There’s admittedly little done to complicate Mulligan’s character, but Fiennes’ understated fervor and terseness capture a very specific type of emotional repression, and the two performances each feel haunted by both the past and the looming future. While a film like this is bound to indulge in a classically English stiff upper lip, Ralph Fiennes and Carey Mulligan initially do a good job of laying the foundations for a truly rich, emotionally-rooted exploration of archaeology. Given such an intense backdrop, it’s surprising that The Dig never quite seems to take advantage of its potential. The magnitude of the find - an entire Anglo-Saxon ship buried inland in order to mark a historically significant grave - quickly draws others with varying levels of passion from the press to hobbyists such as Edith’s cousin Rory (Johnny Flynn), from ambitious local museum curators to somewhat snobbish career archaeologists (Ken Stott, Ben Chaplin, and Lily James), everyone is anxious to see the excavation completed before the oncoming start of World War Two, and to secure the future whereabouts of the unearthed treasures.

When he is recruited by Edith Pretty (Carey Mulligan) to excavate suspected burial mounds on her land, it seems to be the start of something historic.

Based on the true story of the Sutton Hoo dig and directed by Simon Stone, the film concerns Basil Brown (Ralph Fiennes) a man deeply passionate about his life’s work of excavation. Unfortunately for archaeology, The Dig is not such a movie. These peeks behind the curtain into closeted subcultures can spark new interest, as The Queen’s Gambit did for chess, Top Gun did for Navy aviators, and Fight Club did for toxic masculinity.

The successful ones communicate to audiences precisely how and why to embrace such specific passions, proving their worth outside of the core fanaticism, and perhaps even adding a little glamour. By this, I don’t just mean mere on-screen representation, but rather a film or series that really interrogates the heart of the matter. The Dig is a gorgeous effort but entirely sidelines the fascinating psychological and emotional terrain implicit to its narrative.Įvery niche interest deserves its own movie.

Download movie the dig true story