Neil Young has defended Tom Cruise’s new polarizing movie, Digger, declaring it the “best film” he’s ever seen.
Co-written and directed by Oscar-winner Alejandro G. Iñárritu (Birdman, The Revenant), Digger follows oil tycoon Digger Rockwell (Cruise) who accidentally causes an environmental disaster that he tries to fix.
The movie divided critics and struggled at the box office. During its opening weekend, it took in just $ 20 million against a $160 million production budget, making it one of the biggest flops in Hollywood history.
But Neil Young urged his fans to ignore the naysayers and check the film, which co-stars Riz Ahmed and John Goodman. “None of the reviews I have read describe this film adequately, in my opinion,” he wrote in a lengthy blog post.
“They seem to miss the overall effect and most of them are negative,” he wrote. “This film lives in a world of art. It is its own best review. Don’t read any other reviews and forget this one before you see Digger,” the post added.
Young admitted Digger wasn’t your normal Tom Cruise Hollywood big-budget film, and wondered if that is why people were disappointed. “I do not view this film as a commercial venture. Rather it is an artful film of our times.”
He added that Digger is “a direct reflection of today’s political and social world,” before praising the movie for its “artful expression and radical change ups, that it may be too much to take in for those expecting a commercial film like we are used to today.”
The “Heart of Gold” singer described Digger as a “must see for those frustrated by the lack of genuine engagement present in much, if not all, of today’s offerings,” and encouraged people to watch the film with “an open mind”.
“Stick with it when you are sure it is no good. Stay. Don’t be confused by its approach. This is the greatest film – work of art I have seen, and that’s just my opinion,” the 80-year-old encouraged. “You must stay open and see it. Forget everything I said.”
