The year 2020 is finally coming to a close, but not without one last weird thing trending on social media: Ben Affleck struggling to juggle some iced coffees and grab the mail at the same time.
If that sounds like the product of a slow news day, well, that’s kind of to be expected on December 31 of one of the worst years in recent memory. Times are tough, people are weary and there’s likely a long road ahead in 2021 that isn’t all that great, either.
Which perhaps is why people delighted so much in photos taken of Affleck outside of his home that continued a recent trend of him photographed with Dunkin drinks in varying states of stress and existence.
He gave us one last gem for 2020 that’s love pic.twitter.com/mCCH0AieMz
— The Hungry Boy (@The_SummerMan) December 31, 2020
The photos, which show a somewhat beleaguered-looking Affleck struggling with a few drinks from the Boston-based coffee chain, are instantly endearing. And somehow mesmerizing, which is why several places like Page Six actually wrote about them. It seemed like all of social media was giving their takes on what was going on and what the images represented, too.
There is an emotional honesty in this photograph that most art merely aspires to. pic.twitter.com/8yjBBL0MEY
— Josh Gondelman (@joshgondelman) December 31, 2020
There is a 95 percent chance that Ben asks for “my Dunkin order to Argo” pic.twitter.com/2B8rRhCWIs
— Josh Kurp (@JoshKurp) December 31, 2020
Like all great works of art, the photos seemed to represent something different in everyone.
“When you saw only one set of footprints,
It was then that I carried you.” pic.twitter.com/J4AayrIT6A— Prescott Rossi (@PrescottRossi) December 31, 2020
Ben Affleck picking up his delivered Dunkin wearing a Boston T-shirt is the most Boston and the most 2020 thing ever. pic.twitter.com/2fxLdkWrO4
— Joey Rodriguez (@joeyrdz81) December 31, 2020
cant believe i relate to this picture or ben affleck more than my own family pic.twitter.com/eXd9ngR3nH
— yalitza apariciosus (@dunevillenuve) December 31, 2020
Some people celebrated it like a rare shoe drop.
New Ben Affleck Dunkin pic just dropped pic.twitter.com/GHFXPXHPbN
— Colin Young (@ColinYovng) December 31, 2020
And as many pointed out, this running genre of photographs has caused a stir on social media before for one reason or another.
At this point it almost seems like Ben Affleck is better known for appearing publicly flustered and enjoying Dunkin’ coffee than he is for his career in entertainment, and honestly, I relate.
— Josh Gondelman (@joshgondelman) December 31, 2020
It immediately got added to an impressive collection of exhausted candids.
Ben Affleck continues to be a mirror of my own emotions pic.twitter.com/RobxzsrONZ
— Maggie ‘The Tiny Tosser’ Jasmin (@Magsalicious) December 31, 2020
my year summed up in two ben affleck photos pic.twitter.com/PKeHplewtv
— song kang only (@jangstar97) December 31, 2020
I’m not a fan of paparazzi generally, and especially staking out people’s homes, but in this case I hope Ben Affleck wasn’t too put off. He’s rockin’ the beard and made a lot of people smile. pic.twitter.com/B2MroCxipM
— Analog Scifi Magazine Regular, C. Stuart Hardwick (@CStuartHardwick) December 31, 2020