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People are generally fascinated by the past—in finding out where we came from and what life was like for those who came before us. And, if we pay attention, we can often learn from their lessons. The historical drama The Dig tells the story of a great historic discovery—and the ordinary people behind it.
The Dig travels to Suffolk, England, in 1939, as the country braces itself for another war. Edith Pretty (Carey Mulligan) is a young widow who lives on a mysterious plot of land that’s marked by huge mounds. Because of her lifelong interest in archaeology, she hires a kindred spirit—self-taught archaeologist Basil Brown (Ralph Fiennes)—to excavate the mounds to see what’s hidden beneath. And when he finally makes a discovery, what he finds has all of the country’s top archaeologists scrambling to get involved in the dig.
Despite its unlikely characters making extraordinary discoveries, though, this isn’t a tale of archaeological action and intrigue. Instead, The Dig is the kind of movie that can be best described, simply, as “charming.” It isn’t especially thrilling or fast-paced. The story is somewhat suspenseful—and the historical context does add to the tension—but the British nonchalance of the characters makes it feel more subdued and rather unemotional. The film is filled with likable characters, but instead of standing up and fighting for what’s important to them, they have a tendency to back away quietly—whether it’s Basil’s desire to be recognized for his achievements, Edith’s struggles with her health, or even Lily James’s Peggy and her frustrations with her marriage. They’re all a part of an interesting story, but it doesn’t necessarily feel inspiring.
In fact, the characters’ personal issues often feel more like a distraction than an important part of the plot. What starts out as a story of a couple of very different characters and their shared passion for archaeology—and uncovering what lies beneath these mysterious mounds—eventually gets caught up in a would-be romance involving characters who don’t even show up until well into the film. It’s more filler than anything else—and, unfortunately, it takes away from the drama and suspense of what Edith and Basil and their crew uncovered.
The Dig is a quiet story about a remarkable discovery by some lovably unlikely characters. There’s nothing Indiana Jones about it—but if you’re fascinated by the quest to uncover clues to our past, you’ll be charmed by this archeological drama.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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