Highlights
- John Goodman believes negative reviews damaged Tom Cruise’s dark climate-change satire Digger before it reached cinemas.
- The film has earned around $47 million (£35 million) worldwide against a reported production budget of $180 million (£134 million).
- Goodman remains proud of the film and believes it could find a wider audience over time, drawing comparisons with The Big Lebowski and Barton Fink.
John Goodman has claimed that negative reviews damaged Tom Cruise’s film Digger before audiences had a chance to see it, arguing that the critical response gave people a reason to avoid the ambitious satire.
The actor, who plays the US president in Alejandro González Iñárritu’s dark climate-change comedy, said the headlines surrounding the film's release affected its prospects at the box office.
“People are talking. It hurt. It kinda killed us before we even opened. [The headlines like]: ‘This will only make $5.’ It was good reason for people to avoid it,” Goodman told Josh Horowitz on the Happy Sad Confused podcast.
Released in cinemas on October 2, Digger stars Cruise as a billionaire oil tycoon whose drilling operation triggers an environmental catastrophe. The cast also includes Riz Ahmed as a scientist, alongside Goodman as the US president.
The film received sharply divided reviews, with some critics questioning its political satire, humour and sprawling narrative. While several filmmakers and actors have praised its ambition, its commercial performance has fallen short of expectations.
“I am proud of it. I had a ball doing it. It was a good six months out of my life. It is a huge swing. It’s going to be around for a long time,” Goodman added.
Digger struggles at the box office after divided reviews
Digger has earned approximately $47 million (£35 million) worldwide against a reported production budget of $180 million (£134 million), making its theatrical performance a disappointment.
The film currently holds a 53 per cent critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes, based on around 340 reviews, while its audience score stands at 77 per cent.
The Independent's Clarisse Loughrey gave the film two stars, describing it as lacking the impact its subject demanded. The Guardian's Peter Bradshaw also criticised its approach, calling it an “exasperatingly shallow, laborious, self-congratulatory satire”.
However, not everyone was dismissive. The Telegraph's Robbie Collin awarded it four stars, describing it as the “most bonkers film of the year”.
Film critic Amy Nicholson of the Los Angeles Times also praised its ambition, saying that although she did not entirely love the unusual comedy, she was pleased it had been made.
Goodman, 74, admitted that negative reviews still affect him, despite his decades-long career.
“Unfortunately I have to say that I am. I have to be very honest. I used to be less so,” he said when asked whether criticism still gets to him.
He joked that he might be getting “old and pathetic”, adding that he had invested a lot in the film and found the response difficult.
“I am over it now. I am proud I did it,” he said.
John Goodman compares Digger to The Big Lebowski
Goodman also pointed to his previous collaborations with filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen, noting that some of his best-known films initially struggled to find an audience.
“Everything I have done for the Coen Brothers flopped initially… so who cares, man? I still have people coming up to me in the streets asking me about Barton Fink and Big Lebowski,” he said.
The Big Lebowski (1998), in which Goodman played Walter Sobchak, earned approximately $48 million (£36 million) worldwide against a $15 million (£11 million) production budget. Although its initial reception was mixed, it gradually developed a devoted following through home video, repeat viewings and word of mouth.
Similarly, Barton Fink (1991) earned around $6.2 million (£4.6 million) worldwide against an estimated $9 million (£6.7 million) budget. Despite its modest box office performance, the film won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, along with awards for best director and best actor.
Goodman’s comments come as other Hollywood figures have defended Digger and its willingness to take creative risks.
Ben Affleck, who also appeared on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, criticised the reaction to the film's commercial performance.
“If you punish movies that take risks, guess what you're going to get? A bunch of sh***y homogenised movies,” he said.
Anne Hathaway, Jane Fonda and Mandy Patinkin have also praised the film, with Patinkin describing it as one of the greatest films he had ever seen.
Filmmaker Guillermo del Toro has similarly defended its scale and ambition, calling it “daring, bold, and cinematically complex”.
