well at the box office yet rarely gets spoken about among conversations around the best movies of the 2000s. This highly underrated Affleck movie deserved far more recognition as its clever concept about a Wall Street lawyer crashing his car into a middle-aged, recovering alcoholic insurance salesman’s vehicle was a tense, well-crafted deconstruction of moral dilemmas. With Ben Affleck as the lawyer and Samuel L. Jackson as the collision victim, Changing Lanes was a thematically rich film of real social relevance.
As this automobile accident escalated both men’s mutual road rage, Changing Lanes grew ever more intense as their subsequent actions raised the stakes through a litany of immoral and illegal acts. Part of the reason that Changing Lanes has remained so underrated was that its offbeat concept was so unusual, although this unconventional nature also contributed to its idiosyncratic appeal. Changing Lanes was a sharp and intelligent thriller that’s well worth revisiting.
5 Hollywoodland (2006)
Ben Affleck as George Reeves
Long before Ben Affleck became DC’s Caped Crusader in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, he portrayed George Reeves, also the actor who starred in the Adventures of Superman television series during the 1950s in Hollywoodland. This mystery drama told a fictionalized story based around the death of Reeves, whose death by gunshot at age 45 remains controversial and started what’s known as the Superman curse. As an intricate and fascinating account of a Hollywood star’s rise and fall, Hollywoodland had much to say about celebrities’ fickle nature and those doomed to endure it.
Hollywoodland
was a clever neo-noir look behind the curtain of celebrity during this era.
Affleck’s performance in Hollywoodland gained widespread acclaim, yet he was snubbed for a deserved Academy Award nomination, and the film has failed to gain widespread recognition in the years since its release. However, for those in the know, Hollywoodland was a captivating film that also featured Adrian Brody trying to uncover the mystery of the star’s untimely death. While unanswered questions about just what happened to the real Reeves continue to persist, Hollywoodland was a clever neo-noir look behind the curtain of celebrity during this era.
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*Availability in US Director Allen Coulter Release Date August 31, 2006 Cast Adrien Brody , Diane Lane , Ben Affleck , Bob Hoskins , Robin Tunney , Kathleen Robertson Runtime 126 minutes Main Genre Biography
Related Ben Affleck’s Performance As Superman 18 Years Ago Is Even More Surreal Now The DCEU Has Ended
Rewatching Ben Affleck play Superman in a 2006 movie has become a surreal and poignant experience after his role as Batman in the DCEU concluded.
4 Live By Night (2016)
Ben Affleck as Joe Coughlin
Ben Affleck’s track record as a director has been far stronger than his acting career, as his first three movies, Gone Baby Gone, The Town, and Argo, all became modern classics, with the latter even winning Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Sadly, Affleck’s fourth directional feature film, which he also starred in, failed to make much of an impact as it has been severely underrated. As the story of an ambitious bootlegger who became a notorious gangster in prohibition-era Flordia, Live By Night was a truly compelling and stylish movie.
Featuring Boston-bred gangsters facing off against the Klu Klux Klan, Live by Night powerfully addressed issues of racism, religion, and mob mentalities, with the lesson being that people’s actions always come back to haunt them in the end. While it’s true that Live by Night did feel rushed at times, and Affleck was likely overwhelmed from juggling several projects at once, including portraying Batman, this was still a solidly entertaining crime drama. Although it didn’t live up to its fullest potential, Live By Night has much to offer.
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Live by Night is a 2016 crime drama starring and directed by Ben Affleck. Affleck stars as Joe Coughlin, a bootlegger during the prohibition that becomes a gangster in Florida. Throughout the film, the gangsters go up against the Ku Klux Klan as well as rival gangs in the city.
Director Ben Affleck Release Date December 25, 2016 Studio(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Distributor(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Writers Ben Affleck Cast Ben Affleck , Scott Eastwood , Chris Messina , Titus Welliver , Brendan Gleeson , Chris Sullivan , Chris Cooper , Elle Fanning , Anthony Michael Hall , Zoe Saldana , Sienna Miller Runtime 128minutes Budget $90 million Expand
3 The Accountant (2016)
Ben Affleck as Christian Wolff
The Accountant received mixed reviews as some critics dismissed it as Ben Affleck joining the litany of A-list stars attempting to cash in on action franchises, à la Liam Neeson in Taken or Denzel Washington’s The Equalizer (via Collider.) However, this underrated Affleck film should not be easily cast aside, as its solid action premise and autistic protagonist meant The Accountant was more than meets the eye. While this characterization could have come across as offensive, Affleck gave his all to this material, and it was refreshing to see his part was not reduced entirely to his neurodivergence.
Ben Affleck played Christian Wolff, a genius autistic accountant who uncooks financial books for the most dangerous criminals in the world. As an intelligent and entertaining thriller, The Accountant turned the action up to eleven as Wolff not only had the smarts needed to outwit his adversaries, but his childhood training from his merciless military father meant he was comfortable with conflict, killing, and causing carnage. The Accountant was highly underrated when it was first released, but luckily, critics have a chance to redeem themselves with the impending release of The Accountant 2 in 2025.
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Ben Affleck stars as Christian Wolff in the action thriller The Accountant, directed by Gavin O’Connor. A mathematical genius who connects more with his work than others, Christian freelances as a CPA for various criminal organizations to get by. However, when Christian starts to attract the unwanted attention of a Treasury agent, he attempts to go straight with a high-profile client – but his impeccable analytical skills uncover a financial discrepancy that dangerous people intend to keep hidden.
Director Gavin O’Connor Release Date October 14, 2016 Studio(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Distributor(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Writers Bill Dubuque Cast Ben Affleck , Anna Kendrick , J.K. Simmons , Jon Bernthal , Jeffrey Tambor , Cynthia Addai-Robinson , John Lithgow , Jean Smart Runtime 128 Minutes Budget $44 million Main Genre Action Expand
2 The Last Duel (2021)
Ben Affleck as Count Pierre d’Alençon
Despite being director Ridley Scott’s most accomplished film in years, The Last Duel didn’t get the recognition it deserved and sadly fell by the wayside in terms of cultural impact. As a well-written, thought-provoking, and timely deconstruction of systemic misogyny, The Last Duel addressed modern concerns in a medieval setting, reunited Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, and featured an astounding performance from Jodie Comer. While not enough time has passed for it to be considered an underappreciated forgotten classic, those who slept on The Last Duel the first time around would be wise to revisit it.
Affleck played a supporting role as the hedonistic nobleman who escalated tensions between the two duelists, Sir Jean de Carrouges (Damon) and Jacques le Gris (Adam Driver.) The Last Duel’s heavy themes of sexual assault and oppressive female subjugation made this a tense and effective story that will surely be reappraised as an underappreciated hidden gem in Ridley’s vast filmography. The Last Duel was also co-written by Affleck and Damon alongside Nicole Holofcener, showcasing that the men who once wrote Good Will Hunting have not lost any of their creative talents in the written word either.
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The Last Duel is a historical epic drama set amid the Hundred Years War, and explores the ubiquitous power of men, the frailty of justice, and the strength and courage of one woman willing to stand alone in the service of truth. Based on actual events, the film unravels long-held assumptions about France’s last sanctioned duel between Jean de Carrouges and Jacques Le Gris; two friends turned bitter rivals.
Director Ridley Scott Release Date October 15, 2021 Studio(s) 20th Century Distributor(s) 20th Century Writers Ben Affleck , Matt Damon , Nicole Holofcener Cast Adam Driver , Michael McElhatton , Harriet Walter , Ben Affleck , Matt Damon , Sam Hazeldine , Nathaniel Parker , Jodie Comer Runtime 2h 32m Budget 100 million Expand
1 The Way Back (2020)
Ben Affleck as Jack Cunningham
One excellent film that defined Ben Affleck’s career was the woefully underrated The Way Back, a sports drama that featured a performance that likely hit close to home for its star. Affleck starred as Jack Cunningham, an alcoholic construction worker who became head coach of the basketball team at the high school where he was once a star player. The Way Back was an insightful and personal film for Affleck that reflected his own struggles with addiction and was produced shortly after he himself had left rehab (via Inquirer.)
The power of
The Way Back
was not only in its compelling narrative, but also in the genuine nature of Affleck’s performance
The Way Back explored anguish, self-destruction, and the path toward redemption, and although it never quite got the attention it deserved, it remains one of Affleck’s greatest acting performances. The power of The Way Back was not only in its compelling narrative, but also in the genuine nature of Affleck’s performance, as Jack’s difficulties felt poignant and vulnerable. The Way Back peeled back the curtain on Ben Affleck’s long reported on personal struggles and gave audiences a glimpse into the man behind the movies.
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The Way Back stars Ben Affleck as Jack Cunningham, a depressed alcoholic who is offered a job coaching his former school’s basketball team. As his work with the team begins to improve his life, Jack is also forced to confront his past demons, leading to disastrous consequences. Al Madrigal, Michaela Watkins, and Janina Gavankar also star.
Director Gavin O’Connor Release Date March 6, 2020 Studio(s) Warner Bros Pictures , Bron Creative , Mayhem Pictures , Film Tribe Distributor(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Writers Brad Ingelsby , Gavin O’Connor Cast Da’Vinchi , Jayne Taini , Hayes MacArthur , Melvin Gregg , Caleb Thomas , Rachael Carpani , Al Madrigal , Janina Gavankar , Lukas Gage , Marlene Forte , T.K. Carter , Ben Affleck , Christine Horn , Chris Bruno Runtime 115 minutes Budget $25 million Expand
Source: The Numbers, Collider, Inquirer