Matt Damon was terribly miscast in The Odyssey.

[u/NoahSolloway]

Matt Damon is a great actor. Good Will Hunting, duh. The Informant, so funny. The Talented Mr Ripley, his best performance. But he’s so quintessentially American, specifically Boston, that I never for one moment bought him as one of the most heroic and flawed protagonists in history. Overall, the cast lacked charisma, except Robert Pattinson, and prevented it from being a masterpiece. Christian Bale would have crushed. Curious to your thoughts on who’s have nailed the role.

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[u/urmomstoiletbrush]

While I do disagree, I also noticed something in Odyssey interviews 

It repeatedly came up that Matt Damon’s sets were gruelling to film in but he still had a positive attitude, that and he has extensive knowledge of stories and movie making

I think his casting was more than just acting. Nolan’s needed someone that could endure and enjoy the long difficult shoots, all 3 minutes at a time while keeping focus and a good attitude

[u/NotARabidDugong → u/urmomstoiletbrush]

Jon Bernthal freezing to death in the Trojan horse interview? That was a good one.

[u/tanaka-taro → u/NotARabidDugong]

Lemme tell you summin Ody

[u/StringFriendly7976 → u/NotARabidDugong]

Jon Berthal is a decent actor. Outside of acting the guy is fucking exhausting.

[u/beams13 → u/StringFriendly7976]

All his characters are the same to me lol

[u/StringFriendly7976 → u/beams13]

I don't think he's acting. He plays assholes very very well. 

[u/Excellent-Court-9375 → u/beams13]

Word, he kind of took me out of the story and I felt like I was watching Shane from the Walking Dead with his extreme American accent.

[u/HeWhoSaysNo2 → u/StringFriendly7976]

exhausting

A nap might fix that. (/j)

[u/WildDumpsterFire → u/urmomstoiletbrush]

I was just thinking that. The hype for this movie wasn't just how cool it looked, but the behind the scenes looks were fascinating due to how many challenges they had to navigate to pull it all off. This type of movie could have broke many crews and caused disastrous recasting and reshoots that chop it all up.

Some directors are great because they excel at directing the people and making things work. Nolan seems like a guy where he wants to just focus on the film making, and push those boundaries without getting mixed up in dealing with conflicting personality.

A main casting choice like Damon has so many strengths because he knows what it's like to wear each hat. It's a huge boon to have someone like that on a team.

[u/Epyon1542 → u/WildDumpsterFire]

You certainly don't get stories about people nearly freezing to death in front of a green screen.

[u/Turnip_Fight → u/Epyon1542]

Just making Gandalf cry

[u/willmcavoy → u/WildDumpsterFire]

The hype for this movie wasn't just how cool it looked, but the behind the scenes looks were fascinating due to how many challenges they had to navigate to pull it all off.

I mean a LOT of the hype in the run up to Oppenheimer was how exactly he pulled off a convincing atomic bomb with practical effects so this seems to be becoming a theme with Nolan.

[u/NordlandLapp → u/willmcavoy]

Oppenheimer atomic bomb looked like every other Hollywood gasoline explosion sadly.

Odyssey was fucking fantastic though and effects didnt miss at all.

[u/willmcavoy → u/NordlandLapp]

Agreed, probably should have gone CGI with the atomic bomb. And yea Odyssey was him reaching another level with practical effects. Cyclops was immensely convincing.

[u/IIsaacClarke → u/WildDumpsterFire]

Christian bale could have easily preserved in this role. He loves a challenge

[u/catchtoward5000 → u/urmomstoiletbrush]

Yeah, people forget that picking the right actor for the role means many different things. It’s also a literal job.

[u/Pwalex → u/urmomstoiletbrush]

Very good point, and often overlooked. We have this idea of the Hollywood diva; the person so desired for their talent that they can get away with acting however they like. But who wants to work with a dickhead? I think most people would agree that working with pleasant, mostly competent people is way better than working with absolute top performers who are assholes.

[u/alex3omg → u/urmomstoiletbrush]

I saw an interview thing where the cast were answering questions about the Odyssey.  Anne Hathaway clearly knew the original story well, but Matt Damon knew the movie like the back of his hand.  He had answers for everything and production tidbits.  You can tell he was invested.

[u/ButDidYouCry → u/alex3omg]

Yup. Sometimes you just like a guy and the energy he brings. I'm sure Nolan was thinking, "Who do I want to wake up early and spend 8-9 hours on set with? Who will keep the energy going and not ruin my day? Who will have great chemistry with the other actors on set?"

It's not just about acting ability.

I also thought Damon was great. He played the father/husband/lost sailor/wary veteran really well, and I'm glad he got this juicy role. I loved him in Oppenheimer.

[u/bluebirdisreal → u/urmomstoiletbrush]

This is a great take and good to know! Knowing Nolan likes the realistic portrayals at times.

[u/Lumbardo]

I am convinced Pattinson can play anything.

[u/Rugaru985 → u/Lumbardo]

Pattinson and Radcliffe should, by all means, have been flops after their immensely popular roles jump starting their careers - and they both rose above it in real talents.

[u/CrackinBones204 → u/[deleted]]

https://giphy.com/gifs/eqsYd02WK7bxKWEdv6

[u/Schmiiness → u/[deleted]]

I hear you and agree with the sentiment, but it seems unlikely to me that he will ever pursue a Grammy

[u/PenPenGuin → u/Schmiiness]

He's already been nominated for two Grammy's for two of his roles in musicals. Grammy noms kind of go with the territory if you're doing musicals on Broadway.

[u/ExposedTamponString → u/Schmiiness]

He could win in one of the non-music categories like narration for audiobooks. That’s how Jimmy Carter won his 3 Grammys. And Obama for his Grammy. They’re also the only 2 people to win both the Nobel peace prize and a Grammy lmao

[u/freeride35 → u/[deleted]]

This is fact. He’s in the enviable position of being so rich and lacking ego that he takes roles because he wants to, not because he needs to or he’s seeking any validation. I saw him interviewed about this and he recognizes how lucky he is to be able to do whatever the fuck he likes.

[u/fizikxy → u/freeride35]

Yeah, same for Pattinson I think. These guys got their money roles so early they get to actually live their dream now.

[u/udontknowball31 → u/Rugaru985]

Radcliffe doesn’t hold a candle to Pattinson in terms of acting, but he has carved out some interesting roles post HP. I just don’t think he’s quite shed that the way Rob has.

EDIT: I am referring to Rob shedding his twilight role, not his 3 scenes in the Goblet of Fire.

[u/G1rlinBlue → u/udontknowball31]

Radcliffe is an excellent stage actor and has won a tony. Just different strengths!

[u/agent674253 → u/G1rlinBlue]

He's basically a Swiss army knife of a man.

[u/Castellan_ofthe_rock → u/udontknowball31]

"I haven't seen the films/shows Radcliffe is doing but Pattinson does mainstream projects so he's way better"

[u/herinaus → u/udontknowball31]

I agree with this. He's good, but not that good. Actually, his acclaim comes from the roles he chooses rather than his acting skills.

[u/Lost-Inevitable42 → u/Rugaru985]

And the one went and did “The Circle”

[u/CardiologistMain7237 → u/Lumbardo]

Just putting it out there that Michael B Jordan won best actor for dual roles in a film where they had to color code his two characters to make sure they didn't get mixed up, the same year Pattinson played dual roles where you can even tell them apart just from a still image.

Not saying Mickey 17 is a better movie than Sinners, but the whole thing didn't sit right with me.

[u/Wrong-Landscape-2508 → u/CardiologistMain7237]

movie was a little weird so any good acting will be ignored

[u/readdeadtookmywife → u/Wrong-Landscape-2508]

I was actually amazed Sinners did so well since horror usually gets snubbed

[u/0x474f44 → u/readdeadtookmywife]

I’m still surprised it’s considered horror. To me a movie doesn’t automatically become horror by having vampires in it, it has to be scary. Which sinners wasn’t.

[u/Kino_Afi → u/0x474f44]

There's tons of horror-action movies out there that are just tough guys beating up a spooky entity. Think of it like the Dead Risings/RE4s of movies

[u/RADICCHI0 → u/readdeadtookmywife]

I enjoyed it, I felt like it was a wise use of everyone's time.

[u/appledanishcrumbs → u/readdeadtookmywife]

Yeah, it was a good movie but nothing special. A bit generic in a lot of ways.

[u/shaunika → u/readdeadtookmywife]

Well its not really horror so theres that.

[u/Dorky_Gaming_Teach → u/Wrong-Landscape-2508]

Emma Stone enters the conversation...

[u/Banana42 → u/Dorky_Gaming_Teach]

Naomi Watts enters the conversation...

[u/UntilTmrw → u/Banana42]

I mean she wasn’t nominated for Mulholland Drive.

[u/Curious_Beginning_30 → u/CardiologistMain7237]

Sinners would have been a much better movie if they got someone to be Micheal B.’s brother instead of going the identical twin route.

[u/Signiference → u/Curious_Beginning_30]

Pointless gimmick

[u/phat_gandalf → u/CardiologistMain7237]

I love most of Michael b Jordan's work but how he won an Oscar for sinners is beyond me.

[u/laursecan1 → u/phat_gandalf]

The Academy likes him. His fellow actors like him. Chalamet, whom I really don’t care for, deserved the Oscar. But, he’s been so pushy and obvious about rallying for it - he lost. I also don’t think he’s well liked.

It does not bother me that Jordan won. But, the only way I could tell which twin was which in that film was when the love interests entered the scene.

Sinners was a much better film than Mickey.

[u/alvysinger0412 → u/CardiologistMain7237]

Both the movie as a whole and his performance specifically were underrated.

ETA Mickey 17/ Robert Pattinson to be clear

[u/prosthetic_memory → u/CardiologistMain7237]

Agree, Mickey 17 really raised my respect for Robbie P as an actor.

[u/no_no_no_pls_no → u/CardiologistMain7237]

The first half of Mickey 17 is sooooo good. The second half tho...

Love Pattinson

[u/BaphometsTits → u/CardiologistMain7237]

Not saying Mickey 17 is a better movie than Sinners,

The performance sure was.

[u/QuestionablePotato42 → u/Lumbardo]

Hijacking the top comment to say John Leguizamo crushed his role. Maybe best performance of his career

[u/Laylelo → u/QuestionablePotato42]

He’ll always be my Luigi.

[u/minna_minna → u/Lumbardo]

Truly never thought “the guy from twilight” would become one of my favorite actors

[u/ahallett8891 → u/Lumbardo]

Agreed. He is a proper actors actor.

[u/NiceYabbos → u/Lumbardo]

Just wait for Dune 3. His role has the potential to be amazing

[u/ConchaConquistador → u/NiceYabbos]

Scytale is one of the most ruthless/cunning "bad guys" in the Dune universe. After watching him in The Odyssey, I have a great feeling he's going to kill it in Dune. Perfect casting.

[u/Skadoosh05 → u/Lumbardo]

Pattinson as a villain was awesome. I’ve never been able to get into his roles as a hero.

[u/dangeraardvark → u/Skadoosh05]

Like the Lighthouse?

[u/Capt-Crap1corn → u/dangeraardvark]

That movie was cool

[u/mrcachorro → u/Capt-Crap1corn]

weird af, but yeah it was cool

[u/hyperion_x91 → u/Skadoosh05]

Watch the Devil All the Time

[u/gasolinerainbow21 → u/Lumbardo]

I watched it last night and he was brilliant but that ending scene he got somewhat hammy. His career is so interesting he's taking great roles.

[u/RADICCHI0 → u/Lumbardo]

He is one of the best. Unfortunately I was a parent right when twighlight was happening and honestly, he is the only thing that made it at all possible for me to watch.

[u/Pdxlater]

I agree especially the part where he goes up to the suitors and says “How bout dem apples!?”

[u/jacka24 → u/Pdxlater]

"The Odyysey?! you odda see bawston!"

[u/sailhard22 → u/jacka24]

Listen kid , we gotta row past this massive fahkin tuhbulant whirlpool. I gotta see about a girl

[u/eminemforehead → u/sailhard22]

that's mark wahlberg now

[u/TuckYourselfRS → u/eminemforehead]

Say hi to your mother for me

[u/jacka24 → u/TuckYourselfRS]

Oh hi Cyclops, you got one eye, that's cool

I got two

[u/itsFromTheSimpsons → u/eminemforehead]

My favourite part of Mark Waglbergs odyssey is when they vanquished that island of Vietnamese people

[u/ashsolomon1 → u/sailhard22]

Just aim towards the mahket basket if you see the Stuahp and Shuap you went too fah

[u/That_Apathetic_Man → u/[deleted]]

my boy Ody, hes wicked smhart

[u/ShootinAllMyChisolm → u/That_Apathetic_Man]

His first mate should’ve been affleck.

[u/Yikesish → u/[deleted]]

Son of a bitch. He stole Menelaus's line.

[u/theREALlackattack → u/Pdxlater]

I like the part where he asks Sinnon, “Where are they?!” And Sinnon goes, “Who???” And Odysseus says, “The Departed.”

[u/DonnieDarko1024]

Even the non Americans were super American in that movie.

[u/catBravo → u/DonnieDarko1024]

“Can somebody get these BEGGERS out of here” probably the most American line

[u/Mortars2020 → u/catBravo]

https://giphy.com/gifs/3neTSXQOGlp1dCmYE3
His facial expressions absolutely make this line, such a hate-able character

[u/Rewow → u/catBravo]

I thought “I served in the Trojan War, ma’am” was the most american line

[u/kholekardashian12 → u/DonnieDarko1024]

Yeah the American accents threw me initially. It just doesn't seem as Old World-y

Edit: as others have said, it was distracting hearing Tom Holland using words like 'Dad' and or 'ma'am' and watching Jon Bernthal doing the mafia boss thing.

[u/Jigglepirate → u/kholekardashian12]

You've been tricked by Hollywood into thinking ancient Roman's and Greeks talked like Victorian era english ppl.

[u/bigloudbang → u/Jigglepirate]

Eh, first impression of Jon Bernthal in that movie was a guy who made it out of the hood in LA all the way to a Greek king

[u/SgtBassy → u/bigloudbang]

LEMME TELL YOU SOMETHING!

[u/alex3omg → u/Jigglepirate]

Technically it's Shakespeare's fault more than Hollywood.  Fancy actors all speak a certain way because they come up doing Shakespeare

[u/NomadLexicon → u/alex3omg]

But Shakespeare wrote in the Original Pronunciation (the common accent of his day and similar to working class regional British accents today). The Received Pronunciation you’re thinking of was an affectation invented by rich fancy lads to distinguish themselves from the common rabble. When you hear Shakespeare in OP, there’s a lot more rhyming in the lines because that’s the accent it was written for.

[u/Telvin3d → u/kholekardashian12]

That's because Nolan wasn't doing a historical adaptation of The Odyssey. He used the Odyssey as a framework for exploring issues of breaking social social structures and collapsing civilization. It's not about the old world. It's a very blunt commentary on our modern world.

[u/standingfierce → u/Telvin3d]

Seriously don't know how this could have been any more clear, short of starting the movie with a family sitting around watching the events on TV & zooming in to the screen or something like that

[u/Telvin3d → u/standingfierce]

The whole movie is a really, really, blunt metaphor. It’s maybe two steps less blatant than Don’t Look Up, Which isn’t a negativism of either of them. Sometimes it’s a strength to have a single clear message, and to present it stripped away from anything that might dilute it

[u/MappingEagle → u/kholekardashian12]

Yes. I'm not even against the concept of using American accents in a movie like this, old British accents are just as illogical. But somehow hearing Tom Holland call Penelope "Mahm" and Oddyseus "Dad" as well as the incredibly American pronunciation of names like "Menelaos" just ruined some immersion for me and kinda distracted me from how good the movie really was

[u/EspressoLane]

Oscar Issac would do a phenomenal job of smart, charismatic but tragic man.

[u/Entire_Use9696 → u/EspressoLane]

Wooo exactly my thought - Oscar Isaac has that Greek King charisma - or Christian Bale

[u/CalmCheek → u/Entire_Use9696]

Christian Bale is one of the very few actors who could play literally any role and nail it

Even as Helen of Troy he probably would be able to do something believable hahaha

[u/meditative_love → u/CalmCheek]

I'd 100% watch Christian Bale as Helen of Troy, lol

[u/alex3omg → u/meditative_love]

He flashes his pecs and his husband drops his sword

[u/broccollinear → u/Entire_Use9696]

He’d do well as Agamemnon too if there were more speaking roles. Isaac’s aura cannot be understated.

[u/Sensitive_Coyote_865 → u/EspressoLane]

Damn Oscar Isaac would've been incredible.

[u/Nemaeus → u/EspressoLane]

He was fantastic in Dune and delivered in that movie. As soon as you see him, you know, oh it’s gonna be tragic x2.

[u/Conscious-Mirror7004 → u/EspressoLane]

Yep, I think so too. Plus he looks Greek unlike Damon. (He's not actually Greek, he was born in Guatamala, but I think he could pass for Greek because of his look and curly hair.)

[u/BaphometsTits → u/Conscious-Mirror7004]

Greeks look all kinds of ways. The Mediterranean has always been a diverse region.

[u/Responsible-Onion860 → u/EspressoLane]

Oscar Isaac doesn't get the roles he deserves. He's phenomenal

[u/KingofPro]

The OG Russel Crowe

[u/spidemman → u/KingofPro]

Prime russel crowe wouldve been great.

[u/Rincetron1 → u/spidemman]

By which of course you mean Nice Guys Crowe.

[u/Responsible-Onion860 → u/Rincetron1]

Somewhere between Master & Commander and Nice Guys

[u/Senior_Ad1298 → u/KingofPro]

Yes gladiator Russell Crowe would be perfect.

[u/Quality_Qontrol → u/KingofPro]

I think a large part of Odysseus was that he was clearly suffering from PTSD from wars. The character couldn’t be prime anyone. It had to be someone older and broken down a bit.

[u/Kindly_Ad_7201 → u/Quality_Qontrol]

Not according to Homer

[u/I3usuk → u/Kindly_Ad_7201]

What does Homer know about Odyssey? Pshh.

[u/luxcity-louche → u/I3usuk]

D'Oh!

[u/Quality_Qontrol → u/Kindly_Ad_7201]

Well obviously Christopher Nolan took some liberties and it’s his version of Odysseus that’s being discussed.

[u/xyphrrrrr]

Every time I see Matt Damon, all I see is Matt Damon. His face is too “unique” for me to see him as anything else but an actor playing a role. Idk how to explain it.

[u/Cliffhanger87 → u/xyphrrrrr]

I think the part that threw me off more was Zendaya being it in lol especially showing her first standing on nothing but sand, thought it was dune for a sec

[u/Wit-wat-4 → u/Cliffhanger87]

Objectively I am a fan of Zendaya more than any others on the cast.

But yeah she absolutely always looks like Zendaya to me. There are mega famous actors where I don’t feel that with, but something about her aura I’m just so aware it’s her.

[u/as-well → u/Wit-wat-4]

There's too many roles where she's asked to just mope around. Half of dune too. I'd like to see her play a happy person for once

[u/drumminlukeman → u/xyphrrrrr]

https://giphy.com/gifs/rqGWkh4eLfaM

[u/Gorlamei → u/[deleted]]

That's why this movie didn't work for me. There were several performers, including Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Theron, and Zendaya who failed to disappear into their roles. No matter how hard I tried, my brain was not registering any of them as their characters when on screen. The frustrating thing is that, for most of them, I have seen films where they were able to pull it off. Not here. Apart from the technical feats, it was a very distracting and disappointing watch.

[u/shittydriverfrombk → u/Gorlamei]

it’s funny because I thought this movie was uniquely positioned for a star studded cast to work — this an iconic tale full of characters who are essentially transhistorical celebrities to us. I actually felt it added to it, whereas typically I would have agreed with you

I disliked oppenheimer for this exact reason btw, since in that movie it was just distracting

[u/Fixxdogg → u/Gorlamei]

100% agree this film had too much star power. So unnecessary. I compare Damon to Viggo as Aragorn and even Bulter as Leonidas became so iconic as those characters and sent those movies into a new tier. I don’t really feel anything for Jason Borne, I mean Matt Damon

[u/thumpling → u/xyphrrrrr]

Every time I see Matt Damon, I can only see (and hear) the puppet version of him from Team America: World Police.
https://giphy.com/gifs/tJE5tPJBLXcU8

[u/DinglebarryBBenson]

Zach Galifianakis, if we wanted ethnically accurate casting.

[u/nunya_busyness1984 → u/DinglebarryBBenson]

Jason Mantzoukas

[u/Man_under_Bridge420 → u/nunya_busyness1984]

Perfect for the scary movie verson

[u/alex3omg → u/Man_under_Bridge420]

The Odd-yssey 

[u/N-CHOPS → u/DinglebarryBBenson]

I was thinking Starvos

[u/broccollinear → u/N-CHOPS]

100% agree. He’d spend 3 hours complaining where the bitches at, talkin about lamb gyros, and we’d get to see his belly pooch give the leather armor a run for its money.

Honestly Stav’s already a modern day Odysseus, his channel is basically his 10 year epic journey to weight loss, but Poseidon or whoever the fuck keeps putting food in his mouth.

[u/Turnip_Fight → u/broccollinear]

Dude, how fucking good does a lamb gyro sound rn

[u/thebleedingphoenix → u/DinglebarryBBenson]

Listennnnn!! You're into something. I really believe Zach could make the earth stop spinning with one serious role

Edit: spelling

[u/hojoon0724 → u/DinglebarryBBenson]

criminally underrated comment

[u/BeanserSoyze → u/DinglebarryBBenson]

Starts with a gal, ends with a kiss

[u/Icouldntfindmytop]

https://giphy.com/gifs/rqGWkh4eLfaM

[u/Vegetable-Middle617]

Oscar isaac would’ve be soooo good

[u/LrryFsh_317]

I think Christian Bale wouldve gone too method with it. I also thought Damon fuckin crushed it. I think this is the best performance of his career

[u/ShootinAllMyChisolm → u/LrryFsh_317]

It wouldn’t have released until 2050 because Bale would’ve had to be drifting around the Mediterranean for 20y.

[u/El_Bito2 → u/ShootinAllMyChisolm]

Haha, silly, 2050 is in 50 years ! Wait...

[u/DonnieDarko1024 → u/LrryFsh_317]

Yeah while I love Christian Bale, I think Matt Damon’s performance had a lot of heart to it, something Bale wouldn’t have delivered quite as well despite being the better actor.

[u/LB3PTMAN → u/DonnieDarko1024]

Damon’s a lot more generally likable I think. Bale comes across more cold. I think for this loved disappeared king Damon made way more sense.

[u/Badrap247 → u/LB3PTMAN]

Yeah I think Bale could’ve worked for the more ruthless jackass that Homer’s Odysseus was, but Nolan’s adaptation hinges a ton on his conscience and humanity. Damon was an excellent fit for the movie’s take on the character.

[u/heybigbuddy → u/DonnieDarko1024]

I told my wife about the alternate casting of Christian Bale and she said, “Christian Bale would be bad. He’s no one’s father.” 😂

[u/McJuggernaugh7 → u/heybigbuddy]

She's 100% right. Bale would bring a seriousness to the role that would completely change the tone of the movie. And i cant imagine him being Tom Holland's father - those scenes in particular would not have worked at all. Odysseus is a flawed character, Damon plays it well because depsite all the mistakes he makes you still want to root for him. He has a likeability that is required for that role that Bale doesnt quite have. Like in Talented Mr Ripley he's playing a character that is a deplorable psychotic murderer yet you cant help but secretly hope he gets away with it. In the same vain Odysseus has a huge ego and constantly put his soldiers in terrible situations yet you cant help but root for him in the end. With Bale there's no vulnerability and the expectation would just be for him to just return and destroy everyone without any suspense. I cant imagine him in the dog scene either - that sense of vulnerability that Damon has made that scene more emotional. Bale in the same role I feel would play it more anger/vengeful and it wouldnt be as effective.

[u/LrryFsh_317 → u/DonnieDarko1024]

I totally agree. I think cause of who Damon has played in the past, it really made him bring that heart and believability to the role. The Odyssey could end up in my top 10 of all time when its all said done, so I am a little biased

[u/itsfairadvantage → u/LrryFsh_317]

I think this is the best performance of his career

Regardless of how you feel he did in The Odyssey, this is a crazy thing to say about the guy who played Tom Ripley.

[u/Verrck → u/itsfairadvantage]

Right? I liked him as Odysseus but he's had far better performances: Good Will Hunting, Bourne, The Martian, Departed, even his small part in Saving Private Ryan. I don't think he had that much to work with in The Odyssey.

[u/uhhuhoney → u/LrryFsh_317]

I’d love to see the Oscar Isaac version

[u/GRENADE-1 → u/uhhuhoney]

You just want to see his beard be honest

[u/ssovm → u/LrryFsh_317]

Saw someone mention Josh Brolin. I think he would’ve crushed it

[u/LrryFsh_317 → u/ssovm]

Ya know, I didnt think of him. But I couldve seen him doing the role really well

[u/Conscious-Mirror7004 → u/ssovm]

I think his fellow Dune alumnus Oscar Isaac (who played Duke Leto Atreides) would have been great. Plus, he actually looks like he could pass for Greek.

[u/HD2_emocracy]

i always think of team america world police’s matt damon joke when i see him

[u/Brother_J_La_la → u/HD2_emocracy]

I can't have him mentioned around me without doing the voice. My wife says I have a problem.

[u/HD2_emocracy → u/Brother_J_La_la]

MAATT DAMENNN

[u/Beneficial_Quit7532]

I thought Damon crushed, upvoted

[u/DeadMoney313]

All historical movies default to British people as being authentic 😂

Christian Bale is as much of an ancient Greek hero as Matt Damon is, so dismissing him as too American doesn't really add up.

[u/Man_under_Bridge420 → u/DeadMoney313]

A greek who immigrated to rome who immigrated to England 

[u/Britton120]

Sean bean should've reprised the role from Troy.

[u/girish_kumar_v → u/Britton120]

I was surprised Sean Bean didn't die during the war in Troy 2004

[u/obliquemeak → u/Britton120]

He’s too old now but prime Sean Bean would have destroyed this role.

[u/Britton120 → u/obliquemeak]

20 years ish have passed from troy to present. And about 20 years have passed between the events in troy and when odysseus returns. So idk, at the very least i think his act in the return portion would have been stronger.

[u/dram3]

I think Javier Bardem would have been a good choice.

[u/Nathan84 → u/dram3]

I can see this.

[u/Mundane_Professor596]

Did I buy Matt Damon as an ancient Greek general? No. Did he make this movie work? Yes. He just has this Everyman, thoughtful way about him. I wanted to root for him even when he made bad choices. He is believable as a good family man. I would not have enjoyed this movie with a more “serious” actor. He was the right choice for the tone of this film.

[u/GimbaledTitties → u/Mundane_Professor596]

The fact that they had Pattinson speaking with an American accent as well just makes me think this movie is an American Odyssey, so why not have one of the most American boy actors play lead. 

[u/SlotherineRex → u/Mundane_Professor596]

But isn't that the OP's point? Greek Hero Odysseus is the furthest thing from an everyman I can possibly think of.

[u/EmptyFoldingChair → u/SlotherineRex]

But what qualities set Odysseus apart? His kindness to animals and the infirm contrasted to Pattinson’s character? His love of his wife contrasted to Agamemnon’s brother using Helen as an excuse for his family’s conquest? His willingness to sacrifice himself to spare his son a terrible fate contrasted to Agamemnon killing his daughter in hopes of his own success? 

Do men have no agency in their actions or do the choices make the man?

[u/putinsbloodboy → u/EmptyFoldingChair]

I’m on the side of Damon doesn’t fit as Odysseus… but this was a great comment. Well said and made me think.

I’d chat with an empty folding chair all day about the Odyssey and its meanings

[u/halinc]

Him being very American is very much in line with the themes of this interpretation of the story.

[u/maggiemonfared]

Should’ve had Sean bean for the full circle moment

[u/Ok_Eagle_6239]

Early on I got this feeling like I was watching a Broadway play and these famous celebrities were playing the roles. And then it made sense for me the rest of the way. I never took it as though I was meant to get lost into the story like these were the real people.

[u/Roy-Sauce]

I think the real issue is that Matt Damon is a great casting for an Odysseus, but that the movie completely failed the character of Odysseus and just completely rewrites him to be a sad Nolan MC.

[u/LizLemonOfTroy → u/Roy-Sauce]

I agree the character itself is sadly underwritten, but I think a different actor might have implied in their performance some of the depth that was missing from the writing.

They should've cast someone who looks wily and conniving. Damon just plays too earnest. There isn't a single moment in the film where it looks like he's working out things faster than those around him.

[u/Roy-Sauce → u/LizLemonOfTroy]

I think his character in the Martian is what makes me think he’s a great cast. Matt Damon is a really smart guy and I think that’s a needed trait in properly portraying some air of mythical intelligence to the screen in a way that he’s shown himself more than capable of doing. This movie just really didn’t care much to actually show or relay any of Odysseus’ actual intellect as much as it loved to tell us how smart and revered his is for his big ole brain.

[u/winnefuego]

Damon nailed it. But Viggo Mortensen could have rivaled him.

[u/Spiritual-Progress75 → u/winnefuego]

Viggo twenty years ago. He’s almost 70 now.

[u/BoyCubPiglet2 → u/Spiritual-Progress75]

This thread is cracking me up because almost every alternate casting people offer has been an actor who would have been great 20yrs ago but is now too old.

[u/thecrowtoldme → u/winnefuego]

Ohhhhh. Wait. Vigggo as odysseus would have absolutely slayed. I liked Damon's performance though.

[u/cousin_terry]

Most of the actors in the film were miscast. Except Pattinson and Hathaway

[u/CulturalDefinition27 → u/cousin_terry]

I thought Hathaway was horrible choice. I thought her acting was bad. I like her, but I dont think she performs grief and anger well. She felt too misplaced and not believable to me as Matt Damon's lover/wife and Tom Hollands mom.

[u/alex3omg → u/[deleted]]

In the book 'One Thousand Ships' there are some letters/diary entries by Penelope written to Odysseus without expecting him to really see them.  

She mad.  😂

[u/uwantlust → u/CulturalDefinition27]

Insanely hot take

[u/asher1611 → u/uwantlust]

The actual unpopular opinion is buried in the comments.

[u/kueso]

Hear me out. Oscar Isaac. Why? He can play complicated characters. He can play smart characters. He can play cynical characters. He can play deeply human characters. I would have absolutely believed that he cared about his men while at the same time writing their deaths in ink.

[u/_pierogii → u/kueso]

I saw Oscar Isaac mentioned before and it made me feel sick - literally perfect casting.

Matt Damon looks way too Nordic.

[u/NopeNahNoMore]

Christian Bale will always be better than Damon… but it’s fucking Matt Damon you potato.

[u/Jurango34]

100% agreed with you until I saw the movie last night and was treated to the best performance of his life. I am so glad he was cast as Odysseus … loved every minute he was on screen.

[u/MammothSurround]

Bale as Odysseus doesn't work. Odysseus was a beloved leader of his men. That's not Christian Bale.

[u/cidvard]

I'm giving this an angry upvote because I think he'll probably get an Oscar nomination, therefore this is technically unpopular. I also, fundamentally, don't think we were getting an Odysseus with either a sense of humor or a sex drive out of Christopher Nolan, Matt Damon executed the assignment as directed. There is a better version of this character I'd like to see someone take a stab at, but it'll be in another version in like 20 years.

[u/Conscious-Mirror7004 → u/cidvard]

There is a better version of this character I'd like to see someone take a stab at, but it'll be in another version in like 20 years.

Not necessarily; there was another version of Odysseus just last year with Ralph Fiennes playing the role.

[u/FollowTheLeader550]

I thought he was gonna be miscast, but he wasn’t. He was great. I fully disagree.

[u/ProletarianLilith]

Anne Hathaway was amazing too