Matthew Modine On His First Starring Role

Released March 15, 1985, “Vision Quest” arrived smack in the middle of the ‘80s teen movie renaissance. It was preceded by John Hughes’ first two films, “Sixteen Candles” and “The Breakfast Club” (the latter by less than a month), as well as bona fide blockbusters like “Footloose” and “The Karate Kid,” making it seem at the time like a commercial trend-follower.

Yet from the first frames of its story, about a fling between ambitious high school wrestler Louden Swain (Matthew Modine, gangly and determined) and a smoldering drifter named Carla (Linda Fiorentino), director Harold Becker’s adaptation of Terry Davis’ 1979 namesake novel stood immediately apart from its box office competition. Its tone and pacing owed more to coming-of-age stories like “Little Darlings” and “Breaking Away” where victories like Louden’s over his mythic wrestling opponent were anything but a forgone conclusion, and the pivotal romance with Carla is not just thorny but ends on a bittersweet note. That approach may also explain why it performed modestly upon release, even with Madonna’s chart-topping single “Crazy For You,” her first ballad, amplifying the film’s visibility — and prompting producers to change its name — around the globe.

Ahead of the 40^th anniversary of “Vision Quest,” Modine reflected on the making of the film with Variety. In addition to talking about his early impressions of the script and preparation for role, he revealed new details about a scene between Louden and a gay guest in the hotel where he works, and reflected on his experiences working with Becker, Fiorentino and then pre-superstar Madonna.

Revisiting this film for its 40^th anniversary, I was surprised that “Vision Quest” came out in 1985 — after “Karate Kid,” because it feels like more of a descendant of 1970s teen films like “Breaking Away.” What was your impression of the script when you first read it?

Matthew Modine On His First Starring Role