Matt Damon Reveals the Scorsese Film He Calls Flawless

Few actors would turn down the chance to appear in a Martin Scorsese production. While Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio have become regular collaborators with the acclaimed director, Matt Damon’s own experience was limited to a single outing in the 2006 crime drama The Departed. That film, featuring a star-studded cast including DiCaprio, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, and Martin Sheen, draws inspiration from the real-life Boston Winter Hill Gang and is a reimagining of the 2002 Hong Kong thriller Internal Affairs. The plot delves into the murky world of corruption, focusing on an FBI agent entangled in a web of deceit and shifting allegiances.

Damon has spoken candidly about Scorsese’s remarkable directorial run, particularly the early and middle stages of his career. Reflecting on the director’s string of influential works, Damon remarked on The Bill Simmons Podcast,

“Every time he does a movie – he does Mean Streets, then he does Taxi Driver and then Raging Bull, and it’s like my God, amazing; he just on such a tear in that timeframe. Then it’s like, what could he possibly do, and he does Goodfellas. That movie is perfect. Everybody loves that movie. I think that’s his best film.”

Scorsese’s Defining Masterpiece

Goodfellas stands as a raw, unvarnished depiction of organised crime, capturing both the seductive glamour and the inherent violence of the underworld. Scorsese’s approach is marked by dynamic camerawork, a driving soundtrack, and a non-linear structure that plunges viewers into the heart of the mob’s operations.

The film’s impact is undeniable, with its ensemble cast and probing examination of moral compromise helping to cement Scorsese’s reputation. Despite its influence, Damon noted that the film’s accolades did not always match its significance. He continued,

“There’s just no question that 30 years later, that movie is what it is. So that’s why it’s not that worth getting twisted or out of shape about nominations because nobody’s going to remember if somebody backed into a nomination by campaigning really well. Like Ray Liotta didn’t get nominated. In 30 years, that’s not going to mean anything. It’s so damn good.”

Recognition and Oversights

Goodfellas is widely regarded as one of Scorsese’s most accomplished works, yet it was a surprise to many that Ray Liotta was overlooked for an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Henry Hill. Joe Pesci, however, did receive the ‘Best Supporting Actor’ award for his role, while Liotta’s absence from the nominees list was met with raised eyebrows.

Damon also addressed the success of The Departed at the Academy Awards, where it secured several major honours including ‘Best Picture’ and ‘Best Director’. He observed,

“Common perception kind of caught up with his genius by that point, so The Departed, I’m very proud to have been in that movie, but it’s not one of Marty’s best movies. [However], there was no way he was not going to win ‘Best Director’ by the Academy. It was cheapening the award at that point that he didn’t have one.”

Scorsese’s Lasting Influence

Damon went on to suggest that the Academy’s delay in recognising Scorsese’s contributions was more damaging to the institution than to the director himself.

“It was doing more damage to the Academy that he didn’t have one because it was so absurd after what he had done for American cinema he didn’t have one. But some movies are polarising, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.”

For Damon, Goodfellas remains the benchmark of Scorsese’s career—a film whose reputation has only grown with time, and which continues to be celebrated by audiences and critics alike.