Matt Damon Explains Netflix Films Have To ‘Reiterate Plot 3-4x Because People Are On Their Phones’

It’s too bad that people can’t sit through a movie these days without being on their phones the entire time, but not to worry – Netflix have found a way around that.

According to Matt Damon, Netflix bosses request that films “reiterate the plot 3-4x in the dialogue” and also involve an action scene in the first 5 minutes in order to deal with shortened attention spans of the audience.

The Good Will Hunting legend told Joe Rogan: “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. You spend most of your money on that one in the third act. That’s your finale. And now they’re like, ‘Can we get a big one in the first five minutes? We want people to stay. 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.’”

However, it’s not all bad news. Ben Affleck then cut in and explained that this formula isn’t always necessary; citing smash series ‘Adolescence’ as an example.

He said: “But then you look at ‘Adolescence,’ and it didn’t do any of that sh1t. And it’s f—ing 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.”

Seems that’s an exception to the rule, as it’s been common knowledge for a while now that movies are being dumbed down for modern audiences who are more likely to stream them at home or on their laptops or phones. Most filmmakers don’t even have to worry too much about camera quality these days because their films aren’t even making it to the cinema!

It does explain why so much of what is on Netflix feels like “background movies” for people on their phones rather than something you can really sit down and get invested in, but I guess these are the times we are living in.

Don’t stress though – Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ is around the corner. That looks like a proper film right there.