Signs Ben Affleck Is Having A Midlife Crisis

What's up with Ben Affleck? Well, a quick rundown of the events that marked his 2015 suggests that the handsome actor, who split with longtime wife Jennifer Garner in the summer, is having one hell of a midlife crisis. Yes, we said it. Affleck, who has gone through periods of being a Hollywood golden boy and bouts where he is a criticized pariah, is now 43 and his life is changing rapidly. But things are getting a bit weirder than the typical male midlife crisis. What the heck is up with that back tattoo? And why is he still hanging out with Garner so much, despite the fact that they clearly appear to be over each other in the romantic sense? These are the reasons B. Affleck is having a crisis of the midlife sort.

The prevailing public perception of their relationship was thus: Garner was the caretaker, the good girl, the homemaker, and the present parent, while Affleck was the wayward bad boy who went out, partied, and satisfied his pleasure centers, as opposed to staying home with the kids. He also battled his demons, like addiction, and then there is his well-publicized love of gambling. He had a good deal at home with Garner, since she seemed supportive and low-key, in addition to being easy on the eyes. That said, the pair hit that ten-year, three kids mark and the marriage was donezo. Honestly, though, Affleck is 43. It's the age that most dudes have their midlife crisis and start questioning everything. The wives are usually the first to go.

As reported by PEOPLE magazine shortly after Affleck's marriage crumbled, he likely had a fling with the much-younger nanny, even though he denied it. So what was up with those pics of her wearing Tom Brady's Super Bowl rings? Oh, right. She went to Las Vegas with Affleck and Brady, but not so she could mind Violet, Seraphina, and Sam while Affleck and Garner had some alone time. Affleck seems to have been enticed by a younger, sexier woman. Once dudes hit 40 and question their place in the world and their virility, a pretty young thing can always help build confidence and remind them that they're still desirable. Funny how that works, huh?

Affleck and Garner are all sorts of BFFs. They hang out...too much. They are often photographed together in their cars and running errands with their brood of three. We get that whole "united front for the kids" thing. But it's clear that they don't like each other "in that way" anymore. Yet they can't let go of the comfort and familiarity of their ten-year union. They both need to just let go and move on. Find a young nanny to hook up with or something. Oh wait, he already did that. But in all seriousness, he and Garner need to cut the cord completely and stop hanging out. It keeps him mired in the midlife crisis, where he vacillates between his new and old life. They need to rip that Band-Aid off so he can get past his issues, which are connected to the "old" Ben.

Affleck has a tramp stamp. You know, a lower back tattoo. Girls who are, like, 18 get those. But his is massive, and it rises up the entirety of his back. Despite its enormity and ridiculousness, it's also real, according to E!. The big ink has been photographed by the paparazzi. What's next? A nose ring? Nipple rings? A bleached blond coif? Affleck is veering dangerously into cliche territory, since many midlife crises are marked by physical changes and doing trendy things. Quick! Matt Damon, throw your boy a rope and pull him out of this rabbit hole!

Affleck was also photographed with white medical tape over his nose and all over his face via Radar Online, leading to speculation that he had plastic surgery. Cosmetic enhancements are something many people get when they reach that age where their looks change and things start to sag in ways they don't like; it's the ultimate move to recapture one's youth. However, Affleck was on set of Live by Night, which he stars in and directs, and he was wearing a hospital gown when the photos were snapped. So it is likely that the tape was part of the role or the character. That said, lots of tabloids have suggested he has had work done to keep his boyish good looks through the years.

There is no way Affleck could tune out all that negative chatter about being cast in the role of Batman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. That had to get to him and cause him to rethink his life. But why were comic book nerds and fans so anti-Batfleck? There has to be a reason—and it could be because of this. While Ben Affleck may have reinvented himself in the past decade, no one can ever really and truly forget the Bennifer era. And his much-maligned stint as Daredevil doesn't help his case any...