Redford the gold standard actor turned director??? Heard of an actor director called Clint Eastwood?
Katharine Eyre
1 year ago
Since I never really paid that much attention to Ben Affleck (the only movie of his I’ve watched in the last 10 years was Gone Girl, in which he was indeed very good), I was more than surprised at how happy I was for him to finally sail into the harbour of matrimony with JLo after 20 years. This might be an indicator of a mid life crisis on my part (Bennifer was going on when I was a student and now I’m…older). But on the other hand: when the world is going to h*ll in a handcart in so many ways, who doesn’t love to hear of a happy ending? As the article says, Affleck’s achievement is not his work per se, but the fact that he is so relatable. Who doesn’t have someone in their lives who was “the one who got away”? Don’t you always wonder what could have been or if you’ll get some kind of 2nd chance? Who hasn’t felt a bit disappointed and used by life and felt sad when you think of how you started out being so optimistic? Affleck’s life IS the movie, the accidental reality TV show and for one, I can say: Ben, dear…I CAN RELATE.
He once argued on Real Time with Bill Maher that criticism of Islam is Islamphobic (sic). We’re seriously supposed to feel sorry for this Hollywood elitist while Salman Rushdie is on a ventilator?
Yeah. He has an obviously inflated idea of his own intellectual powers coupled with woeful ignorance of that of others. Probably from reading too many overly long articles about himself like this one telling him what an underappreciated brilliant guy he is.
I remember that exchange on real time, I thought Ben was trying way too hard to flex some intellectual muscle. It was embarassing
R Wright
1 year ago
Affleck is good, but I’d have preferred this piece if it had been about Brendan Fraser.
Brendan O'Leary
1 year ago
Decent guy from modest background makes good living in a profession with 95% unemployment. But his schoolmate did better. The end.
Miriam Cotton
1 year ago
Affleck is a very good actor. He was superb in Deep Water which is a terrific film itself. It’s as if directors and Hollywood don’t quite get him or his talents. His acting is subtle and self-effacing. He seems to be ashamed of his good looks and in truth they are something of a hindrance given his own apparent preference for decent material and subject matter. Suspect the best of Affleck is yet to come. Maybe he will move into fifth gear if he can put all the angst behind him.
Last edited 1 year ago by Miriam Cotton
polidori redux
1 year ago
I am not really aware of who Ben Affleck is.
Interesting read even so.
I’ve seen several movies with BA. He isn’t a good actor. Plain and simple. I don’t particularly like Matt Damon but he’s capable of some stellar performances. Not Ben Affleck. There’s nothing there.
Russell Dale
1 year ago
Thanks for this article- it is rare to read a story that treats an actor like a human being
Mark Lilly
1 year ago
And no mention of the car crash tv confrontation with Sam Harris, who calmly and effortlessly exposed his bigotry and stupidity simultaneously?
Fred Paul
1 year ago
You know, (chomping on ma cigar) I used to like the guy until Argo. North of the border, or in the UK, we don’t like Argo.
If interested in why try this link. https://tinyurl.com/bdea4jzr
If you ever want to make an enemy of an ally, do what Ben did in ARGO.
(Flicking ashes off da cigar)
And ya wanna know why? Cause most Americans use Hollywood movies as historical truth. Nothing is more twisted than American movies based on a true story. Ya want proof? “Affleck directed another satisfying crime thriller, The Town, in 2010 and then Argo in 2012. ” And it goes on without mentioning the historical screwups that really burned other countries. No mention of it at all. Simply put, a great movie.
(Putting out da cigar in the ashtray and looking up at ya)
A country embassy takes a big risk to save a few of your countrymen. All those people who took that risk in a foreign hostile country. A risk that would mean life or death. Their government went to extreme means to keep it secret, taking heat in parliament and working with the Americans. Remember, it’s their people at risk, so Canada took the lead and had the final say. And Canada decided to risk the aftermath of terrorism if they pulled it off. They did this for America. And what did Hollywood do in return?
Would you turn on the person who saved your family members and recount the story that made you the hero? Would you expect their help in the future?
And Canada did. 9/11 the da case of where to land those airliners. Try this https://tinyurl.com/3fc8mfpr.
Oh wait! Hurrican Katrina. https://tinyurl.com/mwwrwnr2
Name one time when America came to Canada’s aid.
And you wonder why Bush asked, “Why do they hate us?” before he answered his own question in a style deemed worthy of a Hollywood movie.
Goodbye, Benny Boy.
Being Portuguese I believe I partially understand the filling of being Canadian regarding the vicinity of a military and cultural giant. Spain has more “salero” than Portugal. In the movie “Amistad” the Portuguese slavers spoke Spanish. I don’t mind the slaver bit, it’s an historical fact but we do speak a different language. The Brits have at least two big reasons to be annoyed with Hollywood, “the great escape” and a movie that I don’t remember the name where they claim to have capture the Enigma machine and to have decoded the German cypher. But….we do owe them our protection. Portugal and Canada both, or do you think it’s your Mickey Mouse army that kept the Soviets and now the Russians at bay?
I’m a Canadian who is very fond of the U.S. (and who is mortified by my current government). We don’t pull our weight, and that’s a fact – many of us are ashamed of that. It doesn’t change the fact that Argo was a jaw-droppingly brazen example of stolen valour. Ken Taylor (with whom I was lucky enough to be aquainted) was a brave and principled man, as were the rest of the Canadian embassy staff who risked their own lives to shelter and get their American colleagues out of the country. I haven’t forgotten the typically generous response of the American public – Canadians in the US during the “Canadian Caper” as the American press called it couldn’t pay for a meal or a drink – it was really very affecting. Ben Affleck’s film was really a gross misrepresentation of those events, so much so that a voice over had to be added at the end modifying “facts” somewhat. Most of the principals were still alive (including Taylor) and it was pretty revolting to see how they were characterised, and the whoppers that were told. By the way, though I dislike our sitting PM’s disgraceful refusal to properly arm our military (they still use pistols fom the Second World War!!) and to behave like a decent ally, our “mickey mouse army” rose for King and country in both world wars, and didn’t hang back for years while the British, Canadians and Australians fought on without the assistance of the United States. Cheers.
Redford the gold standard actor turned director??? Heard of an actor director called Clint Eastwood?
Since I never really paid that much attention to Ben Affleck (the only movie of his I’ve watched in the last 10 years was Gone Girl, in which he was indeed very good), I was more than surprised at how happy I was for him to finally sail into the harbour of matrimony with JLo after 20 years. This might be an indicator of a mid life crisis on my part (Bennifer was going on when I was a student and now I’m…older). But on the other hand: when the world is going to h*ll in a handcart in so many ways, who doesn’t love to hear of a happy ending? As the article says, Affleck’s achievement is not his work per se, but the fact that he is so relatable. Who doesn’t have someone in their lives who was “the one who got away”? Don’t you always wonder what could have been or if you’ll get some kind of 2nd chance? Who hasn’t felt a bit disappointed and used by life and felt sad when you think of how you started out being so optimistic? Affleck’s life IS the movie, the accidental reality TV show and for one, I can say: Ben, dear…I CAN RELATE.
Worse than the one that got away, is the one that you turned away out of false pride. I was guilty of that. But heh ho, life must go on.
The sad life of 6’4” rock star good looking, global beauty bedding, multi millionaire Ben Affleck.
If only I could be so afflicted.
It’s not all it’s cracked up to be Martin.
Probably not, but oh to try to bear the burden.
Could I try it for a week? Whadya think Jaylo?
He once argued on Real Time with Bill Maher that criticism of Islam is Islamphobic (sic). We’re seriously supposed to feel sorry for this Hollywood elitist while Salman Rushdie is on a ventilator?
Yeah. He has an obviously inflated idea of his own intellectual powers coupled with woeful ignorance of that of others. Probably from reading too many overly long articles about himself like this one telling him what an underappreciated brilliant guy he is.
I just remembered there is a name for this phenomenon: the Dunning-Kruger effect.
I remember that exchange on real time, I thought Ben was trying way too hard to flex some intellectual muscle. It was embarassing
Affleck is good, but I’d have preferred this piece if it had been about Brendan Fraser.
Decent guy from modest background makes good living in a profession with 95% unemployment. But his schoolmate did better. The end.
Affleck is a very good actor. He was superb in Deep Water which is a terrific film itself. It’s as if directors and Hollywood don’t quite get him or his talents. His acting is subtle and self-effacing. He seems to be ashamed of his good looks and in truth they are something of a hindrance given his own apparent preference for decent material and subject matter. Suspect the best of Affleck is yet to come. Maybe he will move into fifth gear if he can put all the angst behind him.
I am not really aware of who Ben Affleck is.
Interesting read even so.
There is probably more to him than Generic American actor, but I can’t be bothered finding out what.
I like Ben but I think Casey is the better actor, he was perfect in The Assassination of Jessie James
that and Manchester by the sea
One of the most underrated movies of all time.
I’ve seen several movies with BA. He isn’t a good actor. Plain and simple. I don’t particularly like Matt Damon but he’s capable of some stellar performances. Not Ben Affleck. There’s nothing there.
Thanks for this article- it is rare to read a story that treats an actor like a human being
And no mention of the car crash tv confrontation with Sam Harris, who calmly and effortlessly exposed his bigotry and stupidity simultaneously?
You know, (chomping on ma cigar) I used to like the guy until Argo. North of the border, or in the UK, we don’t like Argo.
If interested in why try this link. https://tinyurl.com/bdea4jzr
If you ever want to make an enemy of an ally, do what Ben did in ARGO.
(Flicking ashes off da cigar)
And ya wanna know why? Cause most Americans use Hollywood movies as historical truth. Nothing is more twisted than American movies based on a true story. Ya want proof? “Affleck directed another satisfying crime thriller, The Town, in 2010 and then Argo in 2012. ” And it goes on without mentioning the historical screwups that really burned other countries. No mention of it at all. Simply put, a great movie.
(Putting out da cigar in the ashtray and looking up at ya)
A country embassy takes a big risk to save a few of your countrymen. All those people who took that risk in a foreign hostile country. A risk that would mean life or death. Their government went to extreme means to keep it secret, taking heat in parliament and working with the Americans. Remember, it’s their people at risk, so Canada took the lead and had the final say. And Canada decided to risk the aftermath of terrorism if they pulled it off. They did this for America. And what did Hollywood do in return?
Would you turn on the person who saved your family members and recount the story that made you the hero? Would you expect their help in the future?
And Canada did. 9/11 the da case of where to land those airliners. Try this
https://tinyurl.com/3fc8mfpr.
Oh wait! Hurrican Katrina.
https://tinyurl.com/mwwrwnr2
Name one time when America came to Canada’s aid.
And you wonder why Bush asked, “Why do they hate us?” before he answered his own question in a style deemed worthy of a Hollywood movie.
Goodbye, Benny Boy.
Being Portuguese I believe I partially understand the filling of being Canadian regarding the vicinity of a military and cultural giant. Spain has more “salero” than Portugal. In the movie “Amistad” the Portuguese slavers spoke Spanish. I don’t mind the slaver bit, it’s an historical fact but we do speak a different language. The Brits have at least two big reasons to be annoyed with Hollywood, “the great escape” and a movie that I don’t remember the name where they claim to have capture the Enigma machine and to have decoded the German cypher. But….we do owe them our protection. Portugal and Canada both, or do you think it’s your Mickey Mouse army that kept the Soviets and now the Russians at bay?
I’m a Canadian who is very fond of the U.S. (and who is mortified by my current government). We don’t pull our weight, and that’s a fact – many of us are ashamed of that. It doesn’t change the fact that Argo was a jaw-droppingly brazen example of stolen valour. Ken Taylor (with whom I was lucky enough to be aquainted) was a brave and principled man, as were the rest of the Canadian embassy staff who risked their own lives to shelter and get their American colleagues out of the country. I haven’t forgotten the typically generous response of the American public – Canadians in the US during the “Canadian Caper” as the American press called it couldn’t pay for a meal or a drink – it was really very affecting. Ben Affleck’s film was really a gross misrepresentation of those events, so much so that a voice over had to be added at the end modifying “facts” somewhat. Most of the principals were still alive (including Taylor) and it was pretty revolting to see how they were characterised, and the whoppers that were told. By the way, though I dislike our sitting PM’s disgraceful refusal to properly arm our military (they still use pistols fom the Second World War!!) and to behave like a decent ally, our “mickey mouse army” rose for King and country in both world wars, and didn’t hang back for years while the British, Canadians and Australians fought on without the assistance of the United States. Cheers.
Ben Affleck? Never even heard of him..
Thanks for letting us know.
And Of course he has heard of Ben. People never make that comment when the person isnt famous.