As Matt Damon prepares for a major 2025, reuniting with Ben Affleck in the Netflix thriller 'The Rip' and starring in Christopher Nolan's IMAX epic 'The Odyssey', it's the perfect moment to assess the career of one of Hollywood's most dependable leading men. From amnesiac assassins to treacherous teachers, we count down his 20 most essential performances.
The Early Years & Breakthroughs
Damon's career began with hints of the complex character actor within the all-American star. In 'School Ties' (1992), he played a vicious antisemitic bully, an early sign of his skill with unsavoury roles. His dedication was undeniable in 'Courage Under Fire' (1996), where he lost 25kg to portray a heroin-addicted Gulf War veteran, a transformative move that made directors take notice.
The turning point came with 'Good Will Hunting' (1997), the film he co-wrote with Ben Affleck. Damon not only starred as the brilliant janitor Will but famously fought producer Harvey Weinstein to secure Gus Van Sant as director, a gamble that paid off with critical acclaim and box-office success. This was followed by his star-making turn in Steven Spielberg's war classic 'Saving Private Ryan' (1998) as the titular soldier.
Defining the Antihero & Action Star
Damon cemented his status as a master of moral ambiguity with 'The Talented Mr Ripley' (1999). His portrayal of the preppy, socially awkward Tom Ripley, who stumbles into murder, remains a career high, brilliantly masking sinister motives beneath a bland exterior. This complexity continued in 'The Departed' (2006), where he excelled as the duplicitous cop Colin Sullivan, and in 'The Good Shepherd' (2006), playing a cold, betraying CIA founder.
However, his most iconic role arrived with 'The Bourne Identity' (2002). As the amnesiac assassin Jason Bourne, Damon found the perfect vehicle for his cultivated intensity. The franchise peaked with Paul Greengrass's sequels, 'The Bourne Supremacy' (2004) and 'The Bourne Ultimatum' (2007), which revolutionised action cinema with their kinetic, gritty style and solidified Damon as a top-tier action lead.
Versatility & Collaboration
Damon's range extends far beyond thrillers. He showcased sharp comic timing in the Farrelly brothers' 'Stuck on You' (2003) and delivered a hilarious, deluded performance in Steven Soderbergh's whistleblower farce 'The Informant!' (2009). His collaborations with Soderbergh also included the pandemic thriller 'Contagion' (2011) and the Liberace biopic 'Behind the Candelabra' (2013), where he played the entertainer's young lover with frazzled insecurity.
He has repeatedly proven his value as a standout component in ensemble casts. In 'Syriana' (2005), he brought moral complexity to an energy analyst grieving his son, while in 'Interstellar' (2014), his surprise appearance as the treacherous Dr Mann was a masterclass in menace. More recently, he brought gruff warmth to 'Oppenheimer' (2023) as General Leslie Groves, head of the Manhattan Project.
Artistic Risks & Critical Acclaim
Damon has never shied from artistic challenges. He co-wrote and starred in Gus Van Sant's minimalist epic 'Gerry' (2003), a demanding film about two lost friends that deliberately stripped away his movie-star persona. He earned a third Oscar nomination for his charismatic, survivalist botanist in 'The Martian' (2015).
Perhaps his most critically lauded supporting work is in Kenneth Lonergan's masterpiece 'Margaret' (2011). As a morally compromised teacher who sleeps with his student, Damon delivers a masterclass in silent panic and guilt, proving his unparalleled ability to evoke discomfort. This role, like so many others on this list, demonstrates that Matt Damon's true talent lies in using his everyman quality as a camouflage for profound, and often unsettling, depth.
'The Rip' streams on Netflix from 16 January 2025. 'The Odyssey' is released in cinemas on 17 July 2025.
