The duo of Matt Damon & Ben Affleck is one of the most appreciated and sought-after pairs for movies as they are great onscreen, and their offscreen friendship is something that brings a whole new level of quality to films they do.
The duo won their first Academy Award together when they were young and penniless, and now the two are coming together again for an actual story-historical novel-based movie - The Last Duel. Ridley Scott directed the movie. The Last Duel also includes other actors, including Jodie Comer and Adam Driver.
The Last Duel plot
Based on the novel of the same name by Eric Jager (BUR), the true story on which the film is based is set in 14th century France, between knights and squires, duties to the crown, and ferocious wars to fight. Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon) is a soldier of valor who, after widowhood, marries a young and intelligent noblewoman, Marguerite de Thibouville (Jodie Comer). But her best friend Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver) is accused of raping her, and he appeals to Count Pierre d’ Alencon (Ben Affleck) for justice. That’s why he challenges him to a duel.
In a meeting with the press, the protagonists and the director shared intentions and emotions to show how, even after centuries, this story remains current. She is surprisingly feminine and feminist.
On asked how the movie’s idea came about, Matt Damon said that he fell in love with the book as soon as it was handed over. After that, he called Ridley Scott because no one better than him could have brought it to life. Then he talked to Ben about it, and they immediately got to work finishing the script in the record time of just six weeks.
Ridley Scott said that he remembers perfectly when this happened - it was Christmas 2018, and he knew immediately that the story was incredible.
Matt Damon added that the film is divided into three chapters with two parts centering on the male perspective; Nicole took the female point of view. This is because women were only property at the time, and, according to the man’s gaze, they were destined to appear on stage only when needed.
Ben Affleck added a stark difference with the last chapter where Marguerite is shown as a human being while in the others, she seems an accessory of the male world. That’s why the whole film rests on the shoulders of Jodie Comer, who tells the story from every angle and goes in-depth while the males stay on the surface. The hero of the story is her: strong, dynamic, resilient. What a divine performance: she almost made me cry when I heard her read the part.