Actor John Goodman has defended the big budget film Digger following its box office failure, saying scathing reviews damaged the Tom Cruise project before release.
The production, directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, took in just 50 million dollars globally against a production budget that exceeded 125 million dollars. The total represented the lowest box office opening for a film starring Cruise since 2007.
Goodman, who appears in a supporting role, spoke about the commercial disappointment during an appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast. The 74-year-old actor admitted that the hostile critical reception had been painful for the cast and crew to experience.
He explained that the wave of negative reviews effectively finished the movie off before it even arrived in cinemas. According to Goodman, the harsh critical assessments gave filmgoers an easy reason to avoid buying tickets.
Despite the poor financial return, Goodman insisted that he remained proud of the work and had an amazing time during production. He described the shoot as six wonderful months of his life.
Plot and environmental themes
The film centres on a wealthy oil tycoon, played by Cruise, whose reckless business decisions trigger a massive environmental catastrophe. Goodman characterised the storyline as a huge swing and an unusually daring narrative risk for a major Hollywood studio project.
Goodman, an Emmy Award winner, acknowledged that he felt like a hypocrite for championing the ecological message of the film because he loves driving cars with large engines. Even so, he maintained that Digger serves as a valuable wake-up call that encourages viewers to pay closer attention to the state of the planet.
Critical reception and lasting appeal
Goodman revealed that he recently began reading a review of the film published in The New Yorker while trying to build a thicker skin against criticism. To his surprise, the piece turned out to be an exceptional and glowing evaluation, reinforcing his belief that the film will stand the test of time.
The actor pointed to his own extensive career to demonstrate that films can initially stumble before gaining appreciation years later. He noted that cinematic projects often fail according to initial commercial or critical yardsticks, only to discover a second or third life long after their release.
Goodman observed that nearly every film he made alongside directors Joel and Ethan Coen originally failed with audiences and critics. He asked why anyone should care about early reception, adding that members of the public still regularly stop him on the street to praise his performances in Barton Fink and The Big Lebowski.
Goodman and Inarritu careers
Goodman built a celebrated screen career spanning more than four decades, rising to national fame as family patriarch Dan Conner on the hit television sitcom Roseanne. His long collaboration with the Coen brothers established him as one of American cinema's most respected character actors.
Inarritu is among the most prominent directors working in Hollywood, having won consecutive Academy Awards for Best Director for Birdman in 2014 and The Revenant in 2015. His partnership with Cruise on Digger represented one of the most high-profile creative collaborations of the autumn film season.
Cruise has sustained one of the longest star careers in cinema history, leading box office hits such as Top Gun: Maverick and the Mission: Impossible series. Serious commercial misfires have been exceptionally rare across his decades at the top of the box office.
Reflections on Happy Sad Confused
Goodman made his comments during a wide-ranging conversation on Happy Sad Confused, a popular entertainment podcast hosted by Josh Horowitz. The show regularly features candid interviews with leading actors and filmmakers reflecting on their careers, artistic risks, and commercial outcomes.
While Digger failed to find an audience during its theatrical run, Goodman made clear that he does not judge the worth of an artistic venture solely by opening weekend receipts. He maintained that original, challenging productions will always hold value for audiences willing to seek them out.
