Actor Mandy Patinkin has voiced strong support for the Alejandro G. Iñárritu-directed film Digger, calling it an instant classic and one of the greatest pieces of film he has ever seen.
In a video message posted after watching the movie in a theater, Patinkin urged his followers to ignore negative reviews and see the ecological disaster movie starring Tom Cruise. He described the project as an incredible piece of work that puts the heart and soul back into cinema, imploring audiences to run rather than walk to theaters.
Criticism and industry support
Patinkin’s comments follow unfavorable notices from various critics and a slow box office launch. Digger opened domestically with an $8 million debut and a $20 million global start, alongside a 52% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes and a C+ CinemaScore. Reports indicate the feature could face potential losses around $150 million.
Despite the reception, Patinkin defended the movie in a written statement, stating that negative reviews were beyond comprehension and that the film represents a daring, original piece of art.
Cast and fellow defenders
Patinkin joins a group of prominent figures defending the project. Anne Hathaway recently gave the film a five-star review on Letterboxd, calling it smart, trippy, aggressive, funny, and ambitious. Guillermo del Toro has also publicly defended the movie on social media.
Tom Cruise stars in the film as Digger Rockwell, an aging oil magnate whose drilling operations trigger an ecological disaster. The ensemble cast also features Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Sandra Hüller, Michael Stuhlbarg, Jesse Plemons, Teddy Hawley, Robert John Burke, Emma D’Arcy, Burn Gorman, and Sophie Wilde.
Following the opening weekend, Cruise expressed pride in the project on Instagram, thanking the cast and crew for their dedication and hard work.
