What the Hell Happened to Matt Dillon

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Posted by lebeau

Matt Dillon was “discovered” while cutting class as a teen. Not surprisingly, he made a career in the 80′s playing the kind of kids who got into trouble. In the late 80′s and early 90′s Dillon successfully transitioned to adult roles with some critically acclaimed performances in smaller, independent films. He also appeared in several popular, mainstream Hollywood movies. In spite of all of this success, Dillon never established himself as an A-list box office draw.

What the hell happened?

Dillon was discovered while cutting class at the age of 14. He was cast as a juvenile delinquent in the violent 1979 cult movie, Over the Edge.

Dillon played a teen living in a seemingly idyllic suburb. But the teens are restless and are not receiving the proper oversight. Eventually, an incident leads the parents to hold a town meeting at the school to discuss what is to be done. While the meeting is taking place, the kids lock their parents in the school and go crazy destroying everything in their path.

Talent Scout, Jane Bernstein, was tasked with finding teens who could play the film’s out-of-control youth. At first, they asked school administrators for their suggestions. But they quickly realized that the kids they wanted weren’t spending time at school. Bernstein described discovering Dillon:

“On our last day in Westchester, we were walking through the crowded halls of this one school, and the bell rang and everyone ran back to class. But there was this one kid—and he really was a kid, like 12 or 13—who was soft and young but who had a toughness about him. He was skipping class, just wandering the hallways. He had this chipped tooth, and he was presenting himself as a tough guy from the wrong side of the tracks. Which was ridiculous. As we later learned, he was from a lovely family in a beautiful section of the suburbs of New York. He was as middle-class as they came.”

Director, Jonathan Kaplan, recounted directing the film’s young actors:

“You had to be creative with how you directed these kids. It was great in a way, because there was no baggage. But I had to invent ways of directing that weren’t by-the-book. In Matt Dillon’s case, he would often look in the wrong direction. I would tell him that on the screen he would be looking in the right direction, even though it felt wrong when he was shooting it. Trying to explain this to a 14-year-old kid who was already suspicious about the whole thing wasn’t easy. So I’d put a $20 bill on my forehead, and I’d say, ‘Matt, if you look at this $20 bill, it’s yours when the shot is finished.’Over the course of the movie he made about $200.”

Around the time the film was set to be released, a few other violent movies made headlines for incidents of gang violence. Most notably, the film The Warriors was linked to a couple of violent headlines. Orion, the studio who owned Over the Edge, didn’t want to run the risk of bad press. So they barely released the film in theaters. According to producer, George Litto:

“The real problem with the film was that it dealt with suburban white kids who cause a bit of violence—never against people, mind you, but against objects. If these kids had been urban and black, I think it would have scared Orion less.”

Over the Edge showed in only a handful of theaters before Orion pulled it. But two years later, it started showing to great reviews in New York. Once again, the film didn’t make waves at the box office. But the good reviews lead to it being shown frequently on HBO in the 80s. Gradually, the film achieved cult status. In the 90′s, singer Kurt Cobain claimed, “Over the Edge pretty much defined my whole personality. It was really cool. Total anarchy.” It served as an inspiration for the Smells Like Teen Spirit music video:

In 1980, Dillon appeared opposite Tatum O’Neal and Kristy McNichol in the teen sex comedy, Little Darlings.

The film’s plot is familiar to fans of the genre. Two teens at camp make a bet over who can lose their virginity the fastest. (Note to self: Don’t ever send kids to camp.) What separates Little Darlings from other teen sex comedies is that the protagonists are girls. McNichol’s character views sex as no big deal and sets her sites on Dillon’s character as a way to win the bet. However, as the trailer makes clear, everyone grows up a little by the end of the movie:

Reviews were mixed. O’Neal and McNichol who were rising stars at the time, were both singled out for criticism for giving wooden performances. Although Roger Ebert commented that Little Darlings “somehow does succeed in treating the awesome and scary subject of sexual initiation with some of the dignity it deserves.”

Later that year, Dillon appeared in the teen drama, My Bodyguard.

Dillon played a school bully who terrorizes that kid from Meatballs (Chris Makepeace). Without Bill Murray’s camp counselor around to look out for him, Makepeace’s character resorts to hiring a bodyguard played by a young Adam Baldwin (who would later go on to play the gruff renegade, Jayne, on Firefly.)

Reviews were mostly positive and My Bodyguard was a modest hit at the box office.

In 1982, Dillon starred in the big screen adaptation of S. E. Hinton’s novel, Tex.

Dillon and Jim Metzler played brothers who struggle after the death of their mother.

Reviews were mostly positive, but the film grossed just a little over seven million dollars.

Later that year, Dillon starred in the romantic drama, Liar’s Moon.

Dillon played a poor kid who elopes with a rich banker’s daughter the way poor kids always do.

In 1983, Dillon co-starred opposite every up-and-coming actor in Hollywood in Francis Ford Coppola’s adaptation of another S. E. Hinton novel, The Outsiders.

Dillon played, Dallas, a member of a gang of teens known as the Greasers. The star-studded gang of hoodlums included then-unknowns C. Thomas Howell, Ralph Macchio, Rob Lowe, Patrick Swayze, Emilio Estevez and some kid named Tom Cruise. The Greasers have a rivalry with a gang of rich kids called the Socs (pronounced “soashes” because they are socialites). Diane Lane co-stars as one of the Socs girlfriends.

Coppola became interested in filming The Outsiders when a school class voted him the director they would most like to see adapt the novel. The class sent the director a letter and a copy of the book. Coppola became so interested, that he also optioned Hinton’s book, Rumble Fish.

When Dillon auditioned for the role, Coppola sent him home early. Dillon took this to mean he blew his audition. He told his agent he did not get the part. But in actuality, Coppola sent the young actor home early because he had already made up his mind to cast him.

A couple of years after the film’s release, writer David Blum coined the term the “Brat Pack” to describe young Hollywood. He wrote a cover story for New York magazine describing the bad behavior of several young actors most notably Estevez, Lowe and Judd Nelson. The cast of The Outsiders figured prominently in the article which technically qualifies Dillon as a member. But over time, the term came to be more closely associated with the stars of John Hughes’ 80s teen movies. Thus, Dillon narrowly avoided the fate of Molly Ringwald.

Reviews were mixed to positive and The Outsiders did reasonably well at the box office.

Later that same year, Dillon starred in another Francis Ford Coppola adaptation of an S. E. Hinton novel, Rumble Fish.

Dillon played another gangster. This one is trying to live up to the legend of his brother, Motorcycle Boy, played by Mickey Rourke. Diane Lane who co-starred in The Outsiders played Dillon’s girlfriend. Dennis Hopper played Dillon and Rourke’s alcoholic father. And Coppola’s nephew, Nicolas Cage had a small supporting role.

Coppola was writing the script for Rumble Fish with Hinton while filming The Outsiders. He decided to keep the same production team and film Rumble Fish immediately following completion of The Outsiders,

Reviews at the time were mostly negative with many critics put off by Coppola’s avant-garde style. Coppola filmed the movie in black and white but added flourishes of color. Roger Ebert gave the film three-and-a-half out of four stars and wrote, “I thought Rumble Fish was offbeat, daring, and utterly original. Who but Coppola could make this film? And, of course, who but Coppola would want to?”

Audiences didn’t take to the movie any better. It bombed at the box office. But time has been kind to Rumble Fish. Currently, it holds a higher rating on Rotten Tomatoes than the more successful Outsiders.

In 1984, Dillon starred in Gary Marshall’s comedy, The Flamingo Kid.

Dillon plays a recent high school graduate who doesn’t want to follow his parents’ advice and go to college. Instead, he gets a job at The Flamingo Club where he finds a mentor in a used car dealer played by Richard Crenna.

The role was originally offered to Matthew Broderick. But when Broderick dropped out, the script was rewritten for Dillon. The Flamingo Kid was the first movie to be rated PG-13. However, the studio shelved the movie for five months which allowed Red Dawn to be the first movie released with a PG-13 rating.

Reviews were mostly positive and the movie was reasonably successful at the box office.

In 1985, Dillon starred opposite Gene Hackman in Arthur Penn’s Target.

Dillon played Hackman’s son who has always been less than impressed with his conservative old man. But when his mother is kidnapped, Dillon’s character is surprised to see his dad become a man of action to rescue her.

Target was a transitional film for Dillon. Up until now, he had played a lot of gangsters and poor kids from the wrong side of the tracks in movies aimed at teens. Most of them were set in the 50s and 60s. This was a chance to star opposite an A-list actor in a mainstream movie that wasn’t aimed at kids. Unfortunately, reviews were mixed and Target flopped at the box office.

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In 1985, Dillon also starred in the World War II drama, Rebel.

Dillon played a US soldier who was stationed in Australia while recovering from wounds received in battle. He makes plans to go AWOL but becomes infatuated with a local singer.

The movie was an adaptation of the play, No Names, No Packdrill which had featured Mel Gibson. Changes were made to the play to incorporate more music. The producers had hoped to cast Australian singing sensation, Olivia Newton John as the female lead. They also planned to cast Kevin Bacon based the success of Footloose.

Rebel was not a hit with critics or audiences.

In 1986, Dillon appeared in the drama, Native Son, based on Richard Wright‘s novel of the same name.

Native Son tells the story of an African-American chauffeur hired by a rich family in the 1940′s. The chauffeur is directed to drive his employer’s daughter to college, but instead she has him pick up her boyfriend played by Dillon. The couple party too much which results in the chauffeur sneaking the drunken girl back into her bedroom. When the girl’s blind mother enters the room, the chauffeur panics and tries to silence the girl with a pillow. It doesn’t end well.

Reviews were mixed and the movie was not a hit at the box office.

In 1987, Dillon starred opposite Diane Lane (in their third film together) and Tommy Lee Jones in the period drama, The Big Town.

Dillon played a guy from a small town who moves to the big city to pursue a career as a professional gambler. He breaks the bank at a club owned by Jones’ character and falls in love with two women one of whom is the club owner’s wife.

Reviews were mixed and the movie was not a hit.

In 1988, Dillon starred opposite Brat Pack member, Andrew McCarthy in the crime drama, Kansas.

Dillon played a young man on his way home to attend a wedding who meets up with a dangerous drifter played by McCarthy? What’s that? Dillon played the drifter and pretty boy McCarthy played the guy who gets caught up in his schemes? Oh. That makes more sense.

Kansas got terrible reviews and flopped at the box office. Dillon’s career, which had started off very well, was coming off the rails.

In 1988, Dillon starred opposite Kelly Lynch and Heather Graham in Gus Van Sant’s crime drama, Drugstore Cowboy.

Dillon, Lynch and Graham played drug users who commit crimes to fund their addiction.


Reviews were universally positive. Drugstore Cowboy did well enough at the box office for an art house movie. Dillon won an Independent Spirit Award for his performance. After a string of disappointing movies, Drugstore Cowboy got film buffs talking about Dillon again.

Later that year, Dillon appeared in the musical comedy Bloodhounds of Broadway opposite Jennifer Grey, Rutger Hauer, Randy Quaid and Madonna.

The movie is based on four short stories by Damon Runyon

Bloodhounds of Broadway only played in five theaters before it was released to video.

In 1991, Dillon starred opposite Sean Young in an adaptation of Ira Levin’s crime novel, A Kiss Before Dying.

Dillon plays a sociopathic social climber who woos a pair of wealthy twins played by Young. As Dillon’s character tries to keep his deep, dark secret, he builds up a pretty impressive body count.

Originally, the producers wanted River Phoenix to play Dillon’s role. But after her turned them down repeated, Dillon was cast. Diane Lane and Penelope Ann Miller were each approached to play the wealthy twins, but after they passed Young was cast.

Dillon gives an appropriate creepy performance as the cold-blooded killer. Young made me wish Lane or Miller had accepted the part. The movie strains credibility, but it’s definitely not boring. My review can be read here.

Reviews were negative although most critics singled out Dillon for praise. A Kiss Before Dying flopped at the box office.

In 1992, Dillon starred opposite Bridget Fonda in Cameron Crowe’s grunge comedy, Singles.

Singles focused on six twenty-somethings who live in the same apartment complex. Sound familiar? These friends lived in Seattle as the grunge scene was hitting it big. Dillon’s character represented the grunge movement.

Singles was the first of Hollywood’s attempts to lure Gen-X audiences to the movies. Expectations were high that the film and its grunge-infused soundtrack would connect with the youth audience. But like just about every movie aimed at Gen X, Singles missed the mark. In fact, it’s failure at the box office nearly derailed production of Ben Stiller’s slacker rom com, Reality Bites.

Reviews for Singles were mostly positive and the film has developed a cult following. The soundtrack was a best seller three months before the movie was even released. Although Singles failed, some point to the popular TV show Friends as a reinvention of the failed movie. While there are similarities and Singles may have influenced the TV show, Friends was actually based on a hit British show called Coupling. After the success of Friends, an American version of Coupling was also attempted which ironically flopped.

In 1993, Dillon starred opposite Annabella Sciorra in Anthony Minghella’s romantic comedy, Mr. Wonderful.

You read that right. Anthony Minghella. director of The English Patient and The Talented Mr. Ripley, directed a romantic comedy. Dillon played an electrician with dreams of opening a bowling alley with his friends. However, he can’t afford to buy his dream alley because he’s paying his ex-wife played by Sciorra alimony. So Dillon’s character decides to set his ex up with other men so she can remarry and he can stop sending her alimony checks.

The potential suitors include William Hurt and the late James Gandolfini. Mary Louise Parker played Dillon’s new girlfriend.

Reviews were mostly negative and the movie flopped at the box office.

In 1994, Dillon starred opposite Joan Chen in Golden Gate.

Dillon played a novice FBI agent in the 50′s tasked with investigated suspected communists in the San Francisco Chinese community. His loyalties become divided when he falls for a laundryman’s daughter played by Chen.

Sorry, I couldn’t find the trailer in English.

Reviews were negative. Currently, Golden Gate holds a rare 0% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It opened in less than 400 theaters where it grossed less than $400,000 dollars.

Later that year, Dillon starred opposite Danny Glover in the drama, The Saint of Fort Washington.

Dillon played a schizophrenic who finds himself out on the street when his landlord decides to tear down his apartment building. He finds himself threatened by a local street thug and turns to a homeless war vet played by Glover to learn how to live on the streets.

Reviews were mostly positive. But the little film was released in only three theaters. Once again, Dillon’s career seemed to be running out of gas.

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A movie which surely would have provided Dillon a career boost was Pulp Fiction. Tarantino originally wrote the boxer part with Dillon in mind. When he was casting, Tarantino gave the script to Dillon to read over. According to Tarantino’s agent:

“So he gave Matt the script,” Simpson said, “and he read it and said, ‘I love it. Let me sleep on it.’ Quentin then called me and said, ‘He’s out. If he can’t tell me face-to-face that he wants to be in the movie — after he read the script — he’s out.’”

Tarantino was already struggling with the studio over the cast. Tarantino wanted to cast John Travolta, but Travolta’s career was ice-cold and the studio wouldn’t approve him. They were pushing for Daniel Day-Lewis instead. When Bruce Willis read the script, he loved it immediately. Willis was one of the top stars in Hollywood at the time. So Tarantino offered him Dillon’s part. With Willis on board, Harvey Weinstein was willing to approve Travolta. According to Tarantino:

“Once I got Bruce Willis, Harvey got his big movie star, and we were all good. Bruce Willis made us legit. Reservoir Dogs did fantastic internationally, so everyone was waiting for my new movie. And then when it was my new movie with Bruce Willis, they went apeshit.”

In 1995, Dillon got some much-needed buzz when he starred opposite Nicole Kidman in Gus Van Sant’s dark comedy, To Die For.

Dillon played an average guy who falls in love with a beautiful and ambitious weather girl played by Kidman. When Dillon’s character asks his wife to put her career on hold in order to raise a family, she handles the request badly. She seduces a young teen played by Joaquin Phoenix and convinces him to kill her husband.

To Die For is a wicked satire. Critics loved it. But it was not a big hit with audiences. The buzz surrounding the movie helped get people talking about Dillon again.

In 1996, Dillon appeared as part of an ensemble in Ted Demme’s romantic comedy, Beautiful Girls.

The cast included rising stars like Lauren Holly, Timothy Hutton, Rosie O’Donnell, Natalie Portman, Mira Sorvino and Uma Thurman. The movie centers on a group of friends who come together for a high school reunion. Dillon played an under-achiever who is dating Sorvino while having an affair with a married woman played by Holly.

In spite of a great cast and mostly positive reviews, Beautiful Girls was a disappointment at the box office.

Later that year, Dillon appeared opposite Illeana Douglas, Eric Stoltz and John Turturro in Grace of My Heart.

Douglas played a singer songwriter who grows frustrated writing songs for other people to sing. Eventually, she gets a chance to record her own music with a record producer played by Dillon. Although their collaboration is not a hit, the two become a couple. Which is kind of gross because Douglas played Dillon’s sister in To Die For.

Reviews were mostly positive, but the movie only played in 93 theaters.

In 1997, Dillon starred opposite Faye Dunaway and Gary Sinise in Kevin Spacey’s directorial debut, Albino Alligator.

Dillon and Sinise played brothers who participate in a hold-up gone wrong. When a police officer is killed, they retreat to a bar where they take hostages.

Reviews were mixed to negative and the movie flopped at the box office.

Later that year, Dillon had a small but important role in Frank Oz’s comedy, In & Out.

Dillon played an Academy Award-nominated actor who accidentally outs his former acting teacher as gay. The only problem is the acting teacher, played by Kevin Kline is engaged to a woman played by Joan Cusack.

In & Out was really daring stuff for 1997. Very few mainstream comedies addressed homosexuality at all. In & Out was one of the first Hollywood films to deal with homosexuality directly. The movie was based on Tom Hanks’ Oscar acceptance speech for Philadelphia in which he thanked a gay teacher.

Reviews were mixed to positive and the movie was a hit at the box office.

1998 was a big year for Dillon. First he starred opposite Kevin Bacon in the erotic thriller, Wild Things.

Dillon played a high school guidance counselor accused of sexual harassment by two of his students played by Denise Richards and Neve Campbell. Dillon’s defense attorney is played by Bill Murray which is a hint to the audience that maybe they shouldn’t take the movie too seriously.

Robert Downey Jr. was originally cast in Dillon’s role but dropped out before filming.

Reviews were mixed to positive. The movie is over-the-top ridiculous. But it is all played relatively straight. If you go into it expecting a serious thriller, you will likely find yourself laughing at it. But if you approach it as a sly satire, you’ll end up laughing along with it.

Wild Things was not a hit at the box office. But it has developed a cult following over time. It has spawned direct-to-video sequels without the involvement of any of the original cast.

Later that year, Dillon starred opposite Ben Stiller and Cameron Diaz in the Farrelly brothers’ comedy, There’s Something About Mary.

Dillon played a private investigator hired by Stiller to track down his high school sweetheart played by Diaz. When Dillon’s character starts up a relationship with Diaz, he lies to Stiller to try to prevent him from reuniting with her.

After the failure of Kingpin, the Farrelly brothers were worried that their next film would be their last. So they decided to go all out with the most offensive black comedy they could conceive of. The result was There’s Something About Mary which has something to offend everyone, but pulls it off because it’s so darn funny and even kind of sweet.

In real life, Dillon had been dating Diaz since 1995. The couple split in 1998.

Reviews were positive and the movie was the sleeper hit of the summer. It made Diaz and Stiller into stars and breathed life into Dillon’s flagging career. It also made audiences collectively say, “Wait a minute! Matt Dillon is funny?!?”

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In 2001, Dillon followed up There’s Something About Mary with another sexy comedy, One Night at McCool’s.

Dillon plays a bartender who falls for a seductive stranger played by Liv Tyler. When Dillon and Tyler meet, she shoots and kills someone who appears to be trying to rape her. Once Tyler and Dillon’s characters start dating, she becomes demanding and coerces him to commit crimes to support her. The movie is structured around different characters retelling the same events in different ways that reflect their character. Paul Reiser played Dillon’s cousin and John Goodman played a cop investigating the shooting. Michael Douglas has a small supporting role as a greaser hitman.

When One Night at McCool’s opened, it was like someone said, “Everyone who stars on Mad About You and has a big future in movies please step forward. Not so fast Paul Reiser!” Reviews were mixed to negative and the movie flopped at the box office. It opened outside of the top ten behind Tom Green’s flop Freddy Got Fingered which was in its second week of release.

In 2002, Dillon starred in the crime drama, City of Ghosts.

Dillon played a con man whose mentor (played by James Caan) goes missing after a con gone bad. In order to get his share of the money, Dillon hops a plane to Cambodia.

Dillon co-wrote and directed the film which got mostly negative reviews and showed in only six movie theaters.

Later that year, Dillon appeared opposite Stephen Dorff in the crime movie, Deuces Wild.

Hey look, it’s a street gang movie set in the 50′s. I’m guessing no one even sent Dillon a script. He probably just showed up.

By this point, Dillon could make these movies in his sleep. Even so, you have to wonder why he decided to sign up for a movie that starred Stephen Dorff. And I’m not even talking about early 90′s Dorff when the guy seemed like he was poised for slacker movie stardom. I’m talking about post-Blade Dorff who was well on his way to shilling nicotine replacement products.

Oh well, at least Dillon got to share the screen with Norman Reedus aka Daryl Dixon from The Walking Dead. Reviews were terrible and the movie flopped. But you already knew that when I told you it starred the Dorffmeister.

In 2004, Dillon starred opposite Christina Applegate and Steve Zahn in the charming family film, Employee of the Month.

What’s that? It’s not a family film. Employee of the Month is another crime movie. Of course it is. Dillon plays a guy who gets fired from his dream job and dumped by his fiancé (Applegate) on the same day. His best friend hires a stripper to cheer him up, but the stripper steals his car. Fed up, Dillon’s character breaks into the place he used to work and attempts to rob it. Unfortunately, there is another robbery in progress at the same time. This guy has the worst luck!

That’s just the set-up. The movie piles up one crazy twist after another. By the end, it makes Wild Things look like a documentary albeit a documentary in which Dillon has a threesome with Denise Richards and Neve Campbell.

Reviews were bad and the movie skipped theaters. But hey, at least it didn’t star Jessica Simpson and Dane Cook!

Yeah, not so bad now – is it?

Just when audiences had written Dillon off again, he staged another mini-comeback. In 2005, he started off the year appearing opposite Lindsay Lohan and Michael Keaton in Disney’s Love Bug reboot, Herbie: Fully Loaded.

Dillon played a race car driver and hopefully cashed a big, fat paycheck.

This is the third time I have had to write about this movie and I still haven’t seen it. So, how about we just watch the trailer again.

We’ll talk more in What the Hell Happened to Justin Long?

Despite mixed to negative reviews, Herbie: Fully Loaded did well at the box office.

Later that year, Dillon appeared as part of an ensemble in Paul Haggis’ drama, Crash.

Crash tells a series of interwoven stories that deal with racism and social tensions in LA. Dillon played a cop who pulls over a vehicle own by an affluent African-American couple played by Terrence Howard and Thandie Newton. When Newton’s character does not follow his directions, Dillon’s character harasses her with a pat-down/molestation. Later, Dillon’s character pulls this same woman from a burning vehicle because that’s the kind of thing that happens in Crash.

The ensemble also included Ryan Phillippe as Dillon’s partner, Sandra Bullock, Don Cheadle and Brendan Fraser.

Reviews were mostly positive and Crash was a hit at the box office. The film went on to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Dillon was nominated for both an Oscar and a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor.

A lot of people love Crash, but I’m not one of them. By the end of the film I found myself rolling my eyes at the convenient plot contrivances that were needed to get to the film’s ending.

In 2006, Dillon appeared in the drama Loverboy which was directed by his Wild Things co-star, Kevin Bacon.

Loverboy is practically Kevin Bacon’s home movies. The movie stars his wife, Kyra Sedgwick. In addition to direction, Bacon also co-stars. Even the couple’s kids make appearances. The cast also includes Sandra Bullock, Oliver Platt, Campbell Scott and Marisa Tomei.

Dillon also starred opposite Kate Hudson and Owen Wilson in the comedy, You, Me and Dupree.

Dillon and Hudson play newlywed who are annoyed when they can’t get rid of a houseguest played by Wilson.

Okay, okay, that looks awful. But I guess I can see how it looked good on paper. Wilson is an acceptable substitute for Ben Stiller. Hudson is as cute and perky as Cameron Diaz. Squint, and they could be the cast of There’s Something About Mary.

Reviews were terrible and the movie disappointed at the box office.

Dillon also starred opposite Lili Taylor and Marisa Tomei in the drama, Factorum.

Dillon played a writer who takes on menial jobs to support himself. Unfortunately, he can’t keep even the simplest job. He’s also bad with relationships. He doesn’t so much write as he drinks and screws up a lot. Oh, but he’s pretty successful at the track. So, he’s got that going for him.

Factorum got decent reviews, but it was never released theatrically.

In 2008, Dillon appeared opposite Kate Beckinsale, Vera Farmiga and Alan Alda in the courtroom drama, Nothing But the Truth.

Beckinsale plays a reporter who writes a story that includes top-secret information she received from an informant in the CIA. Dillon played the special Federal prosecutor who demands that Beckinsale name her informant. When she refuses, she hires Alan Alda as her defense and the courtroom drama begins.

Apparently, audiences couldn’t handle the truth, because Nothing But the Truth was never released in theaters. Several critics screened the film and reviewed it anyway. The reviews were mostly positive. In spite of the positive reviews, Nothing But the Truth went straight to video.

In 2009, Dillon appeared opposite John Travolta and Robin Williams in the family comedy, Old Dogs.

Dillon played a hard-nosed camp instructor who becomes convinced that Travolta and Williams are a gay couple. Because nothing says “Disney family comedy” like homophobic humor. That probably tells you all you need to know about Old Dogs.

This is one of those movies where eventually you just end up counting the number of times someone gets hit in the crotch. Not surprisingly, reviews were terrible. But audiences love seeing grown men take golf balls to the groin, get attacked by penguins and possibly raped by gorillas so the movie was actually a hit.

Later that year, Dillon starred opposite Jean Reno and Laurence Fishburne in the action movie, Armored.

Dillon plays one of several employees of an armored truck company who plot to steal a truck containing $42 million dollars. Everything goes well, they divide their money and live happily ever after. Not really. Just seeing if you were still paying attention. Of course there are complications. Otherwise the movie would be even shorter than 88 minutes.

Reviews were negative and the movie flopped at the box office. It actually opened two spots below Old Dogs which was in its second week of release at the time.

In 2010, Dillon starred opposite Paul Walker and Idris Elba in the crime drama, Takers.

This time Dillon plays the cop trying to take down the team of skilled thieves. As the title implies, Walker and his buddies take stuff.

Reviews were negative, but Takers was actually a modest hit. Yeah, I know what you’re thinking. Paul Walker was in a hit movie that didn’t have the words “fast” or “furious” in the title?!? I was shocked too.

Stephen King actually named Takers as the fifth best movie of 2010. But King has really odd tastes.

In 2012, Dillon appeared opposite Kristen Wiig and Annette Bening in the comedy, Girl Most Likely.

Wiig played a down on her luck playwright forced to move in with her mom played by Bening. Dillon played her mom’s new boy friend, a compulsive liar who claims to be ex-CIA and calls himself George Bush.

Given the success of Wiig’s Bridesmaids, expectations were high. But reviews were mostly negative and Girl Most Likely was considered a disappointment.

Lately, most of Dillon’s films have gone directly to video or been given a limited release. In 2014, Dillon will star in M. Night Shyamalan‘s new Fox TV series, Wayward Pines which from the description as well as the title sounds more than a little like Twin Peaks. Potentially, the show could bring Dillon the kind of mainstream success that has mostly eluded him.

So, what the hell happened?

Dillon has managed to work steadily since 1979 which is an impressive feat for any actor. He had a couple of movies that enjoyed mainstream success. But he never managed to capitalize on the success of those films. I don’t get the impression that was ever really a major concern for him anyway. He seems happy just to be working on projects that interest him.

Pulp Fiction was certainly a missed opportunity. But who’s to say the film would have been as successful without a major star like Willis in the cast?

While Dillon has never been an A-list star, he’s had a long career as a respected actor and shows no signs of letting up any time soon.