08 / 10
Digger opens with divided reviews
Tom Cruise plays an oil magnate in Alejandro González Iñárritu’s new political satire, Digger.
What happened
Digger, Alejandro González Iñárritu’s new black-comedy political satire, has opened in cinemas. It stars Tom Cruise alongside Riz Ahmed, Sandra Hüller and John Goodman. Reviewers have differed sharply on the film, while several highlighted Cruise’s departure from his action-screen persona.
Numbers
- 2 hr 8 minFilm’s listed running time
- More than 5 hoursInitial makeup preparation time
- 2 yearsProduction began before release
Questions
- What is the film about?
- Cruise plays Digger Rockwell, an ageing oil billionaire whose effort to control events follows an environmental disaster linked to his platform.
- How was Cruise transformed?
- Prosthetics, a wig and a larger body suit transformed him; preparation was reduced from more than five hours to just over one.
- Why are plot details sparse?
- Reviewers were asked not to disclose a narrative turn that arrives early and reshapes the meaning of earlier scenes.
- What connects Digger to Birdman?
- The same writer previously worked with Iñárritu on Birdman and is credited as a Digger co-writer on the film.
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Support and opposition
Who supports this, and why
Favorable reviewers — The film’s ambitious satire and Cruise’s transformed performance make its risks worthwhile for viewers.