American actor, screenwriter and producer Matthew Paige Damonbetter known as Matt Damonwas born in Cambridge, United States, on October 8, 1970. Already in his teens he demonstrated his talent for acting and writing, obtaining the support of mentors and teachers.
Admitted to the prestigious Harvard University, Matt studied English Literature, but finally his vocation was stronger and he decided to run after his dream of being an actor and screenwriter. He thus left for New York leaving behind a promising future as a writer.
His first big screen performance was in the film Mystic Pizza (1988)starring the great actress Julia Roberts.
But his role under famed director Francis Ford Coppola in the film self defense (1997), about the novel by John Grisham, was the one that validated his long-awaited ticket to enter Hollywood, in an excellent appearance alongside Mickey Rourke and Danny DeVito no less.
His time had come, obviously. Because that same year, together with his inseparable friend Ben Affleck, Matt Damon would win the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for the film Good Will Hunting, in which he also acted as a leading counterpoint with Robin Williams. But, What are the best Matt Damon movies and where to watch them?
1. Self defense
Premiere: 1997. Director: Francis Ford Coppola. Damon’s character: Rudy Baylor. Available on Apple TV.
Synopsis. Rudy Baylor (Matt Damon) is an inexperienced lawyer who is hired by J. Lyman Stone (Mickey Rourke), the most prominent and successful defense attorney in town, to be part of his firm. But his employer is imprisoned and Rudy along with Deck Shifflet (Danny DeVito), a dubious advisor to the firm, will go out looking for clients to represent at all costs. This film is based on the homonymous novel by the famous American writer John Grisham.
2. In search of destiny (The good Will Hunting)
Premiere: 1997. Director: Gus Van Sant. Damon’s character: Will Hunting. Available on Google Play.
Synopsis. Will Hunting (Matt Damon) is a young prodigy who works as a janitor for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. One day, Gerald Lambeau (Robin Williams), a math teacher at the institution, discovers Will’s innate talent and decides to help him harness his special quality. This film led Matt Damon and Ben Affleck to win an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay and Robin Williams to win another in the Best Supporting Actor category.
3. Rescuing Private Ryan
Premiere: 1998. Direction: Steven Spielberg. Damon’s character: Soldier (James Francis) Ryan. 101st Airborne Division. Available on Netflix.
Synopsis. With the confirmation of three dead brothers surnamed Ryan and one missing, the US General Staff sends a group commanded by Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks) to rescue the fourth brother. Set in World War II, during the invasion of Normandy (France) by the Allies, the film reflects the cruelty of war. It received 5 Oscars: Best Director (Steven Spielberg), Best Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Sound and Best Sound Editing.
4. The Big Swindle (Ocean’s Eleven)
Premiere: 2001. Director: Steven Soderbergh. Damon’s character: Linus Caldwell. Available on HBO Max.
Synopsis. After violating his probation, Danny Ocean (George Clooney), a paroled convict, reunites with his partner in crime Rusty Ryan (Brad Pitt) for a new job. The big crime idea of the new job is to simultaneously rob the Bellagio, Mirage and MGM Grand casinos. Clooney and Pitt are joined by Matt Damon, Andy García and Julia Roberts to give the story a romantic touch.
5. Unknown Identity: The Bourne Affair
Premiere: 2002. Director: Doug Liman. Damon’s character: Jason Bourne. Available on Google Play.
Synopsis. Based on the novels by writer Robert Ludlum, this is the first installment in a trilogy starring Matt Damon, who is joined by Franka Potente, Chris Cooper, Clive Owen, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Brian Cox and Julia Stiles. The story tells how an amnesiac man rescued by a fishing boat begins to rebuild his violent life to find out who he really is.
6. The Departed
Premiere: 2006. Director: Martin Scorsese. Damon’s character: Colin Sullivan. Available on DIRECTV (On demand).
Synopsis. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson and Mark Wahlberg, with Martin Sheen, Ray Winstone, Vera Farmiga and Alec Baldwin in supporting roles, this film tells the story of Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio), an undercover cop who must infiltrate the a gang of criminals and a crook named Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) who goes undercover with the police. Both organizations discover that they have a snitch in their ranks and go to find him. 4 Oscars won this film: Best Director, Best Editing, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Film.
7. Bourne: The Ultimatum
Premiere: 2007. Director: Paul Greengrass. Damon’s character: Jason Bourne. Available on Movistar TV (On demand).
Synopsis. This is the third installment in the Bourne trilogy, also based on the novels by writer Robert Ludlum. The protagonists are: Matt Damon, Julia Stiles, David Strathairn and Joan Allen. On this occasion, Bourne continues to search for his true identity, this time internationally, from Russia to Europe and from North Africa to the United States, eluding those who want to kill him to prevent him from knowing the truth. The film won 3 Oscars in 2007 in the categories of Best Sound, Best Editing and Best Sound Editing.
8. Interstellar
Premiere: 2014. Director: Christopher Nolan. Damon’s character: Dr. Hugh Mann. Available on DIRECTV (On demand).
Synopsis. This super production from the great director Christopher Nolan tells the story of a dystopian future where a group of astronauts on a mission seek to find a new home to replace the earth. Starring Matt Damon, Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain and Michael Caine, this film was nominated for Academy Awards in 11 categories, only winning an Oscar for Best Visual Effects. With an initial investment of 165 million dollars, this work by Christopher Nolan raised more than 700 million dollars.
9. Rescue Mission (The Martian)
Premiere: 2015. Director: Ridley Scott. Damon’s character: astronaut Mark Watney. Available on Disney+.
Synopsis. Left for dead and abandoned on a mission to Mars, astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) faces his most important mission, contacting NASA for rescue. Without resources, but with a sense of humor and a great spirit of survival, Watney will try to survive by appealing to his knowledge and cunning. This work earned Damon the Golden Globe for Best Actor and the film received the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical.
10. Against the impossible / Le Mans ’66 (Ford v Ferrari)
Premiere: 2019. Director: James Mangold. Damon’s character: Carroll Shelby. Available on Disney+.
Synopsis. Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon), the automotive visionary, and his star British driver, Ken Miles (Christian Bale), are given a mission to build a new car that can topple Ferrari in the 1966 Le Mans World Championship. Starring Matt Damon, Christian Bale, Jon Bernthal, Caitriona Balfe, Noah Jupe, Josh Lucas, Tracy Letts, Remo Girone and Ray McKinnon, this film won two Oscars in the following categories: Best Editing and Best Sound Editing.
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Matt Damon: what are his best movies and where to watch them