Why is Matt Damon one of my favorite working actors? It has a lot to do with the choices he makes, and not just which films he should be in but also which he should skip. Like a fourth Bourne movie. While in Cannes promoting Ocean’s Thirteen (consensus from Cannes seems to be “It was OK”), Damon said that The Bourne Ultimatum is his finale with the series. Variety reports this (typically delightful) exchange at the O13 press conference:
"We have ridden that horse as far as we can." He admitted to feeling like "a bit of a prostitute for putting out two number threes in one year."
"That’s better than three number twos," added [George*] Clooney.
I like that he’s not hedging his bets as so many other blockbuster actors and directors have been doing lately. The Oh Don Piano dance of ‘I’d love to come back if the script is great!’ thing makes me sick already, and it’s a symptom of an industry that just can’t leave well enough alone. Damon’s made three excellent (well, I’m assuming Ultimatum is excellent, as it reunites everyone from the last movie) Bourne films, and he understands that it’s best to go out on top. There’s integrity there, which is more than I can say about Johnny Depp’s apparently unending willingness to shuck and jive as the same character forever for Pirates money.
* Did I really need to clarify this?