Matt Damon and Ben Affleck Expose How Netflix Scripts Are Shaped for Distracted Viewers

Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are back doing what they do best—trading banter and chasing bad guys together. This time it’s in The Rip, their latest collab that just hit Netflix. But apparently, making a big-budget crime thriller for a streamer isn’t quite what these two have come to expect from their long Hollywood careers.

How Netflix Action Movies Are "Supposed" to Work

If you’ve ever wondered why Netflix action movies seem to come at you like an aggressive puppy with plot reminders and explosions every 15 minutes, you’re not alone. Damon and Affleck were talking about exactly that on Joe Rogan’s podcast—because, of course, where else would you spill the weirdest industry secrets?

Damon said when he’s making a regular action movie (the old school way), there’s a classic formula: three big action set pieces—one for each act—and you save the biggest for last. You spend most of your money there, blow up a few things, cue the slow-mo running, then roll credits.

Not so much with Netflix, apparently. Here’s how Damon put it:

'Now they’re like, "Can we get a big one in the first five minutes? We want people to stay."'

And about the plot: Netflix would like you to not just hear it, but also hear it again. And maybe…one more time?

'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.'

I mean, that’s not wrong, but it’s still a little sad.

Actually, Subtlety Still Exists

The part that surprised even Affleck was that this hyperactive approach isn’t always the rule. He pointed to another recent Netflix movie, Adolescence, which completely ignored all those guidelines—and still crushed it. According to Affleck, Adolescence went minimal with style and didn’t spoon-feed the plot, but it was somehow still gripping and intense.

'It didn’t do any of that shit. And it’s fucking great. And it’s dark too. It’s tragic and intense. [It’s about] this guy who finds out his kid is accused of murder. There are long shots of the back of their heads. They get in the car, nobody says anything.'

So, yes, there are still movies where tense silences and tracking shots are allowed to exist—Netflix isn’t just algorithms and jump cuts (though there’s plenty of that too).

What to Watch

• You can stream The Rip (Damon/Affleck’s new crime flick) now.
• Adolescence—the "anti-Netflix formula" drama—is also on the platform.
• And if you’re already planning ahead, our rundown of the best new shows rolling out in 2026 is basically your TV roadmap for next year.

So, whether you want big action, slow-burn drama, or just a peek behind the Hollywood curtain, this weekend’s streaming lineup is proof that the rules might be changing…but sometimes, the best stories still break them anyway.