In a 1994 interview, Joel dismissed criticism of unclear elements in their films: "People have a problem dealing with the fact that our movies are not straight-ahead. They would prefer that the last half of "Barton Fink" just be about a screenwriter's writing-block problems and how they get resolved in the real world". Talk show host Larry King expressed approval of the movie, despite its uncertain conclusion. He wrote in "USA Today": "The ending is something I'm still thinking about and if they accomplished that, I guess it worked." In a 2016 interview, screenwriter Charlie Kaufman said after being asked which film he would want with him on a deserted island, "A movie I really love is "Barton Fink". I don't know if that’s the movie I'd take to a desert island, but I feel like there's so much in there, you could watch it again and again. That's important to me, especially if that was the only movie I'd have with me for the rest of my life."