It's refreshing to know Ben Affleck still thinks about his acting amid all the press coverage of his love life.
In a conference interview with Affleck, the subject was not his over-publicized personal life, but actually his role in the movie "Paycheck" directed by John Woo, which opens on Christmas.
According to a press release, "Paycheck," which also stars Aaron Ekhart and Uma Thurman, is based on a short story by Philip K. Dick. Affleck plays world-famous genius Michael Jennings who does specialized projects for high-tech corporations. Once a job is complete, his memory is erased to protect company secrets.
The plot of the film involves his latest project, for which he was supposed to receive an eight-figure salary, but Jennings is told he previously agreed to forfeit any payment and receives an envelope with 19 clues to his past instead. The object of the challenge is for him to put his life back together with the help of Rachel (Thurman) before his former employers have his memory erased.
During the conference call, Affleck came across as just another actor who loves what he does for a living. The most interesting thing about Affleck is his ability to stay grounded and appreciate the idea that all media coverage of his life is less important than having a good, well-rounded career in film by playing diverse roles in different genres.
He said that one of his career goals is to look back and know he could play a variety of roles well.
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"It prevents a kind of typecasting," he said.
Affleck has been acting almost his entire life. He got his start in theater. He acted in about 80 plays from when he was a child to high school and on into his early 20s. Some of his best memories include experimental theater performances.
"There were often more people onstage than in the audience," he said. "It wasn't about the money, it was just about doing it for the love of the job."
His love for acting, he said, also means accepting a lack of privacy. Still, he obviously prefers to keep some things to himself. When asked to name a memory that he would like to have erased, Affleck said vaguely, "I'm tempted to say quite a few."
Because of the connection the film makes between memory and identity, Affleck said "Paycheck" is more than a typical flick.
"John Woo's movies are more than just about action," he said.
Woo turns the action into a choreographed dance with the movement being laid out in a specific, artistic way. Woo directs action from the character's perspective, he said, so the scenes are not just there for the sake of being big and graphic.
How does "Paycheck" compare to John Woo's other movies?
"It operates with (common) themes in Woo's work from the beginning," he said. "There is love, betrayal and friendship. This film is more Hitchcock in tone than his others, but it still has his master touch."
Why should moviegoers go see "Paycheck?"
"The only two words you need to hear are John and Woo," Affleck said.
