History is changed by poking around in the backyard in The Dig, the latest from director Simon Stone.
The mounds had been around for forever, or at least seemingly forever, and Edith decided it was time to find out what they covered. Never mind the looming war and the lack of supplies and experts. It was one of the things she could finally do now that her husband was dead and she owned the land, so she plowed ahead, finding an archeologist who could begin excavations himself. What’s hidden below turns out to be well worth the effort of the greatest archeologists the UK has to offer, even during the war, and eventually they descend on Sutton Hoo.
This dramatization of one of the most important archeological finds in the UK looks to be a good old fashioned historical drama, one with a grand scale to match its subject. That will be a stretch for Stone, who only has the much smaller scale drama The Daughter under his belt.
That greenness doesn’t extend in front of the camera, though, as this boasts the requisite stacked cast for the genre. Carey Mulligan and Ralph Fiennes star as the landowner and original archeologist, respectively, and as the project expands they are joined by both professional and untrained helpers played by the likes of Lily James and Johnny Flynn. These four seem to be the core of the movie, with the trailer hinting at not only professional entanglements but romantic ones as well. That would make for a chock-full movie, one that hopefully Stone is able to hold together.
The Dig is directed by Simon Stone and stars Carey Mulligan, Ralph Fiennes, Lily James, and Johnny Flynn. It will be released worldwide on Netflix on January 29th, 2021 with a limited theatrical run beforehand.
Will you check out this historical drama? Let us know in the comments!
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