Ben Affleck: 5 Awesome Performances And 5 That Sucked

2. Hollywoodland (2006)

It's around the time Hollywoodland came out that people began to take Affleck seriously again following his post-Good Will Hunting glut of Hollywood pay-cheque roles (one, funnily enough, that was actually called Paycheck), and with good reason. Affleck's supporting turn as the original Superman himself, George Reeves, earned him the first rave reviews of his career, and as well as winning the Best Actor award at the Venice Film Festival, kick-started those first Oscar murmurs, even if he ultimately was not nominated. It's a perfect example of a performance that requires duality; Affleck shines in the lighter, more enjoyable scenes as Reeves strutting about on set, calling for Affleck to milk his charisma for all it is worth, and then later on, when things don't look so rosy, he has to harness something much more visceral, as Reeves begins the tragic decline that would ultimately claim his life. An underrated film and a performance that's crucially under-appreciated, this is Affleck on fighting form.