Matthew Modine was first seen in the television anthology series ‘ABC Afterschool Special’ in 1982. The following year, he made his big-screen debut with the romantic comedy film ‘Baby It’s You’ directed by John Sayles. After appearing in films like ‘The Hotel New Hampshire’ (1984), ‘Birdy’ (1984), and ‘Vision Quest’ (1985), Modine got his breakthrough role as Sergeant J.T. 'Joker' Davis in the 1987 war film ‘Full Metal Jacket.’ The film received critical acclaim upon its release and was a major success at the box office.
In 1988, Modine returned to television and played a brief role in the anthology series ‘American Playhouse.’ The year 1990 saw the release of the psychological thriller film ‘Pacific Heights’ where he played the role of ‘Drake Goodman.’ The film received mixed reviews from critics, but managed to become a commercial success. In 1993, Modine starred in the comedy-drama film ‘Short Cuts’ directed by Robert Altman. He played the role of ‘Dr. Ralph Wyman’ in the film for which he won a ‘Golden Globe Award.’ That same year, he won a ‘Golden Globe Award’ nomination for his performance in the docudrama television film ‘What the Deaf Man Heard.’
In 1997, he again received a ‘Golden Globe Award’ nomination for his portrayal of ‘Sammy Ayers’ in the television film ‘What the Deaf Man Heard.’ Matthew Modine was next seen in films like ‘Notting Hill’ (1999), ‘Nobody's Baby’ (2001), ‘Transporter 2’ (2005), ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ (2012), and ‘Jobs’ (2013). In 2016, he released a short film titled ‘Super Sex.’ The film was honored with the ‘Audience Favorite Award – Favourite Short Film’ at the ‘New Media Film Festival.’
Matthew Modine was last seen in the 2021 documentary film ‘Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal’ where he played the role of ‘Rick Singer.’ He is all set to appear in the upcoming animated film ‘My Love Affair with Marriage.’ He is also the executive producer of the film.