Ben Affleck Wins Another “Razzie”… But Still Keeps The Affleckaissance Going
The soon-to-be Bruce Wayne won the Razzie Redeemer Award for his meteoric resurgence in Hollywood as a director, writer, and actor. Check it out.
These days, Ben Affleck is a winn-ah. He’s a two-time Oscar-winner, a highly respected director, David Fincher’s latest muse, and he’s set to play the most iconic superhero ever in next year’s Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. Now Affleck finds himself victorious at the dubious Razzie Awards, having won the inaugural Redeemer Award. This new award recognizes previous Razzie honorees for rebounding creatively. Despite the great work of Jennifer Aniston (Cake), Mike Myers (Supermensch), Keanu Reeves (John Wick), and Kristen Stewart (Camp X-Ray) this year, Affleck was far and away the most deserving of this award.
The Razzies don’t always nominate the worst of the worst performances and movies in a given year, but they do point out the worst of the most high profile stars and projects. Ben Affleck has taken his fair share of criticism as an actor during the late 90s and early half of the new millennium. He won two Razzies in 2004 for Worst Actor and Worst Screen Couple, largely for his work in Gigli, a movie everyone (including people who were under the age of 10 at the time) pretends they saw, despite the movie only grossing $7.2 million at the global box office. He’s been nominated for a few others, for his work in movies like Armageddon, Pearl Harbor, and Jersey Girl.
Starting with a great turn as George Reeves in Hollywoodland and with his directorial debut, Gone Baby Gone, Affleck turned a new leaf. Gone Baby Gone was a critical darling, but it was a financial disappointment. Fortunately, Jeff Robinov put his faith in the new director and helped Affleck foster a strong partnership at Warner Bros. The Town soon followed, with Affleck starring and directing. Then came Argo, that famous Best Director snub, and subsequently a Best Picture win.
Affleck delivered good performances in films like The Company Men, Extract, and State of Play in the middle of all of this. But his absolute best on screen work came in David Fincher’s Gone Girl this past year. Opposite of Rosamund Pike’s showier role, Affleck brought the questionable Nick Dunne to life with great nuance and carried many of the slower moments in the story.
This turnaround can only be rivaled by Matthew McConaughey’s own resurgence. Will it continue, or will we see Affleck back in the Razzie discussion shortly? I’d guess the former. This summer, he is set to direct, adapt, and star in Live By Night, a Dennis Lehane crime epic. Affleck will likely re-team with Fincher for a Strangers on a Train adaptation. And, of course, he’s playing Batman in at least three films, starting with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. An Affleck-directed Batman solo film with the likes of Jared Leto, Margot Robbie, Jeremy Irons, and Will Smith already populating that world is enticing.
Has Affleck been redeemed? Are you looking forward to his take on Batman? As comic book movie fans, does Affleck's redemption hinge on how his Batman turns out? Click the link below to find the complete list of Razzie winners this year.
About The Author:
Favorite CBMs: The Dark Knight Trilogy, A History of Violence, Watchmen, Road to Perdition, Superman, Man of Steel, X2, Iron Man, Captain America: The Winter Soldier