Diggers is a touching character-driven drama about a group of family, friends and lovers living in a small town. It features outstanding acting from a cast made up, mainly, of little-known performers. The characters are interesting and well-developed through authentic dialog and the direction that effectively captures the small-town atmosphere. The story
well, did I mention that the characters and dialog are good? No real story here to speak of; just a meandering tale of people coping with changing life circumstances.
Paul Rudd, semi-familiar from roles in recent comedies like Knocked Up and 40 Year Old Virgin, plays Hunt, the last in a long line of clam diggers in a town where a ruthless corporation named South Shell is squeezing out the small individual clam diggers. Corporations suck. Anyone who doesn't think so, probably works for one. Hunt, along with his friends and family, struggles to come to grips with their dying way of life, as they live and love their way through the story. Maura Tierny is particularly impressive as Hunt's sister and Josh Hamilton is great as his erudite buddy while Alex Pickett steals scene after scene as a father under pressure.
This movie reminds me of Perfect Storm without the storm. The atmosphere is set and the characters are developed, but not much happens. Its not unpleasant to watch and doesn't really drag, but seriously, shouldn't something happen?
This work was first posted on realmoviereview.com
