Harrison Ford Defends His Most Underrated Movie

Harrison Ford once opened up about his experience starring in the 1986 drama The Mosquito Coast, a movie that he says was “unfairly treated” by critics.

The film, directed by Peter Weir and based on Paul Theroux’s 1981 novel, tells the story of a family that leaves the United States to find a simpler life in Central America, only to face a harsh and dangerous reality as their father’s behavior becomes increasingly erratic.

In a conversation with Wolf, Ford explained why he was drawn to the role of Allie Fox. He described Paul Schrader’s script as one of the best he had read in a long time.

“Both Peter Weir and I thought we shouldn’t be slavish to the book. We needed a different Allie Fox. In the book, Fox is crazy from the beginning. If audiences thought that he was crazy, they’d give up on him,” Ford said.

Ford also highlighted the emotional core of the character, calling Fox “mostly about love… a love junkie of one kind or another. He requires respect and admiration from his family and everyone he meets, and he bullies his family into going along with everything. He carries the seeds of destruction within him.”

Despite Ford’s dedication, The Mosquito Coast struggled both critically and commercially. At the time of its release, it was widely panned, with some critics calling it “utterly flat” and others criticizing Fox as a boring character. The film earned just over $14 million in North America against a $25 million budget.

In response to the negative reception, Ford defended the film, telling The Hollywood Reporter, “There have been mixed reviews, and I think the film has been very unfairly treated in some quarters. I have never seen a serious film treated so badly by the critics… Critics see a film and then rush to review it. This is the sort of movie that really doesn’t sink home for about three days. It is disturbing and makes you think. It stays with you.”

Years later, Ford reflected further, saying in a 1992 interview with Entertainment Weekly, “It’s the only film I have done that hasn’t made its money back. I’m still glad I did it. If there was a fault with the film, it was that it didn’t fully enough embrace the language of the book. It may have more properly been a literary rather than a cinematic exercise. But I think it’s full of powerful emotions.”

The cast also included Helen Mirren, Andre Gregory, and River Phoenix, and the movie was filmed in Georgia, Maryland, and Belize.

Over time, modern critics have given the film more favorable reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, it currently holds a 78% approval rating, with many praising Ford’s performance and the depth of his character study.

It’s clear that The Mosquito Coast was ahead of its time. Ford brought complexity and emotion to a role that was challenging for any actor. Sometimes films take years to be fully appreciated, and this is a perfect example.

What do you think about Ford’s defense of the film? Do you agree that it was misunderstood, or do you think the critics had a point? Share your thoughts in the comments.