Matt Damon: 5 Awesome Performances And 5 That Sucked

4. James Ryan - Saving Private Ryan

The part of Private Ryan in Saving Private Ryan is a lot harder than it would first seem watching the film. Not only the title character, but the object of the entire first two acts, when you finally see him so much needs to be conveyed in a short period of time; his love for his dead brothers, his sense of duty, and the internal conflict that creates. All this in the face of subversion of expectations that have been built up.

It was helped that Damon was on the posters, so people knew who to expect at the end of the line, but there’s no avoiding that the entire emotional pay-off of the film rests on his shoulders. And he just pulls it off, hitting the beats perfectly and laying the groundwork for the final twist.

It could so easily be more narrative function than a full character, especially given how the others view him, but Damon makes it work.