Neil Young Praises 'Digger': 'The Best Film I Have Ever Seen'

Despite its lackluster box office performance and mixed reviews, Digger has garnered unexpected acclaim from Neil Young, who declared the film starring Tom Cruise as "the best film I have ever seen."

Young expressed his thoughts on Digger in a recent entry in the Letters/Artists/Bandstand section of the Neil Young Archives Times-Contrarian newspaper. Although the film's Rotten Tomatoes score has climbed to 53 percent, Young contended that critics have failed to grasp the essence of Alejandro González Iñárritu's creation.

"None of the reviews I have read describe this film adequately, in my opinion. They seem to miss the overall effect and most of them are negative," Young stated. "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."

Continuing his praise, the legendary musician remarked, "I would describe it as a film of our times. Tom Cruise is the actor playing the main character. I do not view this film as a commercial venture. Rather it is an artful film of our times. The things that are said in Digger are a direct reflection of today's political and social world. The film is so full of 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."

As of two weeks post-release, Digger has earned approximately $38 million globally. According to Variety, the film would need to achieve a revenue of $350 million just to reach break-even, which adds another layer of significance as Young observes that Digger was the final release from Warner Bros. before its merger with Paramount. "As such, it is a great example of our times," he noted.

While Digger appears to be heading towards being one of the largest box office failures in recent memory, it has received support from notable figures in Hollywood, including Jane Fonda, Guillermo Del Toro, and Anne Hathaway, who starred alongside Cruise in Days of Thunder 2. Nevertheless, Neil Young stands out as Digger's most prominent advocate.

"It is today's world of politics and commercial overload. A must-see for those frustrated by the lack of genuine engagement present in much, if not all, of today's offerings," Young concluded. "Digger is not to be missed."