Is Matt Damon the best movie actor from the L20 years?

[ChuckyTheGoat]

I'm a fan of his work. He covers a broad spectrum.

If not Matt, who is better?

Of course, this is personal opinion. BTW, I don't watch a ton of movies. If I'm missing someone obvious, please let me know.

PS, I was a fan of Philip Seymour Hoffman. Pointless that he checked out the way he did.

[jtoler]

fan too but uh no tons better as far as acting

[JAKEPEAVY21]

Edward Norton

[MinnesotaFats]

Day lewis
Norton
Dicaporio
Clooney
Pitt
Craig

All better

Damon gets good rolls but he cannot carry a movie that Stillwater was a dud

[Kermit]

[Bluehorseshoe]

Christian Bale is the best.

Not even close.

[stevenash]

Best? No.
Solid? Yes

I was waiting a month for Stillwater.
It was worth the wait, loved it, he did a great job with it.

Loved him Good Will Hunting, so did the critics.. The whole cast was outstanding too.
The "Ocean's' movies were enjoyable, but that was an ensemble effort, no single actor carried those Ocean's movies.

The Bourne movies, didn't like them.
Maybe it's just me but they weren't good.

Rounders.
We all here at SBR loved Rounders.
A poker 'cult' movie.
But again, like Good Will Hunting, and the Ocean's movies, he was surrounded with a good cast too

And of course Private Ryan, another great job surrounded by a solid cast again.

But, there's a ton of clunkers on his resume too.

Now.
Having said all that in my long winded fashion, I think the 'best' actor today is my favorite actor.
Vincent D'onofrio.

Best as it applies to this thread though is subjective, it's more of an opinion thread, there's no right or wrong answer. (Unless you thing Paulie Shore is the best)

If you do plunk ten bucks down for a Damon movie though, chances are you will get your money's worth.

And yeah, Stillwater was that damn good.

[MinnesotaFats]

Donfrio interesting case

He us a great actor but I can't recall him getting the lead in anything.

Alway a bit role or supporting role

Which I'm not sure was the OPS intention

Also Stillwater blew. There was a very weak plot there and I still can't surmise what or why anyone was impressed w Damon as a Oklahoma redneck

[CWD]

Donfrio interesting case

He us a great actor but I can't recall him getting the lead in anything.

Alway a bit role or supporting role

Which I'm not sure was the OPS intention

Also Stillwater blew. There was a very weak plot there and I still can't surmise what or why anyone was impressed w Damon as a Oklahoma redneck

fatty can you say tour de force because that's what we saw with damon

most movies are guaranteed to be POS u could prob put this out any decent year it's 2 stars at best

I was watching harrison ford the fugitive the other day what a movie they can't make them like that anymore if they tried

[JMobile]

[Chi_archie]

Clint Howard
Steven Segal
Robert Iler (AJ- The Sopranos)
Dane Cook
Frank Stallone

[stevenash]

Talking strictly method actors here, just for one post.
I read a couple of years ago the best method actors in the business are D'onofrio and Christian Bale.
Of course the greatest method actor of all time was Brando.

[Bluehorseshoe]

Clint Howard
Steven Segal
Robert Iler (AJ- The Sopranos)
Dane Cook
Frank Stallone

Frank Stallone was brilliant in "Tombstone". He really brought it to his character.

[stevenash]

Frank Stallone was brilliant in "Tombstone". He really brought it to his character.

This has to be sarcasm.

[MinnesotaFats]

I was thinking about this and you know who we forgot about, because his career goes up & down...

John Travolta

Since Pulp Fiction thru maybe I Am Wrath he had a hit every year or two

[cincinnatikid513]

bale

lewis

[ChuckyTheGoat]

Christian Bale is the best.

Not even close.

Bale is an awesome actor. Remember all the weight he lost to play "The Machinist"? Full respect to someone who does that.

BTW, Matt lost 30 lbs to play the Mr Ripley role.

[mtneer1212]

Entertaining actor, but hardly the best......

[BigJay]

-Phillip Seymore Hoffman (he’s gone but if we’re listing last 20 years his body of work is still amazing)

-Also agree with others on Bale.

-Sleeper pick Mark Ruffalo

And I’m a huge Matt Damon fan but he’s not in the same class as the top two I listed.

[shadymcgrady]

Christian bale easy. Not sure if Damon is even in top 10, he peaked with the departed

[ChuckyTheGoat]

-Phillip Seymore Hoffman (he’s gone but if we’re listing last 20 years his body of work is still amazing)

-Also agree with others on Bale.

-Sleeper pick Mark Ruffalo

And I’m a huge Matt Damon fan but he’s not in the same class as the top two I listed.

Ruffalo is a great actor. Props to Ruffalo on his spectrum of work:

*Was great as the wrestler Dave Schultz. And I wouldn't have thought was in his range.
*Also, very good as the reporter in "Spotlight".

[JAKEPEAVY21]

Christopher Walken is another favorite of mine.

[Chi_archie]

how has no one said. Nic Cage?

[mtneer1212]

how has no one said. Nic Cage?

Because he is below Matt Damon? However, his performance in Leaving Las Vegas was tremendous.

[jackpot269]

Ed Norton - His performance in Primal Fear I thought was top 10 all time I got to see it at the theater

Robin Williams - Not only actor but entertainer

Tom Hanks- Has more movies than i can count that he is great in!!

These are my 3

[Bluehorseshoe]

This has to be sarcasm.

I watched it the other night and I couldn't believe he was in it with all the great actors it had. Kurt Russell must have owed Sly a favor. LOL

[yahoonino]

joe pesci
de niro
ray liotta
di caprio
stallone
roberto benigni
all italian ,go figure

[MinnesotaFats]

joe pesci
de niro
ray liotta
di caprio
stallone
roberto benigni
all italian ,go figure

...yeah and none have been in a decent movie since Gore lost the recount.

This is a last 20 years survey, not a 1994 survey

[dlowilly]

Bradley Cooper pretty good

[dlowilly]

I liked the movie “rounders”, but I think it was one of Damon’s worst performances. To be honest I think he is pretty inconsistent movie to movie

[jackpot269]

I don't know that they are critically acclaimed but I think they are great in movies

Tim Roth

Steve Buscemi

[MaltedHopsFrenzy]

31 posts in, and not one person of color.
#ThreadSoWhite

How say you, Sam?

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[stevenash]

31 posts in, and not one person of color.
#ThreadSoWhite

How say you, Sam?

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[Hman]

No mention of Denzel Washington?

[peacebyinches]

I’ve had this same conversation about the best living actors with my pals a while back and we somehow came to the conclusion that Matt Damon was top 5 easily if you go by diversity of roles and consistency.

Logic went like this:
nic cage: amazing, love him, but too insane to be the GOAT and too many awful movies done for a paycheck
Clooney: same role every movie
denzel: same role every movie
SLJ: amazing, but more of a personality/meme actor than true talent
Bruce willis: EXACT same character every movie. He’s the down and out, alcoholic cop thrown into a wild situation. Some classic movies, but as far as talent/performance wise, quite possibly the most overpaid actor ever.
Brad Pitt: same character every movie
tom cruise: see above (though I am a fan as much as I hate to admit it)
Matt Damon: does action, comedy, drama, very few dud movies

Actually, our conclusion was more along the lines that every actor just does the same role Matt Damon was least annoying at the time.