But Matthew Modine is not your typical actor.
Reviews for the swashbuckling adventure also starring Geena Davis were equally as brutal as the box office receipts.
Heres what Modine said when I asked if he was able to put the blowback againstCutthroat Islandeasily behind him.
Credit: Everett Collection
No, says Modine.
on the day the film was opening.
And I said No.
I dont want to read the reviews.
Because theater actors know this that if you read the reviews, theyll kill you.
If theyre good, theyll kill you; if theyre bad, theyll kill you.
So I said Dont put any of them there.
Sounds like a wise move.
But when Modine woke up, the papers were all there anyway.
They were all outside my door, he continues.
And I thought, Well, Ill read one of em.
And it was horrible!
And then I picked up another one of them and it wasmorehorrible!
And then I thought, Theres got to be one thats good.
And it was just one after the other that was horrible, horrible, horrible.
The walking dead, you know.
So Modine retreated back to the safety and privacy of his hotel room, away from prying eyes.
But that also left him alone with his dark thoughts.
And then I went up to my room, and Im not going to lie.
You know, its funny because a lot of people say Oh,Cutthroat Islandis horrible.
And I say Did you see the film?
And they said, Well, no, actually I didnt see the film.
And I think its as good as the Johnny DeppPirates of the Caribbeanmovie.
And you just wonder why one worked and another one didnt.
Was it just the wrong moment?
Were we just too early?
Yeah, it hurts to get kicked like that really hard, he says.
And I think it some ways it kind of damaged my career.
But theres a great metaphor that Ill tell you.
And he didnt have any means to get the donkey out of the hole.
So because he loved that donkey so much he decided, Im just going to bury him.
Im going to kill him as quickly as I can.
Listen to Modines candid thoughts onCutthroat Islandabove.
