Chris Pine Loves His New Movie Even Though Critics Hate It

Critics hate Chris Pine’s new movie Poolman, however that isn’t dampening his love for the film that he directs and stars in.

The indie movie—which is new in theaters Friday—made its debut on the Toronto Worldwide Movie Competition in September 2023. Billed as a comedy-mystery, Poolman follows Darren Barrenman (Chris Pine), a caretaker of a pool in Los Angeles who enlists his mates to assist him examine some shady enterprise dealings involving a politician and land developer within the space.

Poolman, which the Star Trek reboot star additionally co-wrote with Ian Golter, attracted a number of main actors to fill out the movie’s forged, together with Annette Bening, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Danny DeVito.

Regardless of the star recognition, critics aren’t impressed with Poolman. The movie earned a dismal 19% “rotten” ranking on the critic web site Rotten Tomatoes, based mostly on 37 critiques that had been revealed both not too long ago or after the movie’s debut on the TIFF.

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One of many critiques revealed after the TIFF premiere got here from Selection critic Owen Gleiberman, who wrote that Poolman is “not solely the worst movie I noticed throughout the fall pageant season however would possible be one of many worst movies in any yr it got here out.”

In an interview to debate the movie on the Glad Unhappy Confused podcast (through Selection), Pine revealed to host Josh Horowitz how he copes with movie critics.

“Criticism as an actor is simply part of the sport, however there’s a number of stuff to cover behind,” Pine defined to Horowitz. “There’s the director and the author and the discharge sample, and many others. As an actor you come on set and also you do your dance and also you go off and by the point the movie comes out you’ve carried out X quantity of different initiatives.”

If something, the damaging critiques from critics for Poolman have taught Pine to be stronger.

“The closest factor I’d think about that is like — co-writing, directing, and starring in — is a humorist on stage feeling totally bare,” Pine advised Horowitz. “It’s been an actual come-to-Jesus second to seeing how resilient I’m.”

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Chris Pine, after all, is used to being handled higher by critics, having starred in such hits as 2009’s Star Trek, 2013’s Star Trek Into Darkness and 2016’s Star Trek Past, which all earned stellar scores from Rotten Tomatoes reviewers.

Pine has remained starry-eyed after Poolman regardless of the movie’s vital lambasting at TIFF. The truth is, Poolman reminded the actor-filmmaker why he loves his job a lot.

“When the movie got here out at Toronto and simply bought f—king panned … I attempted to make a joyful movie,” Pine advised Horowitz throughout his Glad Unhappy Confused podcast (through Selection). “With a lot pleasure behind it, to then be met with a fusillade of not-so-joyous stuff … the cognitive dissonance there was fairly one thing.”

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In the end, Pine advised Horowitz, Poolman is “the most effective factor that’s ever occurred to me.”

“It’s compelled me to double down on pleasure and actually double down on what I really like most about my job, which you form of neglect—it’s basically about play,” Pine advised Horowitz. “You turn into youngsters for hours a day and make-believe. There’s an impish high quality that I don’t need to lose.”

One factor is for sure—Pine isn’t about to apologize for what he did with Poolman.

“I watched my movie. After the critiques in Toronto, I used to be like perhaps I did make a pile of s—t,” Pine advised Horowitz. “I went again and watched it. I f—king love this movie. I really like this movie a lot.”

Poolman opens in theaters on Friday. Based on Deadline, the film—which marks Pine’s directorial debut—will play in 160 theaters in its opening weekend.

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