Digger Movie Review

Nothing can prepare you for the ride you get on when you sit in front of the screen to watch Tom Cruise in “Digger.” ​

You may think you know what it’ll be about based on what little has been said; you don’t. Trailers about the oil tycoon have been bizarre, so you may think Cruise could go too far with this character; you won’t. He shines in an unbalanced execution of Digger, one you can’t take your eyes off of. What you will think to yourself is “this movie is a lot.” I refuse to lie about it; it is. This is director Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s (“Babel” and “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance”) extravagant and excessive representation of climate disaster, or it’s meant to appear that way. How’d he do? You tell me. He’s a visionary and very brave in making this film. That said, it’s a lot of what needs to be said and needs to be heard… by you. Alejandro G. Iñárritu wants us talking about this very unique creation of his, and we will be, given how distinct it is.

When the film opens, it has a nature-documentary feel at first. There’s a reason for that. We meet Digger as he wakes up in his house, with animal trophy heads hanging on the walls and a fake world coming in through the windows… complete with animal sounds. His housekeeper (Mercedes Hernández) helps him get ready for the day. We then get to know Maggie, the very strange cat that he can’t and doesn’t have to live without. He has the best vets to care for her.

After rising, he speaks and gives hell to Sandy Clarkson (Danny Kirrane) about needing to pump a million barrels of oil a day from Greenland. Sandy explains that there’s a five-foot crack in a glacier named Judy, which has now grown to thirty-five feet and is leaking methane into the atmosphere. There’s also a chance that the integrity of the glacier’s shelf could be compromised. Not a good thing for anyone. Local wildlife is in danger, not to mention the rest of the planet. Digger asks Sandy if he wants to tell people they’ll lose their jobs if Digger stops drilling. They lose their jobs on Sandy’s say-so, not Digger’s. He’s not a man who’s easy to get along with, especially when money is involved.

President Compson, complete with a blue suit and long, red tie, played by John Goodman, is convinced Digger will dig them out of the pickle they find themselves in. Is it time to talk Renewable, Alternative energy? Riz Ahmed, who is outstanding in this, plays Ganesh. Much like Goodman’s character, he can tell it like it is. He gets to the point. Ahmed is a big part of the supporting cast that carries this film. Through him, we hear the scary numbers and see the frightening video.

In front of people who can change things in one direction or another, Digger argues his points. He’s proud to be at the forefront, hoping to come out looking like the hero. He reminds everyone that he can stop, but that they don’t really want him to. If he doesn’t drill, they can’t go anywhere anymore. They don’t heat their home. Oil is natural as a mother’s milk. People will starve to death without it or without him. Digger preaches at a mesmerizing pace, so I suggest you keep up. Don’t miss a thing. You’ll miss the point of this being made. “Digger” is a black comedy that moves fast, and if you want to get the most out of it, please see it at the theater, or at least where you’ll be able to pay attention to what’s going on and being said uninterrupted. It’s an important film.

That’s really all I’m going to say about the movie. The ending should be left for you to discover on your own. There’s a lot here, and ignore the critics saying this is a miss. It’s anything but. The acting is incredible; supporting roles are pillars of strength holding this peculiar story together, giving its star room to do his thing, and he does. Cruise is exceptional as Digger. The sound, sets, and visuals are remarkable, and the film itself was unexpectedly spectacular. It’s not like everything else being made. For me, that makes it a win right there. It also has a great, yet shocking, ending. Hold on to your seats.