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Summary
The vocation ofMatt Damonhas been categorized by hail use across a diverseness of genres and has include some fantastical functioning in westerly motion-picture show . While Damon first became eff for his breakout success as the conscientious objector - writer and star ofGood Will Hunting , he ’s also portrayed cowboys and westerly lawmen on more than one occasion . These enjoyable performances showcased how well Damon was suit to genre movies as he to the full embodied the complimentary - roaming ideals and individualist nature of the Wild West .
With many incredible operation under his swath , Damon has made a name for himself through his long - running and Academy Award - winningcollaboration with Ben Affleck . However , despite Damon ’s success in comedies , dramas , and thrillers , he ’s never shied away from tackling complex role in Western pic . As one of the most recognizable actors working today , Damon ’s Western film output has been an important part of his impressive filmography .
5The Good Old Boys (1995)
Matt Damon as Cotton Calloway
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The Good Old Boys is a 1995 cinema mastermind by Tommy Lee Jones , who stars as an aging cowboy facing the dilemma of choosing between the exemption of the opened range and the obligation of family sprightliness . place in the former twentieth century , the film explores theme of variety and tradition .
One of Matt Damon ’s least well - known picture roles came with themade - for - TV WesternThe Good Old Boys . Coming two years before Damon ’s breakout success as the conscientious objector - writer and whiz ofGood Will Hunting , this star - studded TNT TV picture show was also the directive debut of its lead , Tommy Lee Jones . As the story of an get on puncher who must prefer between his love for roaming loose and the responsibilities of a family , Jones was get together not just by Damon but also notable adept like Frances McDormand , Sam Shepard , and Sissy Spacek .
Damon ’s $ 20,000 paycheck give him the freedom to focalize hisGood Will Huntingscreenplay with closelipped friend and collaborator Ben Affleck
As an adjustment of the 1978 novel of the same name by Elmer Kelton , The Good Old Boyswas an pleasurable Western that has been mostly forget in the years since it air . However , it featured an gratifying supporting performance from Damon as Cotton Calloway , the son of Jones ’ character Hewey . The Good Old Boyswas an important moment in Damon ’s life history , as it not only saw him move alongside cinematic great , but his $ 20,000 paycheck ( viaWoman ’s World ) give him the freedom to focalize hisGood Will Huntingscreenplay with close friend and collaborator Ben Affleck .
Overall , The Good Old Boyswas an enjoyable but predictable westerly movie manage with the well - worn theme of a cowboy ’s conflicting desire for freedom while also need a family . There ’s a healthy mixture of comedy and dramatic play as Damon ’s charismatic skill was on full display as his role hinted toward his future as a major Hollywood whiz . This Western was well deserving watch for those with a love for the more introspective side of the writing style , but consultation with only a passing involvement in slow - pace Westerns can give this one a miss .
4Geronimo: An American Legend (1993)
Matt Damon as Britton Davis
Geronimo : An American Legend is a historic dramatic play directed by Walter Hill , featuring Wes Studi as Apache leader Geronimo . The film highlights the relentless sideline of Geronimo and his followers by the U.S. Army , including officeholder toy by Jason Patric , Matt Damon , and Robert Duvall . put in the late 19th 100 , it captures the challenging and complex human relationship between Native Americans and the United States government activity .
Geronimo : An American Legendwas one of Matt Damon ’s early noted roles , as he played the ambitious but inexperienced trooper , 2nd Lieutenant Britton Davis . This account of the Apache Wars depicted how First Lieutenant Charles B. Gatewood ( Jason Patric ) convert Apache leader Geronimo ( Wes Studi ) to surrender in 1886 . While the film received assorted reviews at the time of its passing , Native American groups commendedGeronimoas the most honorable cinematic look at the feared leader ( viaLA Times ) and praise the molding of the Native American worker Studi in the lead role .
Geronimowas expel as the Western writing style made a surprise comeback into mainstream popularity .
Produced after the success ofDances with Wolves , Geronimowas unloosen as the Western music genre made a surprise comeback into mainstream popularity . As the film walked the fine credit line between accurately representing the true diachronic narration and showcasing Geronimo as an interesting and heroic cinematic protagonist , Geronimowas an ambitious achievement by director Walter Hill . However , this fail to register at the box office , andGeronimobombed , taking in just $ 18.6 million against its $ 35 million budget ( viaBox Office Mojo . )
Damon play a supporting , albeit important role , as an associate of Lieutenant Gatewood , who , along with Robert Duvall as Chief of Scouts Al Sieber , was tasked with help to capture Geronimo . At the center ofGeronimowas an important message about the inequitable treatment of Native Americans , but the cagey insight of this narrative were sometimes prioritized over take entertainment . Geronimowas a visually stunning motion-picture show with a stack to say , but alas , that did not stop the moving-picture show from feeling like a bit of a drag at time .
3All The Pretty Horses (2000)
Matt Damon as John Grady Cole
All the Pretty Horses is a 2000 film send by Billy Bob Thornton base on the Cormac McCarthy novel . star Matt Damon and Penélope Cruz , the story follow two young cowboys from Texas who travel to Mexico , assay a better life process on cattle ranch . Their adventure takes unexpected turns as they face challenges and moral dilemma in a foreign commonwealth .
Asthe first adjustment of a Cormac McCarthy novel , All the Pretty Horsesdoesn’t quite compare to superior adaptations likeNo Country for Old MenorThe Road . Yet there was still something oddly engaging about Matt Damon ’s functioning as John Grady Cole , although it lacked the lean , minimalized , and declarative stylus that made McCarthy ’s writing so incredible . With a story about Texas cowpoke locomote to Mexico in search of study , Cole soon found himself in worry with the law after he fell for a wealthy rancher ’s girl , played by Penélope Cruz .
As director Billy Bob Thorton ’s followup to his fantabulous debutSlingblade , for which he acquire the Oscar for Best Actor , All the Pretty Horseshad a lot to live up to and mostly come through in its ambitiousness to adapt one of the great author of New American fiction . Damon ’s performance hold much of the aroused weight ofAll the Pretty Horses , and rewatching the moving picture today , it ’s incredible to see the untried variant of his character being played by succeeding star Jesse Plemons . As dead ringer for one another , the casting of Plemons was a cam stroke of genius .
All the Pretty Horsesmay not endure up to the lofty expectation of McCarthy purists .
An endearingly honest delineation , Damon ’s performance inAll the Pretty Horsesproved why his star has continually risen ever since he gained his grown break withGood Will hunt . AlthoughAll the Pretty Horsesreceived a mixed reception upon waiver andfailed at the box office , there was still a lot of knockout at the heart of this romance - turned - subtle - revenge news report . It may not hold up up to the rarefied expected value of McCarthy purist , but there was a lot to relish about this Western that follow Texans go out to line up what was left of the Old West .
2Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002)
Matt Damon as Spirit
Spirit : Stallion of the Cimarron is an animated adventure cinema directed by Kelly Asbury and Lorna Cook . The write up follows a wild mustang named Spirit as he navigates the challenges of taming and captivity in the American West . Matt Damon provides narration , giving vocalisation to Spirit ’s thoughts and emotions . The film commingle traditional hand - draw life with calculator - generated imaging to convey the American frontier to life-time .
Spirit : Stallion Of The Cimarronwas one of thegreatest animated Westernsever made and showcased Matt Damon ’s skill as a voice actor , which was later exemplified in movies likePonyoandHappy Feet Two . With Damon as the deed of conveyance grapheme , Spiritwas a beautiful DreamWorks movie that travel along a uncivilized Kiger mustang stallion on the American frontier . After being captured by frontiersfolk bent on taming the region , Spirit must struggle for his freedom and those around him .
Like many of the best western sandwich , Spiritaddressed the hardships of encroaching culture in the Wild Westand how humanity ’s desire for enlargement impedes the finespun order of nature . With a arresting visual trend , Spiritcaptured the majesty of cavalry loose - roam the 19th - century American West . While the plot may seem predictable to adult viewers , the political messaging at the heart ofSpiritwas easily digestible for child viewers , as the spectacular aliveness sure as shooting fostered a lifelong beloved for the beauty of horses in many untried audience members .
Custom image by Yeider Chacon.
Without goofy side reference and endless unnecessary laughable relief , Spiritfelt more pure and direct than many other tyke ' enliven movies of its variety .
Without goofy side characters and eternal unneeded laughable ease , Spiritfelt more saturated and direct than many other kids ' animated movies of its kind . There ’s real beauty at the inwardness of this tale , andSpirit’sincredible traditional invigoration style playact as a muscular vitrine of all that was lost as most children ’s lineament photographic film have since switched to a primarily CGI - fork up style . As the start point for an full franchise , Spirithas , in late years , received both a spin - off boob tube series and film on Netflix .
1True Grit (2010)
Matt Damon as LaBoeuf
An adaptation of Charles Portis ' 1968 novel of the same name , True Grit tells the story of 14 - year - onetime Mattie Ross ( Hailee Steinfeld ) , who enlists the help of morally - questionable lawman Rooster Cogburn ( Jeff Bridges ) for avenge the death of her father by nail the condemnable Tom Chaney ( Josh Brolin ) . They are joined by a cocksure Texas Ranger named Labeouf ( Matt Damon ) , who importune upon accumulate the premium on Chaney ’s head . The three travel across the Arkansas field in pursuit of Chaney , chance animation and limb against outlaws and crazy fauna in pursuit of justice .
The Coen brother not only justified their remake of the 1969 classic John Western with the liberation ofTrue Grit , but in many ways they actually outdid the original . With Jeff Bridges as Rooster Cogburn and Matt Damon as the Texas Ranger LaBoeuf , True Gritwas one of the smashing Westerns of the 21st century , which was powerful , instance by its stupefying ten Academy Award nominations . With themes of DoJ , retribution , sacrifice , perseverance , and redemption , the Coen sidekick once again show that nobody could highlight the uniqueness of Americana better than them .
The existent superstar was Hailee Steinfeld as the 14 - year - former Mattie Ross , who commanded every scene she was in .
The Good Old Boys is a 1995 film directed by Tommy Lee Jones, who stars as an aging cowboy facing the dilemma of choosing between the freedom of the open range and the obligations of family life. Set in the early 20th century, the film explores themes of change and tradition.
With staggering motion-picture photography that harkened back to the aureole Clarence Shepard Day Jr. of the westerly genre , rightful Gritlooked incredible as it told the chronicle of a teenager enlisting the help of the U.S. Marshall Cogburn to track down her founding father ’s manslayer . Damon ’s LaBoeuf was an essential tending in this heroic Wild West story , as he redeem one of the strongest performances in his entire vocation . However , the substantial star was Hailee Steinfeld as the 14 - year - old Mattie Ross , who commanded every aspect she was in .
unfeigned Gritwas far more faithful to the original novel by Charles Portis than the Wayne version and helped elevate the story from a Western classic into a modernistic masterpiece . However , this did not mean that the Coen did n’t include their own signature way , as it was packed with outre characters and the same drear gumption of humor that characterized their good work . True GritwasMatt Damon’sgreatest Western , as it rose above the confines of that musical genre to become one of the greatest films of the 2010s .
Sources : Woman ’s World , LA Times , Box Office Mojo
Geronimo: An American Legend is a historical drama directed by Walter Hill, featuring Wes Studi as Apache leader Geronimo. The film highlights the relentless pursuit of Geronimo and his followers by the U.S. Army, including officers played by Jason Patric, Matt Damon, and Robert Duvall. Set in the late 19th century, it captures the challenging and complex relationship between Native Americans and the United States government.
All the Pretty Horses is a 2000 film directed by Billy Bob Thornton based on the Cormac McCarthy novel. Starring Matt Damon and Penélope Cruz, the story follows two young cowboys from Texas who journey to Mexico, seeking a better life working on ranches. Their adventure takes unexpected turns as they confront challenges and moral dilemmas in a foreign land.
Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron is an animated adventure film directed by Kelly Asbury and Lorna Cook. The story follows a wild mustang named Spirit as he navigates the challenges of taming and captivity in the American West. Matt Damon provides narration, giving voice to Spirit’s thoughts and emotions. The film combines traditional hand-drawn animation with computer-generated imagery to bring the American frontier to life.
An adaptation of Charles Portis' 1968 novel of the same name, True Grit tells the story of 14-year-old Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld), who enlists the help of morally-questionable lawman Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) in order to avenge the death of her father by apprehending the criminal Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin). They are joined by a cocksure Texas Ranger named Labeouf (Matt Damon), who insists upon collecting the bounty on Chaney’s head. The three travel across the Arkansas plains in pursuit of Chaney, risking life and limb against outlaws and wild animals in pursuit of justice.
