''Digger'' is a Canadian

comedy-drama Comedy drama (also known by the portmanteau dramedy) is a hybrid genre of works that combine elements of comedy and Drama (film and television), drama. In film, as well as scripted television series, serious dramatic subjects (such as death, il ...

film, directed by Rob Turner and released in 1993.

Plot

Digger (

Adam Hann-Byrd Adam Hann-Byrd (born February 23, 1982) is an American actor and screenwriter most recognized for his roles in the films ''Jumanji'', '' The Ice Storm'', '' Halloween H20: 20 Years Later'' and as the titular character of '' Little Man Tate''. Ear ...

), a 12-year old boy, is sent to live with his aunt Anna ( Barbara Williams) and uncle Sam (

Timothy Bottoms Timothy James Bottoms (born August 30, 1951) is an American actor and film producer. He is best known for playing the lead in ''Johnny Got His Gun'' (1971); Sonny Crawford in ''The Last Picture Show'' (1971), where he and his fellow co-stars, C ...

) when his parents break up. He befriends Billy (

Joshua Jackson Joshua Carter Jackson (born June 11, 1978) is an American and Canadian actor. He is known for his portrayals of Pacey Witter on The WB's teen drama ''Dawson's Creek'' (1998–2003), Peter Bishop in the Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox science fic ...

), a dying boy who has an eerie connection with nature, while his widowed grandmother Bea (

Olympia Dukakis Olympia Dukakis (June 20, 1931 – May 1, 2021) was an American actress. She performed in more than 130 stage productions, in some 60 films, and in approximately 50 television series. Best known as a screen actress, she started her career in the ...

) enters a new romance with Arthur (

Leslie Nielsen Leslie William Nielsen (February 11, 1926November 28, 2010) was a Canadian actor and comedian. With a career spanning 60 years, he appeared in more than 100 films and 150 television programs, portraying more than 220 characters. He made his a ...

).Michael Reid, "Beautifully done but Digger's a downer". ''

Victoria Times-Colonist The ''Times Colonist'' is an English-language daily newspaper in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. It was formed by the September 2, 1980 merger of the ''Victoria Daily Times'', established in 1884, and the ''British Colonist'' (later the ' ...

'', April 23, 1994.

Cast

Production

The film was shot in

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

in fall 1992. The screenplay was based on the real childhood experiences of writer Rodney Gibbons.Michael Reid, "Here's Digger". ''

'', April 23, 1994. It was originally set in the

Isle of Man The Isle of Man ( , also ), or Mann ( ), is a self-governing British Crown Dependency in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and Ireland. As head of state, Charles III holds the title Lord of Mann and is represented by a Lieutenant Govern ...

, Gibbons' childhood home, but the setting was ultimately changed to British Columbia's

Gulf Islands The Gulf Islands is a group of islands in the Salish Sea between Vancouver Island and the British Columbia Coast, mainland coast of British Columbia. Etymology The name "Gulf Islands" comes from "Gulf of Georgia", the original term used by Geor ...

.Peter Birnie, "Digger light, lovely but doesn't fly". ''

Vancouver Sun The ''Vancouver Sun'', also known as the ''Sun'', is a daily broadsheet newspaper based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The newspaper is currently published by the Pacific Newspaper Group, a division of Postmedia Network, and is the larg ...

'', April 22, 1994.

Release

The film premiered on September 30, 1993, as the opening film of the

Vancouver International Film Festival The Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) is an annual film festival held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, for two weeks in late September and early October. The festival is operated by the Greater Vancouver International Film Festi ...

, before opening commercially on April 22, 1994.

Critical response

Michael Reid of the ''

'' praised the film's cast and cinematography, but called the film a "downer" that didn't have "enough action to hold our interest en route to the summary of life's lessons." Peter Birnie of the ''

'' wrote that "while Digger is that rare find, a family movie filled with positive values, it's also paced so slowly that kids could get bored. The script by Rodney Gibbons is guilty of making too much of the metaphysics between the boys, leading us in ethereal directions when what's needed is a stronger plotline."

Awards

The film received two

Genie Award The Genie Awards were given out annually by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television to recognize the best of Canadian cinema from 1980–2012. They succeeded the Canadian Film Awards (1949–1978), known as the "Etrog Awards" for sculptor ...

nominations at the

14th Genie Awards The 14th Genie Awards were held on December 12, 1993 to honour Canadian films release in 1992. This year's event was dominated by two Vancouver productions: Paul Shapiro (director), Paul Shapiro's ''The Lotus Eaters (film), The Lotus Eaters'', and ...

in 1994:"The Lotus Eaters strong contender at Genies". ''

The Globe and Mail ''The Globe and Mail'' is a Newspapers in Canada, Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in Western Canada, western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of more than 6 million in 2024, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on week ...

'', December 11, 1993. * Best Art Direction/Production Design: Mark S. Freeborn * Best Original Score: Todd Boekelheide

References

External links

*{{IMDb title, id=0106722, title=Digger 1993 films English-language Canadian films Canadian coming-of-age comedy-drama films Films shot in British Columbia 1993 comedy-drama films 1990s English-language films 1990s Canadian films Films set in British Columbia English-language comedy-drama films