“Digger” – Movie Review
Directed by: Alejandro G. Inarritu
Written by: Alejandro G. Inarritu, Sabina Berman, Jez Butterworth, Alexander Dinelaris
Starring: Tom Cruise, John Goodman, Riz Ahmed, Michael Stuhlbarg, Sandra Huller, and Jesse Plemons
Runtime: 129 minutes
‘Digger’: The frustrating screenplay digs an enormous hole that the impressive cinematography, big ideas, and Cruise’s passion cannot fill.
“Everything’s bigger in Texas.”
Well, Texas oilman Digger Rockwell (Tom Cruise) faces a colossal conundrum that impacts the global community.
This billionaire’s company, Rockwell Corporation, creates an environmental catastrophe that could cause massive displacement, death, and financial ruin to the tune of trillions of dollars.
And how was your Monday?
One of Rockwell’s employees, Sandy Clarkson (Danny Kirrane), tries to deliver the bad news to Digger, while our CEO wears his pajamas during an otherwise ordinary morning after feeding his geriatric cat, Maggie.
The devastating message kicks off a hurricane of events in director/co-writer Alejandro G. Inarritu’s grandiose production, “Digger”, a dark comedic look at short-sighted, big-business postures and their incompatibility with ecological tranquility.
Cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki – who worked with Inarritu on “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” (2014) and “The Revenant” (2015) – impressively paints a bleak, dystopian present day or near future similarly to his work with director Alfonso Cuaron’s “Children of Men” (2006). Instead of the constant gray tones in “Children”, Lubezki fills the screen with pale greens, browns, chalky whites, and grays (too) that cast a depressing, muted vibe of our human existence, one that compares to director Roy Andersson’s satirical, drab take on modern society in “About Endlessness” (2019).
Unlike Andersson’s low-key approach to observing our world’s anthropological imperfections, Inarritu dons an Armani suit or a plaid, flannel shirt and jeans (take your pick) and rips the cord of a chainsaw that cuts sarcastic, hazardous teeth into this disaster scenario and rips filmmaking conventions through over-the-top performances and Dennis Gassner and Richard L. Johnson’s wild production designs.
“Digger” is a purposely stormy and provocative theatrical experience, one to be admired for its effort, big ideas, and messaging. However, Inarritu and the screenwriters take their enthusiasm too far with bizarre decision-making that could spark audience celebration or scorn.
For this critic, it was the latter, in a case of “Why on Earth would you ruin a good thing?”
In that respect, “Digger” becomes frustrating. Sitting through the film became a restless chore, like being seated in a 5-star restaurant with an incompatible blind date for two hours, staring at the clock on the far wall, and begging God (or name your deity) to move the second hand faster than its current plodding pace.
Granted, “Digger” has a fabulous cast, including John Goodman, Riz Ahmed, Michael Stuhlbarg, Sandra Huller, and Jesse Plemons. This thespian crew often hyperactively plays in a manic edition of “Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb” (1964), where the U.S. President (Goodman) and Vice President (Stuhlbarg), a scientist (Ahmed), a reverend, and high-ranking generals surround a table, attempt to digest the implications of the horrible calamity, and spitball suggestions.
(Incidentally, there’s an obvious reminder of Major ‘King’ Kong (Slim Pickens) famous scene in “Strangelove”, although – admittedly – not as dramatic.)
Anyone watching Coach Inarritu’s movie can see that his players are giving 110 percent, but whether it was the movie’s tone, the screenplay, or off comedic timing, “Digger” is flat-out unfunny. This critic remembers laughing out loud once. Then again, my memory isn’t what it used to be, and yes, comedy is in the eye of the beholder.
What is indisputable, however, is Cruise’s outright passion in the title role. He is a transformative whirlwind as Digger Rockwell, a paunchy, aging man who obsessively and deeply cares for his kitty cat, Maggie, but proudly exhibits big-game taxidermy trophies all over his mansion. He’s a businessman who pushes “it’s my way or the highway” and talks over subordinates to avoid uncomfortable discourse. Digger strolls into a public square and delivers a frank sermon from his billionaire oil-baron perspective with a pro-wrestling bravado that would animate any audience into a raucous mob.
Cruise delivers the seemingly 15-minute aforementioned sermon in (again, seemingly) one continuous take that is nothing short of mesmerizing. Granted, this critic didn’t time the oration or discern if it was actually spoken in one take. This incredible moment may have taken 10 minutes with several cuts, but it doesn’t matter. Thank you, Tom Cruise.
Unfortunately, the frustrating screenplay digs an enormous hole that the impressive cinematography, big ideas, and Cruise’s passion cannot fill.
Jeff’s ranking
1.5 / 4 stars
A member of the Phoenix Critics Circle, Jeff Mitchell has penned film reviews since 2008, graduated from ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism, and is a certified Rotten Tomatoes critic. Follow Jeff and the Phoenix Film Festival on Twitter @MitchFilmCritic and @PhoenixFilmFest, respectively.
