Digger

By Joanna Langfield

After an exhilarating start, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu’s furious take on our current state of affairs doesn’t go deep enough, neutralizing its anger with a turn that may or may not make the satire more palatable.

You can’t take your eyes off of Tom Cruise, ferociously committed to the role of Digger Rockwell, an American oil tycoon whose egocentric drive keeps him from facing the truth. Or so it seems. Because when an accident at Digger’s drilling facility in Greenland starts off a terrifying environmental crisis, he spreads the blame. Sure, the buffoon-like American President didn’t say he couldn’t drill. And yes, world leaders have turned a blind eye, too, approving cushy lifestyle payoffs when they could have pressed for safety gauges. I mean, guy’s got a point.

But there’s a twist in the movie (no spoilers, but it’s all over the internet if you’re interested). Not only does that divert our attention, which some audiences might appreciate, it also serves up a bunch of other problems. I would have loved to have seen Inarritu completely commit to the lessons he’s putting out there. Not just tapping into the confusion and madness of our moment, but fully exploring it, whether some people like it or not.

The production values are excellent, as are the moments provided by a wonderful cast. But I do mean moments. Michael Stuhlbarg and Sandra Huller don’t get to do much. John Goodman seems to be tapping into a Coen Brothers type take and it’s almost worth waiting for Jesse Plemons to show up. It’s Riz Ahmed who rises to the top here, nailing the role of the scientist nobody wants to hear.

Most interesting to me is why Tom Cruise took this role. Sure, it’s a great showcase for an actor I have always thought was underestimated. It is also socially and yes, politically, more bold than what fans have come to expect from him. I, for one, appreciate it.