Matt Damon is one of the most versatile actors in Hollywood. With his upcoming film The Odyssey, directed by Christopher Nolan, set to release on July 17, audiences are excited to see the actor back on their screens in a new role.
In the meantime, let's look back at a few of his best performances — the ones that critics praised and those that became box-office hits.
The film won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay and marked Damon's breakthrough role that earned him a nomination for Best Actor. Good Will Hunting grossed about $226 million worldwide on a $10 million budget. It holds an 8.4 on IMDb and a 97% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
The plot follows Will Hunting (Damon), a janitor at MIT who secretly possesses genius-level mathematical abilities. After solving an impossible graduate-level problem, he attracts the attention of Professor Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgård). Following a violent arrest, Will must attend therapy sessions with Sean Maguire (Robin Williams).
The film follows his struggle with trauma, self-sabotage, friendship, love and accepting his own potential. Damon’s performance is raw, vulnerable, funny and deeply authentic.
Hailed as one of the greatest war films ever made, Saving Private Ryan is a Steven Spielberg masterpiece. The film won five Oscars and received universal acclaim. Made on a $70 million budget, it grossed about $482.3 million worldwide, with an 8.6 IMDb score and 94% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The plot, which is set during World War II after the Normandy invasion, follows Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks) who leads a squad behind enemy lines to locate Private James Ryan (Matt Damon), whose three brothers have all been killed in combat. The mission turns into a moral debate: is risking eight men to save one worth it?
Ryan ultimately becomes the emotional center of the story, representing sacrifice, duty and the human cost of war. Damon’s performance, despite his limited screen time, remains unforgettable. He embodies the ordinary soldier for whom extraordinary sacrifices are made.
The Departed is Martin Scorsese’s Best Picture Winner and considered one of the greatest crime thrillers of the 21st century. It grossed $291 million worldwide on a $90 million budget, with an 8.5 on IMDb and a 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
The plot follows two men living double lives in Boston. William Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) plays an undercover police officer infiltrating the Irish Mob, and Collin Sullivan (Matt Damon) plays a mob mole working inside the Massachusetts State Police. With both men desperately trying to discover the other’s identity before being exposed, the film escalates into paranoia, betrayal and tragedy.
Damon’s gives arguably his best performance as a villain—charming, manipulative, ambitious and deeply corrupt.
A massive commercial hit, earning $630 million worldwide against a $108 million budget, Damon carries the movie impeccably. The Martian received around an 8.0 on IMDb, 91% on Rotten Tomatoes and was nominated for an Oscar in the Best Picture category. Damon also secured a nomination for Best Actor.
The plot follows Astronaut Mark Watney (Damon) who is accidentally left behind on Mars after his crew presumes him dead. Alone on an inhospitable planet, he must use science, engineering, botany and relentless optimism to survive long enough for NASA to rescue him.
Meanwhile, on Earth, his crew organises a desperate recovery mission to bring him back. Damon’s performance is funny, charismatic, intelligent and admirable.
The Bourne Identity set a gold standard in the spy-action genre. It grossed $214 million worldwide on a $60 million budget, and set off a famous franchise.
The plot follows a man, suffering from amnesia, who is rescued from the Mediterranean Sea. While he discovers extraordinary combat and survival skills, he has no recollection of his identity. With assassins chasing him across Europe, he slowly uncovers his truth: he is Jason Bourne (Damon), a deadly CIA operative trying to escape his former life.
Damon’s performance is grounded, realistic and hugely influential on the action genre.
The Talented Mr. Ripley stands as one of Damon’s most complex performances. It earned about $129 million worldwide on a $40 million budget, and holds a 7.5 on IMDb and an 85% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The plot follows Tom Ripley (Damon), a poor young man sent to Italy to convince a wealthy playboy, Dickie Greenleaf (Jude Law), to return home. Instead, he becomes obsessed with Dickie’s glamorous life. As his envy grows, Tom resorts to deception, identity theft, manipulation and murder to maintain the lifestyle he covets.
Damon’s performance in this film is his most psychologically layered one.
Steven Soderbergh's Oceans Eleven is ensemble entertainment at its finest. A massive box office success, earning $451 million worldwide on an $85 million budget. It has earned a 7.7 on IMDb with critics scoring it around 83% Rotten Tomatoes the plot follows a fresh out of prison master thief Danny Ocean who assembles a team of specialists to rob three Las Vegas casinos simultaneously.
Damon plays Linus Caldwell, a talented young pickpocket eager to prove himself among seasoned professionals. The actor's performance, even though not in a lead role, is still scene-stealing and extremely funny.