Actor Matt Damon says Netflix wants the plot explained “three or four times” in movies, because viewers are watching while scrolling on their phones.
Damon, who appeared on Friday’s episode of the Joe Rogan Experience alongside actor Ben Affleck to promote their new Netflix film, The Rip, said viewers give “a very different level of attention” to a movie they are watching at home versus in a theater.
The Good Will Hunting star added that this change is even “starting to have an effect on how you make movies,” noting that Netflix now wants to push action set pieces toward the front of the runtime.
“The standard way to make an action movie that we learned was, you usually have three set pieces. One in the first act, one in the second, one in the third. And they kind of ramp up,” Damon explained.
“You spend most of your money on that one in the third act. That’s your finale,” the Talented Mr. Ripley star added.
“And now they’re like, ‘Can we get a big one in the first five minutes? We want people to stay tuned in. And it wouldn’t be terrible if you reiterated the plot three or four times in the dialogue, because people are on their phones while they’re watching,’” Damon said.
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Therefore, this is “going to really start to infringe on how we’re telling the story” in films, the Departed actor added.
Affleck then chimed in, arguing that this strategy may not always be necessary, citing Netflix’s recent limited series, Adolescence, which did not follow that formula but was still “fucking great.”
“But then you look at Adolescence, and it didn’t do any of that shit, and it’s fucking great” the Gone Girl star said.
“And it’s dark, too. It’s tragic and intense,” Affleck continued. “It’s like, this guy who finds out his kid is accused of murder, and there’s long shots of the back of their heads. They get in the car, and nobody says anything.”
Damon suggested that shows like Adolescence are “the exception,” while Affleck said he felt the Netflix series “demonstrates you don’t have to do” the Netflix tricks to please audiences.
Alana Mastrangelo is a reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her on Facebook and X at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.
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