A movie with a $160 million production budget that opened to just $20 million in its first week should, by all rights, be quickly forgotten. But Neil Young chose this exact moment to write a lengthy post telling everyone: forget what you've read in the reviews, go see "Digger."
"Digger" is co-written and directed by Oscar-winning director Alejandro G. Iñárritu (known for "Birdman" and "The Revenant"), with Tom Cruise starring as oil tycoon Digger Rockwell, who tries to save thousands of lives from an environmental disaster of his own making. This darkly satirical comedy packs in plenty of genre twists, and critical reaction has been polarized, with most reviewers giving it negative marks. Its box office performance may also make it one of the biggest money-losers in Hollywood history.
In his blog post, Neil Young wrote: "None of the reviews I read actually described this movie. In my view, they missed the overall effect, and most of them were negative." He continued: "This film lives in the world of art, it is its own best review. Don't read any other reviews, forget this one too before you see 'Digger.'"
He specifically cautioned against treating "Digger" like a typical Tom Cruise blockbuster. "I don't think of this as a commercial work, it's an art film for our time. What's said in 'Digger' directly reflects today's political and social realities. This film is full of artistic expression and radical twists, which may be hard for audiences expecting the usual commercial fare today to digest."
Neil Young described it as "a must-see for anyone frustrated by the general lack of genuine commitment in today's work," and advised people to go into the theater with "an open mind." "When you're sure it's not good, hang in there. Don't get thrown off by its storytelling, stay with it. This is the greatest film I've ever seen—a work of art, this is just my personal opinion," he wrote. "You have to stay open to see it. Forget everything I just said."
Neil Young isn't the only one swimming against the tide. Anne Hathaway also left a glowing review on Letterboxd earlier, calling "Digger" "smart, trippy, forceful, funny, and ambitious." Still, these words of praise from musicians and actors have yet to translate into box office numbers.
Neil Young released a new album, "Second Song," in collaboration with Chrome Hearts just last month. He said the work continues from 2025's "Talkin To The Trees," channeling his anger at the Trump administration into music—"at a time when life is being severely tested, this is a way of gathering up the past into music that holds hope for the future."
