Tom Cruise transforms for Digger as Oscar talk builds
Tom Cruise plays Digger Rockwell, a wealthy tycoon forced to try to save the world after one of his oil rigs fails and triggers a planetary environmental catastrophe, in Alejandro González Iñárritu's new film Digger, according to Variety.
The first reactions are split.
The social embargo lifted on Sept. 22. That is the set time when invited viewers can post short responses online, before full reviews are allowed. The early posts were mixed, praising Cruise's performance while criticising the film's execution, according to Variety.
Variety reported that critics are divided on Digger and audiences will be too. The assessment came in a discussion of Cruise's prospects in the Best Actor race at the Academy Awards, the US film industry's annual honours.
Cruise, 64, is joined by Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Sandra Hüller, Michael Stuhlbarg and Jesse Plemons, according to Variety. No release-date or box-office figures, meaning ticket sales in cinemas, have been confirmed in the material provided.
The role involves a striking physical change. Cruise appears unrecognisable as Rockwell, according to Parade. He built the look through diet change, makeup and prosthetics. He also helped cut down the time needed in the makeup chair for the transformation, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Awards talk is already active. An Oscar campaign for Cruise's performance has launched, according to IndieWire. Cruise has three previous acting Oscar nominations and one producing nomination, according to the same report.
The production is reported to cost at least US$125 million, according to OK! Magazine.
What makes this stand out is the combination. A large-scale original film, a physical transformation and an early awards push have arrived together, while first responses point in different directions.
