Warner Bros. Pictures
Dan Bennett Since early screenings of “Digger” began recently, word-of-mouth has created a buzz.
The film has polarized its audience so far, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
Appreciate “Digger” or not, you are likely to talk about it with someone. It doesn’t disappear quietly.The film from director Alejandro G. Iñárritu is all in. It’s self-contained and epic; it’s funny and tragic; it borrows ideas and styles, and it’s vastly original while eager to borrow.
You might quietly curse as “Digger” unfolds and just as quickly gasp at its ambition.
You might quietly curse as “Digger” unfolds and just as quickly gasp at its ambition.Tom Cruise, in a role unlike any other he’s done, plays Digger Rockwell, aging, chubby, and somehow just not all there, as far as common sense and a firm grasp of reality. His will to drill is his life force. An oil magnate, Digger is given some bad news. Really bad news. His projects have launched an environmental disaster, sending a deadly, ginormous ice block into the heart of Northern Europe. It will take all of Digger’s know-how, and support from the President of the United States, played full-throttle by John Goodman, to stop the impending catastrophe and prolific loss of life.
Odd and interesting characters surround them, including various so-called experts and family members. Can Digger look good while addressing the issue he initiated? He certainly hopes so.
“Digger” launches plot twists, but its throughline quest remains the same: create a visual treasure chest, complete with a film shot in glorious old-school VistaVision, and combine gimmicky yuks and old-school farce, with momentous messaging that sways between hilarious and heartbreaking. And turn Cruise and Goodman loose to go big.
“Digger” B-
Starring: Tom Cruise, John Goodman
Director: Alejandro G. Iñárritu
Rated: R (for pervasive language)
Runtime: 2 hours, 8 minutes
Now playing in theaters
