Alejandro G. Iñárritu's latest film, Digger, is the kind of bold, unconventional blockbuster that rarely gets made anymore. Pairing the Oscar-winning director with Tom Cruise in the lead role is a creative gamble that's already generating buzz, and the film's ensemble cast—including John Goodman, Jesse Plemons, and Michael Stuhlbarg—can't stop talking about the experience.
In Digger, Cruise plays Digger Rockwell, an oil tycoon whose drilling project in Greenland triggers a global catastrophe. As the world teeters on the brink, Rockwell is determined to save his reputation and position himself as humanity's savior. The film also stars Riz Ahmed, Sandra Hüller, and the trio of Goodman, Plemons, and Stuhlbarg, making for one of the most intriguing casts of the year.
A Script That Dared to Dream Big
When asked which scene in the script made them wonder how Iñárritu and Cruise would pull it off, the actors were unanimous in their awe. "No one scene suggested itself like that. Oh, man. The whole goddamn thing," Goodman said with a laugh. Plemons echoed that sentiment, but singled out a pivotal speech in the middle of the film. "The big speech in the middle. I felt like the script painted that so well that it was already so vivid in my mind, and I was so excited to see that, because there are many shifts in the story, but that one feels pretty significant."
The Magic of VistaVision
The film was shot in VistaVision, a format that uses a larger negative than standard 35mm, allowing for incredible detail and depth. Goodman described the experience as watching "a talking painting," while Stuhlbarg explained the technical advantages: "The negative is larger than usual negatives by four times, so it can capture every nuance of what it's being directed at, and everything is in focus as well. So it's like looking at a painting in every single frame of the thing."
Plemons noted the camera's imposing presence on set. "It's large, it's emitting this sort of hum that is maybe intimidating in the beginning, but then, weirdly, I kind of found it almost comforting. There's a weird, I don't know, weight, presence to it. You kind of feel like, 'Okay, it's time to go,' you know? 'It's time to do something.'"
Tom Cruise: A Surprising Turn
All three actors had nothing but praise for Cruise, whose performance in Digger is unlike anything audiences have seen from him before. Goodman highlighted Cruise's "innate curiosity" and his desire to explore every aspect of the production. "He wants to know more about everything, and it rubs off, and it turns into a joy of working. His own exploring and searching, it makes you want to jump on the bandwagon."
Stuhlbarg added, "To be in the room with him and to watch him want to engage about every aspect of what it is we're doing together as a group, it's very welcoming. He's having as much fun as the rest of us, and he's encouraging it in all of us, as well. There's nothing like it."
Plemons, who has worked with Cruise before, teased that this role will be a revelation for many. "I've never seen him play this character before. That's going to be a surprise for a lot of people."
Digger is shaping up to be one of the most talked-about films of the year, a testament to the power of taking risks in Hollywood. For more on the film, check out our look at Cruise's other epic roles and the surprising origin of Jack Reacher.
