The Dig Reviews
At its best, The Dig transcends the clichés of typical British costume drama and lays bare the feelings that its protagonists are all trying so hard to hide.
| Original Score: 3/5 | Jan 16, 2025
The superb acting and gorgeous cinematography, however, isn’t enough to stop The Dig from getting a little side-tracked and bogged down in unimportant side plots and characters who don’t add much to the story.
| Original Score: C | Apr 26, 2024
Poetic, wistful and elevated with exquisite imagery, The Dig romanticises the unearthing of history.
| Original Score: 3/5 | Oct 11, 2023
It’s really something when a film is not too concerned with the aesthetic but will find the beauty in discovery of one’s own. The Dig is a good picture, wonderfully acted (Ralph Fiennes is tremendous here), and an engrossing reimagining.
| Original Score: 4/5 | Sep 11, 2022
The Dig’s story may be a tad overstuffed, but its entrancing ensemble – which features standout stars such as Carey Mulligan and Lily James – invites investment.
| Original Score: 3.5/5 | Sep 1, 2022
There’s an almost Malickian beauty to how cinematographer Mike Eley shoots these early scenes. The fluidity of his camera movements, the striking angles, the way nature is admired through his lens – its absolutely gorgeous filmmaking.
| Original Score: 3.5 | Aug 17, 2022
A modest film about an unsung hero, The Dig is an entertaining watch even if its lacking in emotional impact.
| Original Score: 3/5 | Mar 1, 2022
If you think you will be bored, it's totally understandable. But you're also wrong.
| Original Score: B+ | Dec 23, 2021
Gentle. Concerned with history. Refreshingly adult.
| Sep 13, 2021
The Dig charms with both a reverence for the past and thoughtful exploration of life and death.
| Aug 28, 2021
A rich array of subdued performances and exceptional handheld cinematography grace a delicately woven British period piece. A finely observed film made up of small, touching moments, The Dig is testament to the virtues of understated acting.
| Original Score: 4/5 | Aug 3, 2021
The Dig fails to address archaeology on anything more than a surface level, ignoring the fascinating psychological and emotional implications.
| Jun 5, 2021
The Dig is most definitely a learning experience, but it's also a chance to observe a place that seemingly stands apart from the rest of the country.
| Original Score: 3/4 | Apr 23, 2021
There's a great film to be unearthed from John Preston's 2007 novel, but this isn't it.
| Original Score: 3/5 | Apr 23, 2021
"a meditation on the fragility of life, how we're all connected, and what we leave behind."
| Original Score: 4/5 | Mar 20, 2021
Don't be fooled by the digging and the dirt, this Netflix feature is one of those rare hidden gems just waiting to be unearthed. Quintessentially English, full of charm and tenacity Ralph Fiennes and Carey Mulligan put in star performances.
| Original Score: 3/5 | Mar 18, 2021
Strong leading performances and a handful of beautifully crafted scenes sit sit by side with much clunkier and more derivative material.
| Original Score: 3/5 | Mar 12, 2021
Great performances from Ralph Fiennes and Carey Mulligan.
| Original Score: B | Mar 6, 2021
Despite its shortcomings though, The Dig remains a touching drama. It is a well-shot and well-acted look into an intriguing account from history...
| Original Score: 3/5 | Mar 6, 2021
By the end, The Dig has become a moving meditation on both long ago history and our own daily mortality. Strongly recommended.
| Mar 6, 2021