Ben Affleck is a versatile actor, often dipping his toes into various genres of movies from Armageddon to Zack Snyder’s Justice League. He also has a certain skill for writing film scripts, with many being highly rated. Affleck also makes quite a few appearances in crime/political thrillers, such as The Town, State of Play, Argo, and Gone Girl. Additionally, the actor turned director has appeared in other genres, including rom-coms, action movies, historical dramas, and period pieces. Affleck’s highest-grossing film to date is the 2016 Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, which grossed $872 million worldwide at the box office. Other successful films directed by and starring Affleck include The Town, Argo, and Live By Night. Affleck has taken a certain liking to superhero films, starring in a variety of them over the years, including Justice League, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Daredevil. Discussion has begun on whether Affleck should join the MCU.

Although Affleck is great, many people wonder how rating systems like Rotten Tomatoes or IMDb come to their rating conclusions on films and TV shows. It’s actually not as complicated as you’re thinking. Both Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb use the reviews of critics to determine their scores. Both sites also consider the audience score, which is based on user ratings. Both scores are an indicator of how well received a film is by critics and audiences alike. However, there are some key differences between Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb in terms of how they factor story into their scores.

Rotten Tomatoes uses a weighted system that takes into account both critic and audience reviews, whereas IMDb does not take into account any reviews from users. Additionally, while both sites consider plot elements such as storyline or characters when evaluating films, Rotten Tomatoes also considers other factors like cinematography or special effects that may not be taken into account by other review sites such as IMDb or Metacritic. With this in mind, let’s check out Ben Affleck’s best highest-rated movies, according to Rotten Tomatoes.

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10 State of Play (2009) — 84%

     Universal Pictures

State of Play is a conspiracy thriller movie adapted from a British TV series of the same name, directed by Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts’ mainstay David Yates. It transposes London for Washington, D.C., with all the political craziness following suit. The movie stars Affleck as a congressman who becomes embroiled in the death of his mistress, which uncovers a wider conspiracy when Russell Crowe’s old journalist friend gets involved.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

This is a good movie for Affleck because it showcases his ability to portray complex characters with depth and emotion while also providing him with plenty of opportunities to demonstrate his mastery over dialogue delivery in difficult situations. Additionally, it allows him to showcase his versatility as an actor by taking on such an intense role after playing lighter roles in movies like Daredevil. With a collective 84% on Rotten Tomatoes, the film is pretty well off.

9 The Last Duel (2021) — 85%

     20th Century Studios

The Last Duel is a film directed by Ridley Scott and based on a true story. It follows the events surrounding two medieval French knights named Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon) and Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver), who find themselves fighting to the death after Carrouges’s wife, Marguerite (Jodie Comer), accuses Le Gris of sexually assaulting her. The story is told through the viewpoints of all three characters separately, with an emphasis on Marguerite’s version of events.

The film received fairly positive reviews, but was not as successful as Scott had hoped it would be due to structural issues with its screenplay. The Hollywood Reporter criticized its lengthiness, noting that it felt “lopsided and unwieldy.” However, there were still plenty of fans who appreciated Affleck’s performance in his on-screen reunion with Damon since Good Will Hunting. Scoring an 85% on Rotten Tomatoes, we’d say Scott wasn’t too bad off after this film.

8 Daddy and Them (2001)

     Miramax

Daddy and Them is set in the Heartland of America, full of tornadoes, hurricanes, and heat waves. Claude (Billy Bob Thornton) and Ruby (Laura Dern) are an emotional rollercoaster of a couple, who shifts from in love to fighting in a heartbeat. When the wild couple gets the news that Claude’s Uncle Hazel (Jim Varney) has been arrested, they travel to the family home in Little Rock to lend their support. As the extended family reunites, it quickly becomes clear that everyone has something to say, and definitely no filter. Daddy and Them has been awarded with two Golden Globe nominations and generally received good praise. With a Rotten Tomatoes score of 86%, the film’s craziness has obviously won its audience over.

7 Chasing Amy (1997) — 87%

Chasing Amy is a romantic comedy directed by Kevin Smith and starring Affleck, Joey Lauren Adams, Jason Lee, and Sean William Scott. The film follows the story of two childhood friends who become romantically involved with each other despite one of them being in a relationship with a lesbian. The movie is popular for its witty dialogue as well as its exploration of complex relationships and sexuality. It has received positive reviews from critics, with Roger Ebert calling it “one of the best films about friendship I’ve seen in years”. The film also won several awards at various film festivals around the world including Best Screenplay at the 1998 Independent Spirit Awards. With the film turning 26 this year, they held an interview reunion reviewing all the fun and great moments from Chasing Amy. Rotten Tomatoes rated this film at 87%, and most viewers seem to agree.

6 Gone Girl (2014) — 88%

Gone Girl is set in Carthage, MO. A former New York-based writer Nick Dunne (Affleck) and his high-maintenance wife Amy (Rosamund Pike) present a portrait of a stellar marriage to the public. However, when Amy goes missing on their fifth wedding anniversary, Nick becomes the prime suspect in her disappearance. Police pressure and media frenzy cause the Dunnes’ image of a happy marriage to crumble, leading to brutal questions about who Nick and Amy truly are. With an 88% on Rotten Tomatoes, Gone Girl is the perfect crime drama of the 2010s.

5 Dazed and Confused (1993) — 92%

     Alphaville Films

Dazed and Confused is a comedy-drama film written and directed by Richard Linklater. The film follows a group of high school students in 1976 as they prepare for their last day of school, look forward to their upcoming summer break, and haze the incoming freshmen. It was a commercial disappointment at the box office, but has since become a cult classic over the years.

Dazed and Confused is a great movie for Affleck because it provides an authentic glimpse into life in 1976 in Austin, Texas — including scenes set at the high school, hamburger shop, and students’ houses — while also exploring themes such as youth culture, growing up, rebellion, teenage angst, relationships, and nostalgia for simpler times gone by. Additionally, it offers plenty of humorous moments that enhance its entertainment value while still remaining true to its period setting. According to Ethan Hawke (via Variety), Dazed and Confused revealed an important new voice in the cinema world. Landing a 92% from Rotten Tomatoes, it’s not hard to see why its a cult classic.

4 Shakespeare in Love (1998) — 92%

Shakespeare in Love has a 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, along with an outstanding record of seven Academy Awards won, including Best Picture and Best Actress for Gwyneth Paltrow. The screenplay was also awarded an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. The story follows a young Shakespeare (Joseph Fiennes), broke and out of ideas, who finds his ideal women, who in turn inspires him to write one of his most famous plays. With a 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, Shakespeare in Love has a pretty collective love for the film.

3 The Town (2010) — 92%

     Warner Bros. Pictures

The Town is a heist thriller directed by Affleck and starring himself as the leader of a gang planning to score their biggest bank robbery ever. The film received mostly positive reviews from both audiences and critics, with The Hollywood Reporter praising its style and atmosphere for being reminiscent of Peter Yates’ 1973 thriller The Friends of Eddie Coyle.

The Town is popular among moviegoers because it offers an exciting story full of suspense, action, romance and humor. With an all-star cast that includes some of today’s most acclaimed actors such as Jeremy Renner, Rebecca Hall and Jon Hamm, viewers are sure to be entertained by the film’s well-written script full of witty dialogue that keeps them on the edge of their seats throughout the entire runtime. Rotten Tomatoes landed on a 92% with this film, making it a pretty solid watch.

2 Good Will Hunting (1997) — 97%

Good Will Hunting has a score of 97%, making it one of the highest-rated movies on Rotten Tomatoes. The film won Academy Awards for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Robin Williams) and Best Original Screenplay, making it one of Affleck and Damon’s most successful works. Good Will Hunting follows Will Hunting (Damon), a man with a genius level IQ that chooses to work as a janitor at MIT. Critics praise the performances in the film and quirks thrown in that draw it away from the predictable narrative.

1 Argo (2012) — 96%

Argo is directed by Affleck and starred himself. The movie is based on a true story about a CIA agent who poses as a film producer in order to rescue six U.S. diplomats from Iran during the 1979 hostage crisis. The film received positive reviews from critics, with a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for Chris Terrio.

Argo is a great movie for Affleck because it showcases his talent as both director and actor, as well as his ability to tell powerful stories that are both entertaining and thought-provoking. With its successful blend of suspenseful action sequences, tense dialogue exchanges, and political intrigue set against the backdrop of historical events, Argo demonstrates why Affleck has become one of Hollywood’s most sought after directors today. Holding a 96% makes Argo Affleck’s highest-rated film on Rotten Tomatoes.