Is it finally time to stop sneering at Ben Affleck? Ever since the whole Bennifer/Gigli/Jersey Girl perfect storm, he’s been considered such box office poison that it’s no wonder he barely figures in the commercials, posters, and trailers for Hollywoodland, even though he plays the central figure in the docudrama that opens tomorrow. Affleck, however, seems due for his shot — at least, that seems to bethe collective decision of the media borg. He’s married to a TVsweetheart, has become a dad, just directed his first feature, and isnow playing a beloved TV icon in a smart indie film that he doesn’thave to carry on his shoulders (that job falls to Adrien Brody andDiane Lane). Even his recent comments about the paparazzi seem decidedly… mature.
This apparent turn in the soap-opera narrative ofAffleck’s life may mean he’ll now be getting praise simply because it’stime, not because he’s suddenly a better actor than he was whenAffleck-bashing was fashionable. (Ever since 1993’s Dazed and ConfusedI’ve thought he was a charismatic and enjoyable screen actor, with aparticular ease and comfort in front of a camera.) If it is finallyAffleck’s turn for some positive attention, I hope he makes the most ofit.
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Thank you Gary,
I have enjoyed all of Ben Affleck’s movies over the years(to the dismay of my friends)It’s time for people to get off his back. Would any of us have known how to handle the media storm that was Bennifer? I hope he has a good life. And to all of you who wish him(or anyone else)) ill will,remember, you reap what you sow.
Dude, Affleck could play the shark in Jaws. That man can play anything.
Okay I stole that line from Kevin Smith. But this movie looks good.
I agree. He made some bad decisions, but who doesn’t? I enjoy watching him onscreen and I’m looking forward to Hollywoodland.
In defense of Ben Affleck. Uh… Um… Er…
I agree, I’ve always enjoyed Ben Affleck’s performances (have not been a basher.) Although I grant his choices haven’t always been that great, he has charisma to spare. And Hollywoodland looks amazing… cannot wait to see it.
I am hoping only good things for him. I have always enjoyed his performances, even when you could see him straining to pull them off. He is charming if nothing else.
I was always confused by the J-Lo era Affleck. I remember after Good Will Hunting came out and he wrote an article for GQ in which his celebrity self was interviewed by his real self. It was a clever and well-written indictment of the fake Hollywood persona. Then just two years later, it seemed like the worst parts of him had won. I’ve always liked him and hope he makes a comeback.
I think Affleck is a weak actor and an obnoxious presence on screen. He was unable to hide his smarminess and cockiness in all of the films I’ve seen him in.
C’mon, if he was that cocky he wouldn’t have been able to ridicule himself so readily in the View Askew films. Plus, he was the bomb in ‘Phantoms’(from what I’ve heard).
His problem was hooking up with publicity whore J. Lo. Thank God those days are over.
I thought Ben Affleck was a joke (as a movie star) long before Jennifer Lopez came onto the scene. He had two hit movies since GWH: Pearl Harbor, which reportedly wasn’t very good, and Shakespeare in Love, which I saw but didn’t like. I have no opinion of him as an actor because I tend to forget him as soon as he’s off the screen.
I do wish him well though since I thought the whole Bennifer thing was blown way out of proportion.
I’ve always liked Affleck, although I was getting tired of all the Bennifer stuff, just like everyone else. I’m also not such a fan that I’ll go see him in movies I’m not interested in, like “Gigli” or “Jersey Girl.” I will definitely be watching “Hollywoodland,” though!
he got what he deserved for the bennifer thing,it was what they both needed.now he came out of it mature and ready to do what he needs to do.lindsay will go through the same thing and grow up.being a tabloid star like lindsay and jessica is the worst thing to happen to a real peformer,your talent is forgotten and all you are good for is hawking prducts.so celebrities need to get smart about how they are presented(look at jessicas’cd sells)
All he needs is a good role…looks like this might be his big break.
I’ve never understood the hate directed at Affleck, he seems like a genuinely nice guy, and even if he’s not a great actor, he’s a solid one. He was great in Chasing Amy and Changing Lanes, and turned in some good work in others. He was the only thing I liked about Shakespeare In Love.
Yeah, the relationship with Lopez grew tiresome, but come on, if given the chance, any hetero male would have gotten involved with her if she was interested. I know he made some big budget crap, but Nicholas Cage spent years making crap after he won his oscar, and he didn’t catch this kind of grief. I hope people are willing to give Affleck another chance.
I think Ben Affleck is a good character actor but not a leading man.
I actually liked Jersey Girl, and Daredevil but I will have to agree with the person who said that he is a character actor.
In Good Will Hunting, he was playing a guy from South Boston, probably someone that he grew up with or he was playing himself growing up in that area.
He has chosen bad scripts but hopefully Hollywoodland will convince me that he is other than just a character actor.
Well, I just can’t wait to see if Affleck has the same problem as Dean Cain on LOIS & CLARK…namely, keeping his bulge from stealing the scene. I’ve heard enough inside gossip to want a front seat when HOLLYWOODLAND opens!
Hollywoodland looks like a good movie. And Ben Affleck, no matter what as far as the J.Lo thing, is still hot! I hope that this movie silences some of his critics as far as his acting skills go. He’s a good guy!
Ben’s personality was never in question. He’s always been a very friendly funny guy in public. He never did anything obnoxious while dating J-Lo other than dating her. Which put his every move in the spotlight causing overload on his career. And unfortunately at that time if you combine that with some poor film choices you get career nose-dive.
But he’s been very smart. He backed out of the limelight. Not taken any high profile films. And now is choosing better roles.
I think he’ll do just fine.
I’m been surprised at the visiousness directed at Affleck. He isn’t even mentioned in the ads for Hollywoodland. He’s far from being the greatest actor around and he’s made a few really bad film choices. I agree with Ned. Nicolas Cage has made more stinkers and fared better. Adaptation was a rare exception.
But, Ben’s finally pulled himself out of the spotlight and gone the indie route he should have done years ago.
Ben has always been a GREAT actor. If you’ve forgotten, just watch CHASING AMY! Ben just made the mistake, if you can call it a mistake, of going after the money instead of marrying his talents to the right scripts!! Get that Oscar acceptance speech ready Big Ben!
I think he is really talented, and suffered because of Jennifer Lopez’s ego. I wish him the best, and I think this movie looks really interesting and powerful.
The Reuters article that is linked to in the post is a perfect example of how bad journalism, and entertainment journalism in particular, is nowadays. The headline states that “Affleck Blasts the Paprazzi” and goes on to say that the paparazzi have “[come] under fire” when Affleck lashed out at “photographers eager to snap his shot.”
It then goes on to give a quote from Affleck during a press conference where he makes a fairly balanced and innocuous statement about how the phenomenon of paparazzi have effected the perception of an actor’s performance.
The two paragrapahs have pretty much next to nothing to do with each other and the reporters interpretation of Affleck’s comments is completely inaccurate. It’s only less offensive to read such bad journalism because it has to do with entertainment news. Of course, even after watching 15 minutes of CNN (I’m pretty sure the collective brain power that Paula Zahn has used in her lifetime couldn’t light a bulb), I’m certain the same high standards are achieved in regular news.
Blackpower,
Chasing Amy was a fantastic movie, but what made it stand out was Kevin Smith’s talented writing.
Everything I’ve ever seen about Ben makes him seem like a nice guy with a great sense of humor. He’s obviously willing to laugh at himself, which is such an admirable quality in someone who takes so much crap.
Sure, he’s made some bad movies, and the Bennifer thing was annoying, but I’d really love to see him do well! He’s always good in Kevin Smith movies and as an SNL host, so I’m quite fond of the man.
Maybe you’re right. “Hollywoodland” looks really good, and it’s nice to see him part of an ensemble. That seems to be where he does his best work. By the way, I saw a production of “Matt and Ben” here in St. Louis last weekend (if you don’t know it, Google it), and if someone’s doing it in your town, go see it. It is one of the funniest, smartest shows I’ve seen in a long time, and it explains a LOT about “Good Will Hunting.”
“Changing Lanes” “Sum of all Fears”
Ben Affleck was right on in every Kevin Smith movies he’s appeared in.
I never understood why people were hating on him to begin with. There aren’t many big name celebrities who don’t put out a small string of stinkers during the course of their career.
GO BEN!
Bennifer (and all of the freaky one-eyed creature sounding celebrity couple name morphs that followed)annoyed the crap out of me. That said, I have always liked him as an actor but not necessarily a leading man (Shakespeare in Love is a personal fave)and then the fact that he had the lead in so much dreck didn’t help. I don’t want him to have the level of fame he had before but I think if he continues to do good work and keeps it low-key like Matt I can embrace him again. I want to see Hollywoodland for Diane Lane though. Love, love, love her!