by Shane Conto
With the success of Bridgerton, why wouldn’t Netflix be riding high on the period piece train? You have all the period outfits, different locations, and traditional perspectives to really get you entranced in that time. But where Bridgerton is filled with gossip and hot steamy relations, The Dig takes a bit of a more lowkey look at 1930’s England. You know things are really exciting though when your film is about digging up a really old boat, right? All joking aside, is The Dig going to reach that Top 10 spot on Netflix and grab your attention?
What can The Dig do to enthrall audiences with such a story?
The film focuses on the excavation of an old ship at Sutton Hoo in 1938. Grabbed your attention yet? But what if the woman who owns the land is sick and must deal with her own mortality? Better? She has a son who must also deal with the impending loss of his mother. Then you have the archeologist who never got the recognition for his work. His wife is pressuring him to support them while the British Museum tries to take this huge discovery from him. Enough drama yet? No worries, there is more! Throw in even more characters once the museum rides in and have some of them fall for each other. Yeah…there is a lot going on in this film. The John Preston novel is morphed into this screenplay by Moira Buffini who has the tall order of balancing it all. In general, some subplots are considerably more interesting than others. If the focus was more on Edith Pretty and her son along with the struggle for Basil Brown and his excavation, then the film would have been more balanced.
The story may feel little too convoluted but what about the craft that brings it to life?
Simon Stone, the director, delivers a traditional period piece. Nothing flashier and nothing less. The Dig presents as a purely traditional drama if there ever was one. There are no particularly ambitious risks taken as the film really plays it safe. Is that for the best? You can be the judge of that. The film is well shot by cinematographer Mike Eley, who has worked with many cameras on British films. Stone is able to deliver some emotional moments that do hit (mostly around the failing health of Edith Pretty) as well as some tense moments (like characters being buried under falling earth). What really brings some life to the film is the inspired and rousing score from Stefan Gregory. What could make dusting and digging feel so triumphant? Gregory’s score certainly does.
What is this film able to do with the great pool of talent in front of the camera?
Quite a bit as the cast is one of the major highlights. Carey Mulligan is one of the most underappreciated actors working today and she delivers the emotion and presence to lead this film along with her veteran screen partner. Speaking of…who doesn’t love some Ralph Fiennes? Fiennes is a fantastic actor who has had a long career of great performances. Fiennes plays a quirky and endearing underdog here that is needed to anchor this film. The likes of Lily James and Johnny Flynn arrive later in the film just in time to try and light a spark. Their subplots feel less fleshed out and half baked. They could have been charming additions as side characters but they are asked to take too much focus from the central narrative. Throw in a talented Ken Scott as a British Museum man and you got yourself a solid antagonist as well.
So, when all is said and done, will The Dig grab your interest?
That might be hard to determine. Are you a serious fan of British period pieces? Then this one might be a solid outing for you. How about the rest of you? That is a harder sell. The central plot about excavating a boat with some thrown in romance might not make the strongest case. But Netflix does have a well-crafted and beautifully scored film on their hands.
Grade: C+