Ben Affleck is one man who is comfortable behind and in front of, the screens. The Hollywood star has played the leading man in several movies, ranging from thrillers, dramas to rom-coms. Affleck is also an accomplished filmmaker and has produced or directed several highly-acclaimed projects. One of them is the 2012 thriller, Argo, which scooped the BAFTA, Golden Globe and Oscar awards for best picture. Discover more of Ben Affleck’s movies in this list ranking his best to worst ones.
Ben Affleck Movies and TV Shows Rated From Best To Worst
1. Good Will Hunting
Production budget – $10 million
Box office – $225.9 million
If there is one Ben Affleck movie which should make your bucket list, then it is certainly Good Will Hunting. Good Will Hunting is a 1997 drama about Will Hunting, a maths genius who works as a janitor and spends his time carousing with his pals. Hunting is later forced to confront his issues after a college professor sets him up with a therapist. Good Will Hunting featured Matt Damon as Will while Affleck played the role of his friend, Chuckie. The movie was a critical and commercial success and fetched Affleck and Damon (who co-wrote the script) the Oscar for best screenplay. Good Will Hunting has a score of 97% on rotten tomatoes and 70% on Metacritic.
2. Argo
Production budget – $44.5 million
Box office – $232.3 million
Argo is the Ben Affleck movie which confirms that he is not just a good actor but a talented filmmaker as well. Based on true events, the 2012 drama/thriller revolves around the kidnapping of 66 Americans hostages in Iran. The government later recruits a CIA extraction specialist, Tony Mendez, who stages a Hollywood movie production in order to rescue the hostages. Affleck not only directed and co-produced Argo but also played the role of Tony Mendez. The film was an overwhelming critical success, winning the BAFTA, Golden Globe and Oscar, for best picture. It also performed exceptionally well at the box office, grossing more than $200 million on a budget of $44.5. Argo has a rating of 96% on rotten tomatoes and 86% on Metacritic.
3. Gone Girl
Production budget – $61 million
Box office – $369.3 million
Gone Girl is a 2014 mystery/drama about the disappearance of Amy, the glamorous wife of a popular writer, Nick. The couple hitherto presented the portrait of a blissful marriage but Amy’s disappearances expose several lies, deceits and strange behaviour as Nick becomes the prime suspect. Gone Girl featured Rosamund Pike as Amy while Ben Affleck played the role of Nick. The movie was well-received by the critics and also at the box office. It has a score of 87% on rotten tomatoes and 79% on Metacritic.
4. Daredevil
Production budget – $78 million
Box office – $179 million
If superheroes are your thing, then this Ben Affleck movie is for you. Daredevil is a 2003 film based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. In the movie, Affleck portrays the role of Matt Murdock/Daredevil. By day, Matt is a blind attorney fighting for the downtrodden in the courts. By night, he is Daredevil, a masked vigilante who use his super-enhanced remaining four senses to fight men of the underworld. Daredevil performed reasonably well at the box office but received mixed reviews. The movie holds a rating of 44% on rotten tomatoes and 42% on Metacritic.
5. Armageddon
Production budget – $140 million
Box office – $553.7 million
Armageddon is a 1998 sci-fi/ disaster film directed by Michael Bay. The movie revolves around a hotshot crew who embark on a dangerous mission to destroy an asteroid that is threatening the existence of the earth. Armageddon featured A-listers such as Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton and of course, Affleck. The film was panned by the critics but was nevertheless a box office blockbuster. Armageddon has a score of 38% on rotten tomatoes and 42% on Metacritic.
6. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
Production budget – $250 – $300 million
Box office – $873 million
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is another movie where Affleck dons the superhero cape. In this 2016 sci-fi/fantasy, Affleck portrays the crime-fighting billionaire, Bruce Wayne/Batman. Batman embarks on an epic fight with Superman after being angered by the collateral damage caused by the latter. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice grossed $873 million at the box office but was regarded as a disappointment as it failed to reach the one billion dollar mark. The film has a score of 28% on rotten tomatoes and 44% on Metacritic.
7. Pearl Harbor
Production budget – $140 million
Box office – $449.2 million
Pearl Harbor is another Ben Affleck movie which did not impress the critics but still did well at the theatres. The 2001 adventure film revolved around two childhood friends, Rafe and Danny, who become fighter pilots during World War II. The pair end up falling for the same girl amidst the backdrop of the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor. Pearl Harbor featured the likes of Kate Beckinsale and Josh Hartnett while Affleck played the role of Rafe. The movie did not impress the critics and Affleck was nominated for worst actor at the Golden Raspberry Awards. Pearl Harbor has a score of 24% on rotten tomatoes and 44% on Metacritic.
8. Runner Runner
Production budget – $30 million
Box office – $62.7 million
Runner Runner is a 2013 crime thriller about a Princeton student, Richie, who relies on online gambling to pay his fees. Richie later meets up with Ivan, the mastermind of the online gambling, and is drawn into a high stake and dangerous world. Runner Runner featured popular musician, Justin Timberlake, as Richie while Affleck played the role of Ivan. The movie received mixed reviews but performed decently at the box office. Runner Runner has a score of 8% on rotten tomatoes and 36% on Metacritic.
9. Surviving Christmas
Production budget – $15.1 million
Box office – $45 million
Surviving Christmas is a 2004 rom-com in which Affleck plays the role of a lonely, wealthy executive named Drew Latham. Latham desperately wants to celebrate Christmas and ends up paying a couple to pretend to be his parents. Things, however, take an interesting turn when the couple’s daughter returns for the holidays and objects to the arrangement. Surviving Christmas was a critical failure and performed marginally better at the box office. The movie fetched Affleck another Golden Raspberry nomination for worst actor. Surviving Christmas has a score of 7% on rotten tomatoes and 19% on Metacritic.
10. Gigli
Production budget – $75.6 million
Box office – $7.3 million
Gigli is one of Ben Affleck’s most infamous movies. In this 2003 action/comedy, Affleck portrayed Gigli, a lowly hitman who is tasked with taking charge of a mentally-challenged victim. When the task gets too difficult for Gigli, his bosses send in a beautiful female gangster, Ricki, to assist him. The duo later end up developing feelings for each other. Gigli was a box office bomb and received scathing reviews from the critics. It also fetched its two lead stars, Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, the Golden Raspberry award for worst actor and actress respectively. Gigli has a score of 6% on rotten tomatoes and 18% on Metacritic. It is widely regarded as one of the worst films ever made.