Tom Cruise Faces Divided Early Reviews for His Eccentric Oil Tycoon Role in Digger

Tom Cruise plays Digger Rockwell, an eccentric oil tycoon, in Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s dark comedy Digger, a role Cruise says is unlike any character he has encountered. Extensive prosthetics and makeup transform him for the part; Cruise said he helped streamline the application process from six hours to about one, likening the coordinated work to a ballet and Formula 1. He described the character as outrageous and unpredictable and the film as a story about power, greed and ego. Early reactions to the movie are sharply divided, with some praising its ambition and visual inventiveness while others call it unfunny or messy, making its reception a test of Cruise’s star power.
The film’s plot follows Digger, described as the world’s most powerful man, on a frantic effort to prove he is humanity’s saviour before a disaster he unleashed destroys everything.
The ensemble cast includes Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Sandra Hüller, Michael Stuhlbarg and Jesse Plemons, alongside Robert John Burke, Emma D’Arcy, Burn Gorman and Sophie Wilde.
Iñárritu co-wrote the screenplay with Alexander Dinelaris, Nicolás Giacobone and Sabina Berman; the film is produced by Iñárritu, Mary Parent, Cruise and Michael Sharp.
Cruise said the six-hour makeup process was difficult to fit around a 12-hour shooting day while still allowing him time to sleep, motivating him to find ways to speed it up.
Digger is scheduled to open in cinemas on October 2.
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