The one movie so good Matt Damon tries to avoid it: “I can’t turn it off”
American actor Matt Damon first appeared on screens in the late 1980s with a minor role in Mystic Pizza. After many years of small parts, Damon broke into the mainstream with Good Will Hunting, a project that he co-wrote with Ben Affleck. Directed by Gus Van Sant, Damon’s performance, paired with his writing credit, shot him to success, kickstarting an incredibly successful career.
Good Will Hunting won Damon and Affleck ‘Best Original Screenplay’ at the Academy Awards, as well as earning Damon his first nomination for ‘Best Actor’. Throughout the following decades, Damon appeared in movies such as Saving Private Ryan, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Ocean’s Eleven, and The Bourne Identity series, in which he plays the titular action hero Jason Bourne.
As the years have continued, Damon has continued to exercise his star power, earning more Oscar nominations, including acting nods for Invictus and The Martian. He was also nominated for ‘Best Picture’ after producing Manchester By The Sea.
Naturally, Damon’s love of cinema has spurred him to dedicate himself to the medium, not just as an actor but also as a screenwriter. He once spoke to Rotten Tomatoes about his favourite movies, selecting a particular classic that he will always watch if it comes on television, stating that he literally “can’t turn it off” due to loving it so much.
This high praise was shed on Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas, the movie that only elevated the director’s successful status to an even higher level. Starring Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Ray Liotta, and Lorraine Bracco, the movie is a seminal entry to the gangster genre. For Damon, Goodfellas is just too good to look away from.
The movie presents a raw and unflinching portrayal of the criminal underworld, depicting the allure of power and wealth juxtaposed with the brutality and moral decay inherent in organised crime. Scorsese’s direction is marked by its kinetic energy, utilising frenetic camera work, a pulsating soundtrack, and a non-linear narrative to immerse viewers into the world of the mob.
An obvious fan favourite, this film made Scorsese the household name he is. The movie, which questions the extent of willful ignorance on the part of an individual towards his compatriot’s immorality, boasts an incredible ensemble comprising Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Ray Liotta, Lorraine Bracco and Paul Sorvino. The rehearsals led to a variety of improvs and ad-libs, which gave the actors creative freedom to express themselves, and the best ones were retained in the improvised script.
Damon explained: “If I come across it on my Direct TV… I literally try not to because if I turn it on, I can’t turn it off. It’s just that great. I mean, it just ages so perfectly. It just gets better with age.”
Discussing what he loves about Scorsese’s movie, Damon highlighted “the direction, the writing, the acting. It’s just brilliant. And I mean, it’s long, but it doesn’t feel long. It’s just relentless.”
Goodfellas is often labelled one of the greatest movies ever made, allowing Scorsese to become one of the most applauded names in Hollywood. The film remains highly influential, even influencing David Chase to create The Sopranos, one of television’s most popular series. Luckily for Damon, he was able to work with Scorsese on The Departed in 2006, with the actor playing a leading character alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Jack Nicholson.
