The Big Picture – The Matt Damon and Ben Affleck Movie Draft. Plus: ‘The Rip.’

Podcast: The Big Picture (The Ringer)
Date: January 19, 2026
Host(s): Sean Fennessey, Amanda Dobbins
Guest: Chris Ryan

Episode Overview

This lively episode brings together Sean Fennessey, Amanda Dobbins, and Chris Ryan for two main features:

1. A spoiler-rich review and discussion of The Rip, Netflix’s new Matt Damon and Ben Affleck crime thriller, also starring Steven Yeun and Teyana Taylor.
2. A comprehensive Matt Damon & Ben Affleck Movie Draft, with the hosts picking their favorites across various categories.

Along the way, the trio digresses into January movie release history, the changing film landscape, their favorite (and least favorite) moments from the Damon/Affleck filmography, and plenty of on-brand banter about film culture, sports, and fashion.

Main Topics and Key Discussion Points

1. Is This the Best January for Movies Ever? [00:16–16:45]

• The “Dumpuary” Myth: The hosts debate whether January still deserves its reputation as a dumping ground for unloved studio releases.

  • “Is this the best January of all time?” – Sean Fennessey [01:09]
  • Amanda notes that, for once, the new releases have been both fun and original. “They are meeting our needs and we’re not going to leave this depressed.” [02:32]
  • Recent January highlights include 28 Years Later, The Bone Temple (especially praised), and Primate.
  • Chris Ryan frames January as a “grab bag of, like, ups and downs and curveballs,” embracing the unpredictable dumpuary phenomenon. [15:18]

• Historical January Releases: Sean takes the group through 40 years of January movie history.

  • 1986, 1996, 2006, and 2016 are discussed, touching on movies such as Down and Out in Beverly Hills, Iron Eagle, Biodome, Dunstan Checks In, Hostel, High School Musical, Dirty Grandpa, Jane Got a Gun, and more. [04:09–14:36]
  • The trio recalls personal teenage moviegoing memories (AOL dialup, listservs) and notes how release schedules have shifted over time. [05:53–07:13]

2. Review: The Rip (Netflix) [16:45–38:59]

General Impressions:

• The Rip Overview: Directed by Joe Carnahan, starring Damon, Affleck, Yeun, Taylor, and more. Focused on Miami cops who discover a cache of cash and are enveloped in mistrust and chaos.
  • “It’s an absolute yes for me.” – Amanda Dobbins [17:46]
  • “They’re kind of making the movies that they would like to watch.” – Chris Ryan [18:43]
  • “The script is like a B minus… but there’s a tremendous amount of charisma and style… There’s baked in relationships with so many of the actors.” – Sean Fennessey [19:35]
  • Damon and Affleck’s chemistry, inversion of their roles in Air, and the overqualified cast are highlighted as strengths.

Spoiler Section [22:20+]:

• Plot Breakdowns and Snags

  • The movie’s Miami location, underlying police mistrust, cartel ownership of neighborhoods, and the nature of “the stash house” are discussed at length.
  • The plot is acknowledged as a bit convoluted with loose threads, but the execution is lauded.
  • “Don’t go in looking for the airtightest plot.” – Christopher Ryan [26:09]

• Cast & Performances

  • Sasha Calle as a standout, despite a thinly written role (“lifts another nothing part with presence” – Sean [26:26])
  • Damon and Affleck’s dynamic: “Matt Damon is number one on the call sheet, and it’s interesting Affleck is just kind of, like, cool with being the sidekick.” – Chris Ryan [21:08]

• Genre and Directorial Vibes

  • Film is compared to Assault on Precinct 13, Den of Thieves, and 80s/90s B-movies.
  • “It’s what happens when a B movie gets A stars.” – Sean Fennessey [27:21]
  • Amanda: “The reveal is incredibly obvious from the beginning.” [27:40]
  • Chris suggests the villains were a little too predictable; the group wonders if a darker, more ambiguous approach would have been even more compelling.

Notable Quotes:

• “Ben is just really good in movies like this…comfortable in a B movie that’s got a lot of crime in it.” – Sean Fennessey [31:07]
• “This is a movie about brotherhood.” – Sean Fennessey [30:28]

Thematic Observations:

• The Air/The Rip creative era — Damon and Affleck embracing “the kinds of movies they grew up watching,” making mid-budget, star-driven genre movies for Netflix.
• Artist Equity’s industry impact — attempts to “rebuild the middle class” of Hollywood filmmaking. [37:53]
• Netflix’s B-movie reputation and whether releases like The Rip help reshape it. [38:20]

3. The Matt Damon & Ben Affleck Movie Draft [39:38–96:22]

Categories:

• Blockbuster ($100M+)
• Oscar Nominee
• Matt and Ben Together
• Directed or Produced By
• Supporting Role
• Wild Card

Reflecting on Their Legacies:

• Amanda: “They are spiritual guides for you…just an interesting, like, business school study of what does it mean to be a movie star in our lifetime.” [39:59]
• Chris: “Matt Damon has, like, one of my favorite bodies of work of an active actor right now.” [41:28]
• “Their current iteration…as guardians of moviemaking.” – Chris Ryan [41:54]

Draft Highlights & Notable Picks:

• Opening Picks:
  • Chris: Good Will Hunting (“This is the number one. That's the number one.” [54:00])
  • Sean: The Town (Directed by Affleck, “just rips” [57:03])
  • Amanda: Gone Girl (“The single best movie made about Ben Affleck.” [58:38])
• Sean’s Favorite: Dogma in ‘Matt and Ben Together’ (“This feels to me like their essence in the 90s.” [63:37])
• Amanda’s Creative Pick: Field of Dreams (cameos by Matt & Ben in Fenway scene) [80:55]
• Genre Balance: Armageddon, Bourne Supremacy, Ocean’s 12, Dazed and Confused, Saving Private Ryan, Rounders, Gone Baby Gone, The Departed, and more all discussed and/or drafted.

Quotes & Moments:

• “Urban…Yes. In Blockbuster, I got The Departed…” – Sean Fennessey, draft summary [96:07]
• “I'm sad that I didn't get The Town…one of the most important cinema [moments].” – Amanda Dobbins [95:37]

Side Tangents & Banter:

• Jeans discourse: Zip fly vs. button fly, vintage vs. new, and Affleck’s denim choices [72:31+]
• Ben Affleck’s beard dye speculation [93:01+]
• Baseball and sports analogies interspersed throughout (“If you take another shot at The Phillies, I’m gonna have a private meeting…” – Chris [09:04])
• Nostalgia for teen moviegoing, Soderbergh collaborations, and favorite directors for Damon/Affleck pairings

4. Industry & Awards Season Talk [96:22–end]

• Looking ahead to Oscar nominations and discussing possible shocks in the announcement.
• Discussion of what constitutes an “Oscar snub” and the structure of future drafts.
• Conversation about the internationalization of the Academy and how that could impact Best Picture and other races. [98:35]

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• On “Dumpuary” and January Releases:

  • “Is this the best January of all time?” – Sean Fennessey [01:09]
  • “They are meeting our needs and we’re not going to leave this depressed.” – Amanda Dobbins [02:32]

• On The Rip:

  • “They’re kind of making the movies that they would like to watch.” – Chris Ryan [18:43]
  • “It’s a movie about brotherhood.” – Sean Fennessey [30:28]
  • “This is an absolute yes for me.” – Amanda Dobbins [17:46]

• On Damon & Affleck’s Current Projects:

  • “Rebuilding the middle class…they’re trying to rebuild the middle class, and I respect that.” – Sean Fennessey [37:53]

• On Their Cultural Role:

  • “They love movies, they know movies, they really understand movies, and they love talking about movies. It makes their external personas more interesting…” – Sean Fennessey [42:50]
  • “Matt Damon has, like, one of my favorite bodies of work of an active actor right now.” – Chris Ryan [41:28]

• On The Draft:

  • “This feels to me like their essence in the 90s.” – Sean Fennessey on Dogma [63:37]
  • “The Town just rips.” – Amanda Dobbins [57:26]
  • “Good Will Hunting. You like that film?” – Sean Fennessey [55:02]

• Personal, Tangential, and Lighthearted Moments:

  • “Can I touch them?” [73:26] – Sean asking Chris about his jeans
  • “Will you guys refer to me as the Night Fox going forward?” – Sean Fennessey [70:34]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 0:16–16:45 – ‘Dumpuary’ origins, January movie history, current releases, and genre talk.
• 16:45–38:59 – The Rip (Netflix): Review, spoilers, deep dive into plot, performances, and style.
• 39:38–96:22 – Matt Damon and Ben Affleck Movie Draft & cultural analysis.
• 96:22–End – Oscar talk, awards season speculation, closing draft recaps, banter about podcast inspiration, and closing notes.

Tone & Vibe

Breezy, sardonic, and endlessly cinephilic. The discussion alternates between affectionate critiques of the movies, friendly competition, and deep dives into both the industry and pop culture minutiae. The language is casual, punctuated by inside jokes, personal anecdotes, and laughter. The core trio’s chemistry is evident throughout, making for a highly engaging listen for film fans and casual moviegoers alike.

For New Listeners

This episode captures what sets The Big Picture apart: wide-ranging but thoughtful movie talk, a playful mix of serious and silly, and a love for both the art and industry of film. It’s part movie club, part draft-day drama, part mid-2000s sports radio, with one foot always in the present and the other in nostalgia. If you care about movies or just like hearing smart, funny people go deep on what they love, this is a quintessential entry point.