Movies Like ‘Digger’ That Pair Apocalyptic Satire With Bold Star Turns
Anyone searching for movies like ‘Digger’ is probably chasing a specific mix, a world ending crisis played for laughs, a director with serious credentials and a major star willing to disappear into a role. ‘Digger’ is a black comedy from Alejandro G. Iñárritu that shows Tom Cruise as an eccentric oil billionaire whose actions place the world on the brink of catastrophe. The studio has pitched it as a comedy of catastrophic proportions.
Early reactions split critics between those calling it one of the boldest studio films ever made and those calling it a mess. That divide makes a viewing list useful for anyone who wants context before the film opens in cinemas on October 2. The titles below draw on comparisons made by critics, cast members and reporters who have covered the project.
‘Dr. Strangelove’
Stanley Kubrick’s 1964 satire is the comparison that follows ‘Digger’ most closely, and it is widely considered one of the greatest and most influential films ever made. Co-star Jesse Plemons described the new film as having a modern day ‘Dr. Strangelove’ quality before it turns into something else entirely.
One early write up summed up the setup as the same doomsday premise, only with a device that runs on crude oil.
‘Don’t Look Up’
SlashFilm observed after the trailer that the film appears to be partly about climate change and about older leaders convincing a gullible public to buy into their narratives.
That led the outlet to compare it with Adam McKay’s divisive political farce, while allowing that it could end up closer to ‘Dr. Strangelove’.
‘One Battle After Another’
The Playlist noted that the ‘Dr. Strangelove’ comparison was also used often last year to describe Paul Thomas Anderson’s Oscar contender. That shared reference point makes it a natural companion piece.
The same outlet suggested ‘Digger’ may inhabit a heightened satirical world, while noting it was unclear whether it would engage with specific politics.
‘Birdman’
Deadline’s Justin Kroll called ‘Digger’ a multi genre film and likened its tonal approach to this Oscar winner from Iñárritu. That suggests viewers should expect shifts between comedy, drama and the surreal.
Iñárritu won Best Director for this film and for ‘The Revenant’, becoming the third filmmaker to win the award in consecutive years.
‘The Revenant’
‘Digger’ marks Iñárritu’s first English language film since this one. Empire points out that any laughs in his earlier work were of the pitch black kind, while the new film is far more overtly comedic, with actual gags.
Cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki, a three time Oscar winner known for ‘Gravity’, ‘Birdman’ and this film, also shot ‘Digger’ on 35mm film.
‘Tropic Thunder’
Kroll compared Cruise’s heavy prosthetic transformation in ‘Digger’ to his outrageous turn as Les Grossman in this comedy.
Arc Cinemas describes that role as the scene stealing studio executive that stands as his last widely recognised full comedic performance. It remains the best reference for seeing Cruise play against his own image.
‘Amores Perros’
Iñárritu’s feature directorial debut won the Academy Award for best international feature film in 2001. Cruise has said he was in awe of it, and that admiration helped lead him to ‘Digger’.
He first saw the film during its initial release and remained a long time fan.
‘Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths’
Iñárritu turned his attention to this passion project before returning to ‘Digger’. It shows how far his recent work has moved toward personal and surreal storytelling.
Variety notes that the film premiered at Venice and earned an Oscar nomination for best cinematography.
‘Magnolia’
JoBlo argued that ‘Digger’ revives the era of Cruise’s more adventurous roles in films such as ‘A Few Good Men’, ‘Jerry Maguire’, ‘Magnolia’ and ‘Eyes Wide Shut’.
The site also described the new film as his first major original dramatic role in years. ‘Magnolia’ is the clearest pick for anyone who wants to revisit that side of his career.
‘Eyes Wide Shut’
JoBlo’s writer, who saw footage at CinemaCon, said the dark comic edge felt like something in the vein of Kubrick’s ‘Dr. Strangelove’. Cruise has long admired Kubrick and starred in his final film.
That connection ties the recommendations together, from Kubrick’s doomsday satire to Cruise’s own history with the director. If ‘Digger’ lands in cinemas as more than a curiosity, will it stand beside ‘Dr. Strangelove’ as the doomsday comedy of its era, or will it end up on the messy side of the divide that critics have already drawn?
