The Dig (2021) Netflix Original Movie Review

[@dylan10011998]

I have to disagree about the side stories being distractions. I believe they were put in place to add a philosophic wholeness to what the movie was trying to convey. The brother (cousin) was heading to his probable death while also partaking in a monumental event in history, one that will eventually be dug up and excavated itself. He also added the illustration of our fragile mortality with his photography bit, and he showed how we can capture our fleeting lives for others to experience in the future after our death. Peggy and the brother/cousin’s relationship added to the overall “feeling” of the movie’s portrayal of life’s cyclical fluid and non-linear nature. Her failed relationship with her husband was “buried” but respected as the past in order to move forward with her own life. As for the scene when Peggy and the cousin have consummated new life in the exact spot where the other pilot died, I a believed it was a beautiful representation of the ever flowing timeline of our collective lives. As one life ends a new life literally begins. Just my two cents :)

[@markcarey8426]

Nicely put.

[@SouthwestBlue1]

A good review. My wife and I watched it last night and loved it. I think amongst all relationships and rival museum politics the film is philosophical in regard to our fragile mortality. The OST is great and adds emotion.

[@drylunch6400]

Great review. Thank you. I live close to that area.

[@CorneliaAmiri]

Great review. Due to my love of the subject - archeology and dark age British history - I loved this film. I agree the movie itself could have been much better. Still, it moved me and it made me cry. I felt it was interesting and heartwarming but they could have focused more and deleted the sideway stories.

[@lisawallace1741]

Maybe the layers of relationships and the layers of scenes are meant to parallel the layers of archeology?

[@MoviesAndMunchies]

Oooh! I like that. I can certainly see that playing into it...especially with the way they handled the scenes and dialog.

[@cliffedward]

😄

[@ThaRedPitbull]

Nice review. I immediately thought of Egypt too when you mentioned where would a person want to go. It'd be awesome to go into one of those pyramids that archeogists think has a hidden room.

[@thecritiquenut]

COMPLETELY agree with your review...just finished it a few minutes ago. Like you said, there were few too many plot threads going on and the focus was lost on the main characters for quite some time. It is like a videogame where you fade off into side quest rather than the main quest and suddenly you are reminded about the main quest. This reminded me of The Imitation Game where the actual focus was the protagonists sexuality instead of The Enigma. However, I would like to think The Dig is a metaphor and the film-makers intended it to be the self-discovery of the characters in their unique ways while the actual dig was just a plot point. I enjoyed it despite its drawbacks and would give it the same score you did. Great review!

[@aeroant]

Such a well articulated review! Agree with everything you’ve said.

[@AwesomeSecretChannel]

2:56 - "They seemed like a bit of a distraction". I definitely agree with this. Also, the focus on the relationship between Pigott and Lomax, while not based in reality, felt shoe-horned in. I liked the actors well enough, it's not their problem, but a script issue. 4:26 - I agree. The focus should have remained on Mrs. Pretty and Basil Brown, and also Robert. I enjoyed your review. You've got a new subscriber!

[@dylan10011998]

Things I noticed that I thought were incredibly poignant: •Britain was burying the statues and “historical treasures” under sand bags to prepare for the war. Literally burying history just like the “buried history” that the excavators were digging up. •Mrs. Pretty laid down dying literally in the burial site that once carried someone else into death •the ship and the little boys space ship references were all processes of traveling beyond life •Mr. Brown told the child he’d take him to the stars and did that by uncovering the history beneath the earth •the stars represent the history of man and the universe that we are apart of •Peggy and the soon to be pilot consummated new life (sex) in the exact spot the other pilot lost his life •photos taken by the pilot are the things that prolong our momentary life onward into history •cyclical nature of digging into the ground to find life and also digging into the earth to bury the dead •Mrs. Pretty’s husband died and was also buried under the earth •we are all just part of the cosmos and our lives and deaths just add to the story of everything

[@dustypink4802]

So beautifully put

[@carlinio9]

Great review Chris, I’m actually watching this back to front as I’ve already watched the Finding o’hana review which was really good.Funny ending with the fence. Must say loving the Merchandise, my wife showed me, fully deserved and a massive congratulations my friend.Keep up the Fab work.😀👍

[@MoviesAndMunchies]

Thanks Carl! Have you been to the Sutton Hoo site? It's one of the places that we were going to hit up when we were supposed to come over your way this past fall.

[@carlinio9]

@@MoviesAndMunchies No I haven’t but I’m certainly going to look that up now Chris as it’s made me really interested now.Fingers crossed it all goes well for you visit over here.Take care.😀👍

[@brijbalavyas]

The archeologist couples and the brother are subplots put in to strengthen the symbolic meaning of the dig... The digging of a grave and finding treasure is a symbol of digging into life as it ends and finding the true meaning and treasure of life...

[@ghostdancing9988]

Fact, Edith was 4 years old than Basil Basil John Wait Brown, born January 1888 Edith May Pretty, born August 1883 And the kid would have had to cycle 20 or so miles to get to Basil's home in Rickinghall.

[@aquamarine9568]

I am getting sooo good at guessing how many couches you will give a movie based on your review💖. I would love to participate in a dig on a Westcoat First Nations site, like Quadra Island, or Haida Gwaii.

[@spibeson1]

The dig is metaphorical, sir. The main digging here is into the past and it's continuous connection through the present to the future. Additionally, there is the excavation of the main characters motivations and mortality / immortality. The actual dig is simply the dramatic device for all of this. Very british. Thanks for the review.

[@erikramaekers63]

Carey Mulligan is an outstanding actress.She deserves an Oscar for Promising Young Woman.I have to watch The Dig soon.I would like to find the biggest dinosaur ever,but i'm to late they just found his/her bones.(true story Argentina a couple of days ago)

[@MoviesAndMunchies]

I just saw something about this! I'm going to have to read more on it because the brief article I saw wasn't too informative. And yes, Carey Mulligan needs an award! She was amazing in Promising Young Woman.

The director was trying very hard to emulate the look of Terrence Malick´s films, don´t you think? The wide angle lenses, the sweeping camera moves. I completely agree with you about the (useless) subplot involving Lily James. She´s very Pretty (hehe), but her scenes really took away from the digging of the treasures.

[@curiousworld7912]

Your comparison to the films of Terrence Malick is well-stated. I was thinking of Roger Deakins, the great cinematographer, who has often worked with Malick. :)

[@curiousworld7912]

I've been looking forward to this film as I've visited Sutton Hoo and seen the artifacts in the British Museum. The movie does sound kind of like it's all over the place, though. But, I'm sure I'll still give it a watch, just out of curiosity. As to being on a 'dig' myself; anywhere in Britain would be fine with me. There's so many layers of history there that I find fascinating.

[@MoviesAndMunchies]

Lucky! We were supposed to go to the British Museum this past fall, but because of COVID had to cancel. Definitely going to hit it up when we get to head to the UK.

[@curiousworld7912]

@@MoviesAndMunchies I know you'll enjoy it - I love England. Had I been able to just stay there, I'm sure I would have.

[@diamondlil7819]

Don't worry, it's not all over the place. The above is just one opinion. To me, it was a beautifully realised, straightforward story with marvellous cinematography and acting. But, there are many levels and, if you know anything about Anglo-Saxon culture then you will recognise and relate to them. And, if you don't, you will miss out on some of the things that the film is saying but, ultimately, it doesn't matter. Just curl up with a nice cup of tea and enjoy it.

[@curiousworld7912]

@@diamondlil7819 I just this moment finished watching it, and I truly loved it. Yes, the side story was a bit unnecessary, but it didn't detract from the main story - which was wonderful. I know a bit about Anglo-Saxon culture, and it did help. :)

[@diamondlil7819]

​@@curiousworld7912 Really glad to hear that you enjoyed it. I got something out of the Anglo-Saxon melancholy - the passing of all things, the importance of one's name being remembered (which Basil Brown's wasn't for a bit), the honouring of the warrior, both from the past and in the present (the drowned pilot is carried in a boat - reminded me of the dead Boromir and his boat burial in Lord of the Rings). The writer of the original book is the nephew of Peggy Piggott and I understand why he added that side story which I enjoyed more the second time around. It is true that she had an unhappy marriage and eventually divorced her husband for non-consummation. The love story again illustrated how happiness was fleeting to the Anglo-Saxons and how you had to seize the day. And, in Rory, a fictitious character, we can see a tribute to the handful of people who produced the photographic evidence and yet another example of the warrior: we know he is unlikely to return from the war. These are the links through time, reaching back to the handprints on the cave wall and still speaking to us. Lovely, reflective performances.

[@jenjones90]

Mrs Pretty was meant to be in her 50s. The real life character got married at 42 and had her son at 47 (!!!). Her husband first proposed to her at 18 and waited 24 years for her to accept, not the 13 years mentioned in the film. It's a shame they couldn't cast an age-appropriate actress for the role, especially when when already had the side story with Peggy (I.e. there was a young actor in the cast).

[@erikramaekers63]

Beau Séjour second season started today in Belgium.This time it"s the name of a boat.I loved the first episode the cast,cinematography and one hell of a surprise already.I'm sure Netflix will buy this second season too.

[@MoviesAndMunchies]

Oh my goodness, I'm so excited! I really hope that Netflix picks it up soon!

[@umaden8314]

Thanks for your recommendation 🙂

[@JamesDescutido]

My girlfriend worked on this film lol can’t wait to watch it.

[@markcarey8426]

I agree with what you say. I thought the sub-plot with the Peggy and her husband was a a bit forced. At the time I thought it was maybe critical to the 'the dig' but it wasn't. After the movie it seemed like an addition of a bit of sex & lies to spice things up when what this movie has doesn't depend on spice.

[@abhiezibran9654]

Another Movie that felt better suited in a Mini series format so that those subplots could feel more justified. Still absolutely mesmerized by the making and the writing. AFter a while, Netflix has brought something memorable.

[@grunt22]

Enjoyed the review and the film but I would like to point out that it wasn't just England that joined the war it was also Wales, Scotland and the Irish Territories who joined. Commonly these together are referred to as UK (United Kingdom) or Great Britain. It in much the same way as I refer to America or the USA and not just a random state such as Florida... cheers

[@c3piano]

This is a movie adaptation of a real event and doesn't claim to be a documentary of the event. It would be on the History Channel if it were a documentary. Also the character of Rory is completely fictional and is Mrs. Pretty's cousin rather than her brother. The movies claim is that it is based on a true story, not that it IS a true story.

[@Wats06071]

Loved the show, don't tell portion of the review :) Ok. The movie. *Sigh*..I think it was a lost opportunity. I fully agree these sides stroylines were just a drag. This could have been a much better film if it was about 80/90 minutes.Just focus on the dig, and delve more into the actual discovery instead of soundbites and platitudes. The acting of Ralph Fienne though is excellent! For me the movie was just above average (around 2.75)

[@reviewer49642]

Good Luck with the fence!

[@cliffedward]

This was a damned shame and not worthy of the talents of the actors. I'd actually saw a documentary about this and the now famous Sutton Hoo helmet. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw this movie was on Netflix and looked forward to it. What a disappointment! What the heck did a woman's husband having a gay relationship have to do with any of this? All we saw were a few bits of treasure (I believe there were 500 pieces to the helmet) and that was it. Maybe it was having a female write the screenplay. She must have written romance novels at some time. They could have easily developed the relationship between Brown and Mrs Pretty. They obviously were kindred spirits. I'm afraid this movie trivialized Britain's biggest archaeological find.

[@Loty2023]

" What the heck did a woman's husband having a gay relationship have to do with any of this? " And a wife writes letters and the husband doesn't reads them! And a woman is dying! And a boy will be left with no father and mother! And a young woman craves love! And a young man is going to war and maybe to his death! But that's life. And everything has something special. That's people's life! Plenty of it. And when all those people will die, what it will be left of them? Memories? Some objects? Some very rare object? Nothing at all? I loved the story/movie, with every bit.

[@welch_inc6532]

Hinting that the husband didn’t love Peggy because he was secretly gay was a strange choice that goes nowhere and wasn’t really needed. It’s bad representation and and a missed opportunity. It could have been more interesting to have it be a warning about not letting work ruin your chance of a happy relationship and a warning about the obsession that some archaeologists develop on their work

[@hupotasso4705]

According to comments by the screenwriter, Moira Buffini, in an interview for the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain, the Piggotts were eventually divorced after 17 years on the ground that their marriage was never consummated, but they remained on friendly terms for the rest of their lives. The implication in the screenplay may well be correct.

[@CM-ze6mg]

Ooooh the way you said “The dig!” Made me turn back around as I thought I misheard😆🍆

[@MoviesAndMunchies]

Ooops, need to work on my enunciation! LOL!

[@tomkiefaber4297]

I agree in general with you about the unnecessary dross the clumsy romantic sidelines and such represented, to a point. Imagining what 'your' version would have been like about which I'm sympatico I hit a real snag. Reimagining a Movies And Munchies Cut I'm with it, then I'm thinking...wait...wait. While smiling at how clean and focused on the dig 'your' version is that I endorsed, I find that I'm also smiling picturing scenes of the young, beautiful archaeologist with connections and, alas, a fey, 'hands off' (beard? ) spouse, as she's undulating with a coke-bottle-bare-midriff through and throughout the dig sporting the wrong, (somewhat immodest for the time...) garments for excavating while in odd positions one would otherwise have no reason to attempt without a 1500 year old boat underneath and cameras rolling. Hmmmm. OK, Movies And Munchies, I've had a moment to rethink my position, so to speak. Here's the dealio from my amended perspective. Personally? We still ditch ALL the boring sideline nonsense, the repeated medium shot Brokeback Mountain glances and the artistic hunk brother's too cool for school campsite, etc...wack ALL that Golden Hallmark style dross refuse. But listen, listen in retrospect? We gotta leave ALL her scenes in at the dig, OK? Can ya work with me on that compromise? Or maybe just most, OK? It's an element that enhances the production, overall. That way, the artistic license this story demands for those who just like me enjoy some gratuitous flesh here and there with some select spicy, erotyic sexual undertones, some not too gratuitous notes, So we lose, excise ALL that silly filler exposition, 'oh her short smarmy husband is gay' crapola eh? She transmits all that, that she's as pent up horny as a spider monkey on crack. And BTW, those glasses are some stylist's triumph, Bravo! The look achieved is really effective in capturing that sense in many commercials (inspired by the movies and Hugh Hefner ...) of the bespeckled, 'four-eyes' nondescript 'girl next door' yet when those glasses go away and her hair's let down by the pool transmutes into the proverbial vavavoom mega-babe. An old trope, done well here. And now that I state that ...I see something else in this optimized fantasy cut of The Dig. We must keep all the closeup,blowups of said sinuous, simmering 1939 babe not quite salaciously framed photos the horn-toad, (& possibly RAF doomed?) younger brother was taking of her in heat and in the heat that whole time surreptitiously with the hasselblad. Leave that in, for sure,eh? You bet, as there's a voyeur not quite stalker undertone in those images . The ending works that way as it actually depicts some of the same images some viewers were surreptitiously focusing on and snapping mental image of themselves as the tale unfolded. OK, a cheap thrill aspect , it's not that subtle, but hey it's Netflix. and it works. By George have we now got it! Movies And Munchies Guru? Most if not all our shared pet flaws are gone in this version ," The Dig's" recut cake is a lot more accurate and realistic, yet still has some sugary icing left. A sweet combo, Hon, from my perspective. ;-)

[@ertfgghhhh]

Will be watching this... Check out "wakefield" on netflix Hurry and start "snowfall" on fx/hulu

[@MoviesAndMunchies]

I've got them on my list (plus Flack)! Last night started the Sundance Film Fest...and I have 15 movies over the next 4 days (plus the ones that I didn't get to see as premieres with is another 8 or so to watch - yikes!)...so my eyes are going to be bleeding.

[@Adityakumar-hg8xz]

Swashbuckling