The movie that made Ben Affleck question his entire existence: “It was terrifying”
Few actors have experienced as many dramatic swings in public opinion as Ben Affleck. His rise began with the success of Good Will Hunting (which he co-wrote with Matt Damon), leading to major roles in blockbusters like Armageddon, Pearl Harbor, and The Sum of All Fears. However, the good times were followed by a rough patch, with widely panned films like Surviving Christmas, Daredevil, and Gigli tarnishing his reputation.
In recent years, though, Affleck has clawed back some of his former glory, though his standing remains somewhere in the middle of Hollywood’s ever-shifting landscape.
One thing that helped convince people that Affleck wasn’t a joke was his transition into directing. He’s made five feature films, including The Town, a bank robbery thriller, Air, the story of how Nike landed a sponsorship deal with Michael Jordan, and Argo, which won ‘Best Picture’ at the Academy Awards.
This renaissance—or “Ben-aissance”, if you will—began with 2007’s Gone Baby Gone. The film, directed by Affleck, follows two private detectives (played by Michelle Monaghan and Affleck’s brother Casey) as they investigate the disappearance of a kidnapped young girl. Featuring a stellar supporting cast that includes Ed Harris, Amy Ryan, and Morgan Freeman, the movie earned a modest profit at the box office while generating significant critical acclaim. It even garnered Amy Ryan a ‘Best Supporting Actress’ nomination at the Oscars. For Affleck, Gone Baby Gone didn’t just rejuvenate his career—it reshaped his entire outlook on life.
“I, on the other hand, was suffering from a fundamental questioning of my very existence,” the Justice League star told The Orange County Register about making his first film. “There are no training wheels for an experience like this. You can observe all the directors you like when you’re an actor, but it’s not the same as being inside it. It was terrifying. There was no time to worry about how I was being perceived. There was no time for personality or putting on airs. There was only time to worry about actual execution. I didn’t care if people thought I was a good leader. I needed to make a good movie, and that’s all I focused on.”
It probably didn’t help that Affleck chose to make his first feature film with one of his closest family members. He spoke about being at odds with Casey on set, however, when all was said and done, the younger sibling was full of praise for his big bro. “Believe me, I would trash him if I felt he needed to be trashed,” Casey told the same publication. “But I can’t say he did a bad job. He worked really hard, and earned the trust and respect of his actors. It’s hard to direct a movie, but it’s even harder to direct a movie well.”
Gone Baby Gone came at a crucial time for the older Affleck brother’s career. He had just starred in Hollywoodland, playing actor George Reeves in a fictionalised account of his death. This was the first film in ages for which the star received anything resembling good reviews, so he needed to capitalise on its success. Releasing his directorial debut to widespread acclaim was exactly the thing he needed to keep this momentum going.
It might have led to some unwanted self-reflection, but Affleck’s first foray into directing did wonders for his image and led to a much-needed period of stability. This wasn’t to last, of course, but it was nice while it lasted.
