Ben Affleck Speaking Spanish in The Rip Is the Happiest He’s Looked in Months

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Ben Affleck seems truly happy when he can use his Boston accent, especially while at Dunkin’. He also found joy in marrying women named Jennifer, and for a period, in publicly challenging Bill Maher’s views. Now, in his new project The Rip, he’s beaming because he gets to speak Spanish – a lot of Spanish! It wouldn’t be surprising if he took on this role just to show everyone he’s fluent. He’s confidently rolling his ‘r’s, using correct grammar, and demonstrating his knowledge of the language – and it clearly makes him happy. In fact, he looks happier speaking Spanish in The Rip than he has in months.

It’s become a trend for attractive American actors to showcase their ability to speak another language, and French is a popular choice. Actors like Bradley Cooper, Holt McCallany, and Timothée Chalamet have given interviews in French, subtly signaling their unique skillset. In today’s competitive Hollywood landscape, especially with streaming services reaching global audiences, being bilingual is a definite advantage. (I was recently impressed by Tim Baltz’s French in I Love LA.) However, Ben Affleck’s recent Spanish usage feels different. He’s already achieved significant success – directing an Oscar-winning film, playing Batman, and becoming a popular internet figure. There’s little left for him to prove professionally. So, it’s refreshing to see him highlight a skill he developed as a teenager while living and working in Mexico. (His long acting career is also noteworthy.) While The Rip might be a bit slow-paced, showcasing his Spanish feels like a personal enjoyment for Affleck and a welcome surprise for viewers.

Joe Carnahan’s action movie features Ben Affleck and Matt Damon as Miami narcotics detectives. They stumble upon a cartel hideout containing $20 million. Affleck, in his first on-screen role, makes a striking impression – a flashy, seemingly arrogant cop with a track jacket, gold chain, and two guns. However, beneath the surface, he’s driven by rage over the murder of his boss and lover, Jackie Velez, and frustrated by the lack of progress from the FBI and DEA in finding her killer. He defies expectations, and this complexity is revealed early on when he effortlessly switches to speaking Spanish with his colleagues.

Within the story, J.D.’s ability to speak Spanish is likely essential to his job, as he’s investigating drug cartels in Mexico and Colombia and frequently interacts with people from those countries. The film showcases this skill well, highlighting how naturally J.D. switches between languages – a quality Ben Affleck portrays convincingly. Unlike his partner, Dane, J.D. seems to genuinely connect with both his colleagues and the local community. He defuses a tense situation with Detective Lolo Salazar by speaking to her in Spanish, acknowledging her frustrations with low pay (though the film perpetuates the idea that police forces are underfunded, when funding has actually increased in many areas). J.D. uses his Spanish to quickly understand the intentions of a cartel lookout and relay the information to Dane. There’s a surprisingly pleasant scene where J.D. and Dane chat with a cartel boss via video call, and the boss politely offers them the money they recovered. When J.D. asks about the fate of Velez, he does so in Spanish to ensure a clear and accurate response.

Look, I’m not going to critique Ben Affleck’s Spanish pronunciation – I’ll leave that to the experts! But honestly, there’s something really charming about how sincerely he tries to speak the language as his character, J.D. He genuinely seems thrilled to be using another skill, even with simple lines like “Okay, claro!” It’s a bit much how often the script has J.D. dropping a harsh word – it feels like the movie is trying too hard to grab your attention right away. But you know what? I think it would have been amazing if they’d had him say “coño” instead – that would have really popped!

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2026-01-23 00:54