The Mosley Review: Digger

I gotta tell ya, movies like this don't really get made anymore. Sure we've had films that tackled politics, climate change and geological concerns, but none like this. This film had a unique perspective that was one part a farce and the other a massive satirical mirror that also illustrates an actual truth. Where "The Last Action Hero" was a fun action film that made fun of the dying style of 90's action films and "Idiocracy" was a comedic commentary on how our foolish political system and how the people will and have become dumber, this film was on that same track. It has its own voice and style that takes massive artistic swings of humor, satire, and an undeniable truth of the ecological consequences of the drilling business. I truly enjoyed the oddities that were on display and how many layers deep it goes. By the end of the story, I knew this film wasn't gonna be for the conventional audience as many would take offense or just wouldn't get it. Once the actual truth of the film is revealed, it all made sense and it was really fun as a look into the hubris of ambition, the stupidity of wrongfully empowered beings and the never ending self-righteous nature of the rich and greedy. I think I covered the most broad strokes possible without spoiling anything because this is one of those films that you really need to see to understand.

Tom Cruise is no stranger to taking on eccentric characters to say the least. I have been waiting to see him disappear into another character for a while and as Digger Rockwell, he shows once again why he's a brilliant actor. He understood the ridiculousness and self centered nature of Digger and the many amazing tirades he goes on about legacy. Digger was no doubt charismatic and a bit insane, but he always spoke his mind without hesitation. Its a fearless performance from Cruise that comes to life as he commands the screen in one of the best speeches I've seen all year. John Goodman nearly steals the film as the overly boisterous, doom and gloom fueled performance as President Compson. The man is not really all there and I loved his facial expressions the most. He was a complete caricature of a leader that was oddly real. There was a sort of bizarre friendship between him and Digger that was truly entertaining and whimsical to say the least. Sandra Hüller was fantastic as Digger's half-sister, Emma Rockwell. Both Cruise and Huller played off of one another so well. The constant frustration that Digger brings to her life was exhausting, but not without some form of love. Jesse Plemons is the king of subtle acting and I loved him for the amount of time he was in the film as a very important character that I won’t spoil. Sophie Wilde was awesome as Hannah. I don't want to spoil her character either, but her scenes with Digger truly stood out as some of the more intense moments of reassurance and crushing his insecurities. Riz Ahmed was another scene stealer as Digger's head of environmental safety, Dr. Nirav Ganesh. The amount of stress this man deals with while trying to speak some sense into the President and Digger was so frustrating and exhausting. I loved that he was one of the only people in his circle that could face him and tell Digger the truth with zero fear. The plane conversation was one of the best scenes of the film.

The score by Cosmo Sheldrake was perfectly funky, wacky and weird. It rarely takes a traditional tone throughout the film and that was fascinating. The score truly sells the offbeat tone and comedic farce of the film and at times, it was bit disorienting. Visually the film was stunning with a very grey and off white color palette that I enjoyed looking at. The set design and transitions from different locations was great. The big finale sequence of the film was beautifully crafted with classic miniatures and cinematic magic with practical sets that haven't been implemented in such a large yet small scale for quite some time. The political and environmental commentary and messaging is all over the film and I get that it will turn some people off, but I highly recommend that you actually take the trippy ride of a story this is. It’s definitely one of the most unique films of 2026 and perhaps will a overly debated one too. Let me know what you thought of the film or my review in the comments below. Thanks for reading!