Chris Pine Calls Negative 'Poolman' Reviews a 'Come-to-Jesus’ Moment

Chris Pine explained why the negative reviews of his directorial debut were “a real come-to-Jesus moment.”

Pine, 43, directed the movie Poolman, which failed to impress after it debuted at Toronto International Film Festival last year. Despite the unfavorable commentary, Pine felt proud of the accomplishment.

“Criticism as an actor is just a part of the game, but there’s a lot of stuff to hide behind,” Pine said on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast released on Thursday, May 9. “There’s the director and the writer and the release pattern. … As an actor you come on set and you do your dance and you go off, and by the time the film comes out, you’ve done X amount of other projects.”

Pine compared “cowriting, directing and starring in” the movie to being “a stand-up comedian on stage feeling utterly naked.” Overall, the experience allowed the actor to see “how resilient” he really is.

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Poolman is a comedic mystery that tells the story of a Los Angeles pool cleaner who uncovers a water heist. Aside from Pine, who stars as protagonist Darren Barrenman, Annette Bening and Danny DeVito also appear in the film.

“I tried to make a joyful film,” Pine said during Thursday’s podcast episode. “With so much joy behind it, to then be met with a fusillade of not-so-joyous stuff … the cognitive dissonance there was quite something. It’s been ultimately the best thing that’s ever happened to me. It’s forced me to double down on joy and really double down on what I love most about my job, which you kind of forget.”

Pine said being an actor is “fundamentally about play,” something that’s easy to take advantage of.

“You become children for hours a day and make believe,” he added. “There’s an impish quality that I don’t want to lose.”

The actor admitted to discussing the negative Poolman reviews in therapy — but he’s ultimately come to a positive conclusion about the movie.

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“After the reviews in Toronto, I was like, ‘Maybe I did make a pile of s—t,’” Pine added. “I went back and watched it. I f—king love this film. I love this film so much.”

As he takes on this new role as director, Pine has been reflecting on his career as a whole in various interviews. The actor recently recalled feeling “absolutely terrified” walking his first-ever red carpet at the Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement premiere in 2003.

“I remember when we had to do the premiere for that, it was at Disneyland. I got picked up in a stretch limo with my agent and we went there and I was so nervous,” he told Entertainment Tonight while looking back at his career on the Poolman red carpet late last month. “This whole experience and people shouting … you’ve got to get used to that whole thing.”