The greatest line of dialogue in cinema history, according to Ben Affleck and why he stole it
The Criterion Closet has become a significant piece of social media content produced by the globally known Blu-ray label, The Criterion Collection. Film lovers yearn for a chance to stand in that space, surrounded by the movies that ooze pure cinema and have propelled the medium forward. Criterion has tapped into the social media algorithm with short videos of famous actors and directors making their closet picks. With the likes of Natasha Lyonne, Seth Rogen, Rosamund Pike, and Kevin Bacon, to name a few, showing up recently, we get the opportunity to know what makes these artists tick and what films have inspired them.
Case in point: Ben Affleck’s trip to the closet to make his Criterion picks. Affleck may get some flak in the world of hardcore cinema lovers due to how he has been the subject of tabloid fodder in his personal life, but let’s not forget he’s won himself a few Oscars for his work behind the camera as a writer and director, and has had an extensive career in show business. The chances are high that the Batman vs Superman star knows what he’s talking about in terms of great cinema.
Affleck has directed five films so far. His directorial debut, Gone Baby Gone, became the centre of attention of his Criterion Closet Pick video because he revealed that he had utilised a line from Jean Renoir’s The Rules of the Game. “This has my favourite line from all of cinema, probably, in it, which is—sounds simple, but I find very resonant—which is, ‘Everyone has their reasons.’ I stole it. It’s in Gone Baby Gone,” Affleck admitted when picking the film.
Like Affleck, The Criterion Collection considers The Rules of the Game as one of the greatest films ever made. It’s a brilliant satirical comedy-drama released in France in 1939 that follows a man named André having an affair with a woman named Christine, whose husband also has a mistress, and so on. All of these affairs and sneaking around come to a head at a hunting party one weekend.
The film was forced to be recut upon its release due to a highly negative response. Renoir’s original negative of the film was destroyed during World War II and would not be reconstructed until 1959. However, since then, it has gone on to garner critical acclaim and appeared on many lists as an essential pick. While Gone Baby Gone and The Rules of the Game may differ in plot, one thing remains clear: Affleck’s knowledge of cinema runs deep, and even the slightest line that could feel like a throwaway part of the film can still resonate with someone.
Affleck then went on to pull a few more notable films off the closet shelves and toss them in his bag before all was said and done. The actor-director would mention his love for Joel Coen’s Miller’s Crossing and how it inspired him during a very formative time when he wanted to pursue directing. There is also a hilarious moment in the video where he cheekily picks 1998’s Armageddon, which he co-starred in and has sometimes poked fun at. Affleck references the commentary on the disc that he did, calling it “my best work in my career”.
Affleck’s Criterion picks can be found on the Criterion Collection’s website.
