For the past 30 years, Alejandro González Iñárritu has made films that challenge audiences and start conversations. I’m happy to report that Digger continues that tradition. It’s another big swing from a filmmaker who has never shied away from bold choices or sharing his own thoughts about the world into an ambitious story.
Tom Cruise plays Digger Rockwell, an eccentric oil tycoon whose decisions appear to have set a global environmental catastrophe in motion. There’s much more to the story, but I would strongly encourage anyone interested in seeing Digger to go in knowing as little as possible. The surprises along the way are part of what makes the film so damn fascinating. Cruise also has one hell of a supporting cast around him, including Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Sandra Hüller, Michael Stuhlbarg, and several others.
I’m just going to cut right to the chase: this film will have its fans and its haters. It’s an arthouse movie with a blockbuster budget, and Iñárritu uses that scope and scale to explore his fears about the future. You can see hints of Dr. Strangelove, Don’t Look Up, Vice, Network, and even his own Birdman throughout, but the film as a whole is unapologetically his. I know some will call it a political satire, and there is plenty of humor, but by the end I felt Iñárritu was making a much more unsettling statement about where the world is headed. To me, it plays more like a dramedy than a straight satire.
And let me add that nothing Iñárritu is saying is the least bit subtle. The heavy-handed messaging will likely feel overwhelming or too preachy for some viewers by the end. I didn’t mind it as much as I thought I might, but I did start to feel the runtime in the second half, even though I still wasn’t sure where the story was ultimately headed. The ending makes quite the statement but it isn’t going to work for everyone.
I’ve been a fan of Tom Cruise since I was a child. Like most people, I appreciate his dedication to action films and doing his own stunts, but I’ve always been especially drawn to the roles that let him play against type. His performance is Digger’s biggest selling point. He is completely committed to this character, and as the film’s surprises emerge in the second half, that commitment becomes even more impressive. Pairing Cruise with Iñárritu makes for an experience unlike anything else I’ve seen this year.
Cruise also gets to show off his knack for comedy again, which is something I wish he would do more often. Not every joke lands, but he never holds back. The roughly ten-minute monologue in which Digger responds to Dr. Ganesh’s (Riz Ahmed) speech is absolutely fantastic. I’ve seen a lot of films this year with memorable moments, but this is one of the best scenes I’ve watched in any of them. In some ways, it reminded me of Julianne Moore’s Oscar worthy scene in The Debut. It may not be quite as applause-worthy as her big moment in that film, but it comes close. I’ve heard some of my colleagues make comparisons of Digger Rockwell to Les Grossman from Tropic Thunder, but beyond the look, I just didn’t find the performances all that similar.
I also have to point out the two supporting performances that stood out most to me: Riz Ahmed and John Goodman. Ahmed is playing against type and steals almost every scene he’s in. Goodman, meanwhile, is incredibly over the top as the President of the United States, who is dealing with anal cancer and a global environmental crisis. He’s doing something strange and unusual here. I don’t think everyone will like how bizarre the performance is, but I totally dug it because Goodman is so committed to the insanity of it all.
The cinematography, production design, hair and makeup, editing, and costumes all stand out. Each department does a superb job of building the world Digger lives in. I can see the film going in several directions when it comes to awards, but my gut tells me Cruise has the best shot at a Best Actor nomination, while the film will receive more attention for its craft than in the major categories.
While I admire so much about Iñárritu’s filmmaking and storytelling, I think voters, especially Academy members, will likely struggle to connect with the film as a whole because it is disjointed and not everything about it works. Voters will have plenty of other choices, whether they want something epic but accessible like The Odyssey, something sophisticated like La Bola Negra, or a crowd-pleaser like I Play Rocky or The Debut. Digger falls somewhere between those films, which makes it hard to know who its audience will be.
All that being said, I love that Iñárritu continues to make films that challenge viewers. Digger is quirkier and more “out there” than his previous work, and I admire his willingness to get this strange and creative. It’s ambitious, messy, and bound to be divisive, but it’s also going to get people talking. After taking a full week to digest and process the film, I have nothing but the utmost respect for what Iñárritu and his cast and crew have achieved. Digger isn’t a perfect film, but it’s fearless and does exactly what good art should do.
Grade: 7.5/10
Awards Buzz: I need to see how general audiences react to Digger before I do a deep dive into its awards prospects, but right now, I think Cruise has a real shot at one of those five Best Actor slots. He’s beloved in the industry and has the clout to get there, though I do think he’ll need to get out there and work those FYC screenings and parties.
I can also see the film landing at least two below-the-line nominations. Based on what I’ve seen so far, Production Design and Makeup and Hairstyling feel like the strongest bets. A few others could happen, but it’s September, so it’s way too early to know. Best Picture and Director both feel too crowded to me right now. Maybe Original Screenplay could be part of the conversation, but I’m not quite sold on that category yet.
Trailer:
