John Goodman Says He’s ‘Hurt’ Over Harsh ‘Digger’ Reviews: ‘It Kind of Killed Us Before We Even Opened’

OK! Staff Tue, November 3, 2026 at 10:40 PM UTC

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John Goodman revealed his honest reaction to harsh reviews about 'Digger.' BY: MEGA

John Goodman recently admitted that he is “hurt” over the harsh critical response to Digger, believing the negative reviews took away the opportunity for viewers to judge the movie after they experienced the story themselves.

Despite the criticism, the Monsters, Inc. star remains proud of the film, which stars Tom Cruise and is directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu.

‘It Kind of Killed Us Before We Even Opened’

Goodman said that early criticism led people to ‘avoid’ the movie. BY: MEGA

Speaking with host Josh Horowitz on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast, Goodman, 74, did not hide how much the early criticism affected him. The actor pointed to headlines predicting a disappointing box-office opening, arguing that such coverage gave potential moviegoers a reason to stay away.

“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,” he said.

However, Goodman also made it clear how he felt working on the project alongside some of the best artists in the industry. “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.”

Negative Reviews Still Get to Him

Goodman is still sensitive about movie reviews. BY: MEGA

The criticism also brought out a more personal admission from the Evan Almighty star, who revealed that he tries not to take negative opinions to heart, but that does not mean he is unaffected by them.

“Unfortunately, I have to say that I am. I have to be very honest. I used to be less so,” he admitted.

Goodman then joked about becoming more sensitive to criticism, adding, “Maybe I am getting old and pathetic and it’s like, ‘Don’t hit me again!'”

He also explained that receiving criticism after putting so much work into his projects becomes difficult to process. Nevertheless, Goodman insisted that he had moved past the disappointment and remains happy with his work.

‘Everything I Have Done for the Coen Brothers Flopped Initially’

Goodman referenced his old movies and how they didn’t do so well. BY: MEGA

Goodman also brought up two films from his earlier career to explain why he is not necessarily worried about Digger‘s long-term reputation.

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“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 The Big Lebowski,” he said.

Both Barton Fink and The Big Lebowski initially had modest commercial performances. However, The Big Lebowski, in which Goodman played Walter Sobchak, eventually became a cult favorite.

Why ‘Digger’ Divided Critics

Cruise is the main character of ‘Digger.’ BY: MEGA

Digger follows a different approach in making fun of the climate change crisis, with Cruise playing the lead role of Digger Rockwell, who happens to be a rich oil businessman. As the story progresses, his drilling work causes a major environmental disaster, and Rockwell is left to deal with the consequences. The role was so important to Cruise that OK! previously reported he was hoping it would earn him an Oscar.

Goodman appears as the U.S. president, along with Riz Ahmed, Sandra Hüller, Jesse Plemons, and Michael Stuhlbarg. When critics watched the film for the first time, it received mixed reactions, with many claiming that the plot does not feel strong, while others praised the performances and the story, including Anne Hathaway, who gave Digger a five-star rating, calling it a “brilliant” movie that’s “smart and trippy and aggressive and funny and ambitious” in her first-ever Letterboxd review.

Ben Affleck Also Defended the Movie

Affleck defended ‘Digger’ and explained why he enjoyed it. BY: MEGA

Hathaway isn’t the only Hollywood celebrity who has spoken highly of Cruise and Goodman’s movie. During his previous appearance on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast, the Deep Water star called out people focusing only on the film’s financial performance.

“This is a pretty ambitious, interesting movie made by people who have talent. And everybody wants to count the money, what it lost, or whatever,” Affleck said.

The 54-year-old star continued to express his disappointment over negative reviews, adding, “I just think: if you punish movies that take risks, guess what you’re gonna get? A bunch of s—–, homogenized movies because you cannot do something interesting without taking a big swing.”

Jane Fonda and Mandy Patinkin have also praised the project, while filmmaker Guillermo del Toro described it as “daring, bold, and cinematically complex.”

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”