20 Best Movie Performances Of 2020

20. Ben Affleck - The Way Back

Ben Affleck gave by far the most intimate and personal performance of his career this year as an alcoholic former star basketball player who is recruited to coach his old high school's basketball team.

If the setup might sound familiar, The Way Back soars on the strength of Affleck's anguished, nuanced performance, depicting a man perilously dangling on the edge of a cliff as he attempts to better himself while in the throes of crippling addiction.

The star's real-life troubles add an undeniable heft and meaning to both the film and the performance, while director Gavin O'Connor smartly trains the focus on his actor at almost all times.

It is by turns the best work of Affleck's career, and a firm reminder that he's come a long way since the days of Daredevil.