Throughout his long career, Ben Affleck has proved that not only is he a talented actor, but he is also a very effective cinematic storyteller. His films are usually situated within the crime genre, and he also incorporates his hometown of Boston, Massachusetts into his stories, making them extremely personal. At the same time, besides Gone Baby Gone, Affleck often stars in his own films. This is no easy feat for a director. It takes talent, experience, and hard work to both direct and act in a film. With that said, Affleck continues to prove that he can do it. Affleck has some very exciting projects in the works including, per GQ, an untitled film about Nike that also has Matt Damon attached. According to Variety, the film has recently added Jason Bateman and Viola Davis to its cast.

Affleck grew up in the Boston area and was introduced to the arts at a very young age. During high school, Affleck performed in several plays and became very close with Damon. Throughout his adolescence, Affleck appeared in independent films as well as television series. Eventually, he and Damon moved to New York City to pursue acting full-time, and then Los Angeles. Affleck began to land bigger roles in films such as School Ties and Dazed and Confused. After receiving an Oscar for his screenplay for Good Will Hunting, he and Damon gained international fame. Since then, Affleck has become a highly respected actor, director, and producer. Let’s look at his directing filmography, ranked.

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4 Live By Night

     RatPac-Dune Entertainment

Although Live by Night is considered by many to be the weakest of Affleck’s filmography, he did prove that he could direct an effective period piece. The costume and set design are stunning from beginning to end as Affleck takes you back to the 1920s. Affleck also stars in the film and gives a very solid performance. The story follows Boston gangsters who go up against members of the Ku Klux Klan in the prohibition era. Affleck also wrote the screenplay adapted from the novel by Dennis Lehane. The film has a fantastic supporting cast featuring great performances from Elle Fanning, Brendan Gleeson, Chris Messina, and more. It is a riveting period piece that features great drama and several satisfying action scenes. It was a very ambitious project for Affleck, and although it wasn’t his best, it should certainly be respected.

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3 Gone Baby Gone

     Miramax Films

Affleck’s directorial debut Gone Baby Gone was a masterclass film that follows Patrick (Casey Affleck) and Angie (Michelle Monaghan) who are two Boston private detectives searching for a missing child. The mother of the child is a drug-addicted criminal, brilliantly played by Amy Ryan. This movie shows you the harsh characters that inhabit Boston and introduces you to the dark world of crime that lays there. The story has twists and turns throughout and will have you guessing until the very end. There are several great supporting performances from Ed Harris, Titus B. Welliver, Morgan Freeman, and more. It is a riveting and honest crime drama that is extremely thought-provoking from beginning to end. Ryan went on to earn an Academy Award nomination for her performance.

2 The Town

     Warner Bros.

The Town is a riveting crime drama that follows bank robbers in Charlestown, Boston. Doug MacRay (Affleck) leads his crew and eventually forms a romantic relationship with a hostage (Rebecca Hall) who is unaware that he robbed her bank. The bank robbery scenes in this film are absolutely riveting and filled with suspense. At the same time, the entire supporting cast brings something to the table. Jeremy Renner gives one of the finest performances of his career, and Blake Lively is an absolute scene stealer. It showcases the Boston streets in a very honest way, and the climax of the film will have you on the edge of your seat. The movie has everything including romance, action, drama, and focuses on the complication of facing your past.

1 Argo

     Warner Bros. Pictures

Argo tells the story of CIA operative Tony Mendez (Affleck) and his plan to help six U.S. diplomats escape from Iran by disguising them as a film crew. Every aspect of this film was intriguing from beginning to end, and it went on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. Not only is it an effective spy film, it is also a love letter to cinema. Along Tony’s journey, he is introduced to the bizarre world of Hollywood, meeting interesting characters along the way. During the mission in Iran, there is suspense from beginning to end as we watch Tony try to get these diplomats home safe. The movie features great supporting performances from the entire cast, including Alan Arkin and John Goodman.