The Guardian ranks Matt Damon’s top films, led by The Talented Mr Ripley

The Guardian has published a ranked list of Matt Damon’s best films, placing The Talented Mr Ripley at number one. The piece runs through 20 entries spanning Damon’s early work to recent high-profile roles.

Following The Talented Mr Ripley at the top, the list puts Kenneth Lonergan’s Margaret at number two and Paul Greengrass’s The Bourne Ultimatum at number three. Other notable placements include Gerry, The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Identity, The Martian and Interstellar, and Damon’s comic turns in Stuck on You and The Informant! are also highlighted.

The write-up emphasises recurring themes in Damon’s career noted by the critic: his strength in morally compromised or treacherous roles, a knack for both drama and comedy, and frequent collaborations with directors such as Steven Soderbergh, Paul Greengrass and Anthony Minghella. It also notes that The Martian earned Damon a third acting Oscar nomination and that he and Ben Affleck won a screenwriting Oscar for Good Will Hunting.

What’s next mentioned in the piece: The Rip is out 16 January on Netflix, and The Odyssey is released 17 July. Beyond that, the list stands as the Guardian’s assessment of Damon’s varied filmography and screen persona.

Key Topics

Culture, Matt Damon, Talented Mr Ripley, Margaret, Bourne Ultimatum, The Martian