(Photo by Universal/ courtesy Everett Collection)
Before his breakout with Good Will Hunting, Matt Damon was already something of an actor to watch, showing versatility as a gaunt military medic in Courage Under Fire and as a determined law school grad in The Rainmaker. But looking to take creative control of his own career, he and partner-in-crime Ben Affleck wrote Good Will Hunting, earning the two a Best Original Screenplay Oscar, and an acting nom for Damon. After that, it was off to the races, working with the likes of Steven Spielberg (Saving Private Ryan), Kevin Smith (Dogma, though he already had a previous cameo in Chasing Amy), Anthony Minghella (The Talented Mr. Ripley), and Martin Scorsese (The Departed).
Damon worked with Gus Van Sant a few more times (Finding Forrester, Gerry) before finding a truly kindred creative partner in Steven Soderbergh. Together, along with another regular cast of collaborators, he’s starred in three Ocean’s movies, Contagion, The Informant!, and Behind the Candelabra, with small cameos in Soderbergh’s Che Guevara biopics. Around the same time as Ocean’s Eleven, Damon came into the Bourne series, whose first trilogy (Identity, Supremacy, and Ultimatum) would rewrite the book on action cinema in the 21st century, with its intimate shaky-cam presentation and intricate plotting and character work.
The 2010s were a big decade for science-fiction and Damon got in on the action, with work representing some of his best movies, and certainly among the most well-known: The Adjustment Bureau, Elysium, The Zero Theorem, Interstellar, and The Martian.
After a rough 2017 where he starred in only Rotten movies (The Great Wall, Suburbicon, Downsizing), and remaining off-screen for 2018, he made a late 2019 appearance with Ford v Ferrari, the high-octane true story co-starring Christian Bale, and directed by James Mangold. Then he was in The Last Duel, directed by Ridley Scott, and Air, once again with Ben Affleck. And now, Oppenheimer. Now, we’re ranking all of Matt Damon’s movies ranked by Tomatometer! —Alex Vo
#1
Adjusted Score: 101843%
Critics Consensus: It follows a predictable narrative arc, but Good Will Hunting adds enough quirks to the journey — and is loaded with enough powerful performances — that it remains an entertaining, emotionally rich drama.
#2
Adjusted Score: 105362%
Critics Consensus: Girded by strong performances from Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, and newcomer Hailee Steinfeld, and lifted by some of the Coens’ most finely tuned, unaffected work, True Grit is a worthy companion to the Charles Portis book.
#3
Adjusted Score: 111849%
Critics Consensus: Oppenheimer marks another engrossing achievement from Christopher Nolan that benefits from Murphy’s tour-de-force performance and stunning visuals.
#4
Adjusted Score: 101212%
Critics Consensus: Anchored by another winning performance from Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg’s unflinchingly realistic war film virtually redefines the genre.
#5
Adjusted Score: 97556%
Critics Consensus: Affectionate without sacrificing honesty, Behind the Candelabra couples award-worthy performances from Michael Douglas and Matt Damon with some typically sharp direction from Steven Soderbergh.
#6
Adjusted Score: 111459%
Critics Consensus: A fact-based drama that no one will dunk on, Air aims to dramatize events that changed the sports world forever — and hits almost nothing but net.
#7
Adjusted Score: 112662%
Critics Consensus: Ford v Ferrari delivers all the polished auto action audiences will expect — and balances it with enough gripping human drama to satisfy non-racing enthusiasts.
#8
Adjusted Score: 102353%
Critics Consensus: The Bourne Ultimatum is an intelligent, finely tuned non-stop thrill ride. Another strong performance from Matt Damon and sharp camerawork from Paul Greengrass make this the finest installment of the Bourne trilogy.
#9
Adjusted Score: 106030%
Critics Consensus: Smart, thrilling, and surprisingly funny, The Martian offers a faithful adaptation of the bestselling book that brings out the best in leading man Matt Damon and director Ridley Scott.
#10
Adjusted Score: 97265%
Critics Consensus: While not Miyazaki’s best film, Ponyo is a visually stunning fairy tale that’s a sweetly poetic treat for children of all ages.
#11
Adjusted Score: 101619%
Critics Consensus: Featuring outstanding work from an excellent cast, The Departed is a thoroughly engrossing gangster drama with the gritty authenticity and soupy morality we come to expect from Martin Scorsese.
#12
Adjusted Score: 88720%
Critics Consensus: An emotional and intriguing tale of a military officer who must review the merits of a fallen officer while confronting his own war demons. Effectively depicts the terrors of war as well as its heartbreaking aftermath.
#13
Adjusted Score: 98611%
Critics Consensus: The Last Duel‘s critique of systemic misogyny isn’t as effective as it might have been, but it remains a well-acted and thought-provoking drama infused with epic grandeur.
#14
Adjusted Score: 95383%
Critics Consensus: Tense, tightly plotted, and bolstered by a stellar cast, Contagion is an exceptionally smart — and scary — disaster movie.
#15
Adjusted Score: 90366%
Critics Consensus: With Matt Damon’s unsettling performance offering a darkly twisted counterpoint to Anthony Minghella’s glossy direction, The Talented Mr. Ripley is a suspense thriller that lingers.
#16
Adjusted Score: 90056%
Critics Consensus: Expertly blending genre formula with bursts of unexpected wit, The Bourne Identity is an action thriller that delivers — and then some.
#17
Adjusted Score: 89860%
Critics Consensus: As fast-paced, witty, and entertaining as it is star-studded and coolly stylish, Ocean’s Eleven offers a well-seasoned serving of popcorn entertainment.
#18
Adjusted Score: 84701%
Critics Consensus: Invigorated by its talented cast and Francis Ford Coppola’s strong direction, The Rainmaker is a satisfying legal drama — and arguably the best of Hollywood’s many John Grisham adaptations.
#19
Adjusted Score: 88757%
Critics Consensus: A well-made sequel that delivers the thrills.
#20
Adjusted Score: 87701%
Critics Consensus: A charismatic turn by star Matt Damon and a consistently ironic tone boost this quietly funny satire about a corporate whistle-blower.
#21
Adjusted Score: 85247%
Critics Consensus: Delivered with typically stately precision by director Clint Eastwood, Invictus may not be rousing enough for some viewers, but Matt Damon and Morgan Freeman inhabit their real-life characters with admirable conviction.
#22
Adjusted Score: 83893%
Critics Consensus: Stillwater isn’t perfect, but its thoughtful approach to intelligent themes — and strong performances from its leads — give this timely drama a steadily building power.
#23
Adjusted Score: 78117%
Critics Consensus: A surfeit of ideas contributes to Margaret’s excessive run time, but Anna Paquin does a admirable job of guiding viewers through emotional hell.
#24
Adjusted Score: 88233%
Critics Consensus: Interstellar represents more of the thrilling, thought-provoking, and visually resplendent filmmaking moviegoers have come to expect from writer-director Christopher Nolan, even if its intellectual reach somewhat exceeds its grasp.
#25
Adjusted Score: 80231%
Critics Consensus: Ambitious, complicated, intellectual, and demanding of its audience, Syriana is both a gripping geopolitical thriller and wake-up call to the complacent.
#26
Adjusted Score: 80616%
Critics Consensus: First-time writer/director George Nolfi struggles to maintain a consistent tone, but The Adjustment Bureau rises on the strong, believable chemistry of its stars.
#27
Adjusted Score: 77514%
Critics Consensus: Ocean’s Thirteen reverts to the formula of the first installment, and the result is another slick and entertaining heist film.
#28
Adjusted Score: 72643%
Critics Consensus: A visually stunning film that may be too predictable and politically correct for adults, but should serve children well.
#29
Adjusted Score: 71950%
Critics Consensus: Provocative and audacious, Dogma is an uneven but thoughtful religious satire that’s both respectful and irreverent.
#30
Adjusted Score: 70104%
Critics Consensus: We Bought a Zoo is a transparently cloying effort by director Cameron Crowe, but Matt Damon makes for a sympathetic central character.
#31
Adjusted Score: 74180%
Critics Consensus: After the heady sci-fi thrills of District 9, Elysium is a bit of a comedown for director Neill Blomkamp, but on its own terms, it delivers just often enough to satisfy.
#32
Adjusted Score: 67561%
Critics Consensus: Richly atmospheric and colorful performances contributed to the movie’s entertainment value.
#33
Adjusted Score: 65898%
Critics Consensus: An unusually sweet and charming comedy by the Farrelly brothers. Fans may miss the distinct lack of bodily fluids though.
#34
Adjusted Score: 63757%
Critics Consensus: The type of uncompromising film that divides filmgoers over whether it is profound or pretentious.
#35
Adjusted Score: 62410%
Critics Consensus: Led by an A+ cast, the road to School Ties is paved with good intentions that are somewhat marred by the honorable yet heavy-handed message against intolerance.
#36
Adjusted Score: 62045%
Critics Consensus: Though ambitious and confidently directed by Robert De Niro, The Good Shepherd is ultimately a tedious drama that holds few surprises and succumbs to self-seriousness.
#37
Adjusted Score: 72679%
Critics Consensus: Jason Bourne delivers fans of the franchise more of what they’ve come to expect — which is this sequel’s biggest selling point as well as its greatest flaw.
#38
Adjusted Score: 61401%
Critics Consensus: While some have found the latest star-studded heist flick to be a fun, glossy star vehicle, others declare it’s lazy, self-satisfied and illogical.
#39
Adjusted Score: 59766%
Critics Consensus: Matt Damon and Paul Greengrass return to the propulsive action and visceral editing of the Bourne films — but a cliched script and stock characters keep those methods from being as effective this time around.
#40
Adjusted Score: 58694%
Critics Consensus: The earnest and well-intentioned Promised Land sports a likable cast, but it also suffers from oversimplified characterizations and a frustrating final act.
#41
Adjusted Score: 53165%
Critics Consensus: Great visuals, but the story feels like a cut-and-paste job of other sci-fi movies.
#42
Adjusted Score: 52684%
Critics Consensus: Fans of director Terry Gilliam’s trademark visual aesthetic will find everything they’ve bargained for, but for the unconverted, The Zero Theorem may prove too muddled to enjoy.
#43
Adjusted Score: 48841%
Critics Consensus: Geronimo: An American Legend fails to stir the soul, though its sweeping visuals and historical ambitions mark an intelligent change of pace for director Walter Hill.
#44
Adjusted Score: 67864%
Critics Consensus: Downsizing assembles a talented cast in pursuit of some truly interesting ideas — which may be enough for some audiences to forgive the final product’s frustrating shortcomings.
#45
Adjusted Score: 55646%
Critics Consensus: Despite a thought-provoking premise and Clint Eastwood’s typical flair as director, Hereafter fails to generate much compelling drama, straddling the line between poignant sentimentality and hokey tedium.
#46
Adjusted Score: 48884%
Critics Consensus: The animation is as eye-popping as ever, but Happy Feet Two‘s narrative is too noisily incoherent to recapture the Oscar-winning charm of its predecessor.
#47
Adjusted Score: 47257%
Critics Consensus: Despite the talent involved in The Legend of Bagger Vance, performances are hindered by an inadequate screenplay full of flat characters and bad dialogue. Also, not much happens, and some critics are offended by how the film glosses over issues of racism.
#48
Adjusted Score: 47118%
Critics Consensus: Ponderous and overlong, The Majestic drowns in forced sentimentality and resembles a mish-mash of other, better films.
#49
Adjusted Score: 44524%
Critics Consensus: The Brothers Grimm is full of beautiful imagery, but the story is labored and less than enchanting.
#50
Adjusted Score: 51419%
Critics Consensus: For a Yimou Zhang film featuring Matt Damon and Willem Dafoe battling ancient monsters, The Great Wall is neither as exciting nor as entertainingly bonkers as one might hope.
#51
Adjusted Score: 35084%
Critics Consensus: This adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s novel comes off as rather flat and uninvolving. Scenes feel rushed and done in shorthand, and the romance between Damon and Cruz has no sparks.
#52
Adjusted Score: 41109%
Critics Consensus: Its intentions are noble and its cast is impressive, but neither can compensate for The Monuments Men‘s stiffly nostalgic tone and curiously slack narrative.
#53
Adjusted Score: 46095%
Critics Consensus: A disappointing misfire for director George Clooney, Suburbicon attempts to juggle social satire, racial commentary, and murder mystery — and ends up making a mess of all three.