Hollywood's 'Digger' Defense Squad Is Growing: Mandy Patinkin Says Tom Cruise's Box Office Bomb Is 'One Of The Greatest Films I Have Ever Seen'

Tom Cruise's new movie got savaged by critics and bombed at the box office. Meanwhile, a growing list of famous fans is basically screaming "YOU'RE ALL WRONG" from the rooftops.

The latest to join? Mandy Patinkin, and he did NOT keep it low-key.

The Tea ☕

• Mandy Patinkin posted an effusive video begging people to see Digger, per Deadline.
• Anne Hathaway and Guillermo del Toro have also spoken up in its defense.
• The film opened to just $8M domestic and $20M worldwide, with a 52% Rotten Tomatoes critics score and a C+ CinemaScore.

"Run! Don't Walk, Run!"

According to Deadline, the Homeland star recorded a video message soon after watching the Alejandro G. Iñárritu-directed film in a theater. He called it an "instant classic" and "one of the greatest pieces of film I have ever seen in my entire life."

Then he really went for it: "Please, please, please, run! Don't walk, run, and see this film."

In a written message, Patinkin also had some pointed words for the critics. He said the movie being slammed by reviewers is "beyond comprehension," and suggested anyone dragging it should "get a brain scan or see it again." Spicy!

He added that he'd have "given my right arm to be an extra in this movie (I'm right-handed)." We respect the specificity.

Wait, What Is Digger About?

Per Deadline, Cruise plays Digger Rockwell, an aging oil magnate whose drilling sets off an ecological disaster. The cast also includes Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Sandra Hüller, Michael Stuhlbarg and Jesse Plemons, among others. That is a LOT of heavy hitters for a movie people can't agree on.

The Fan Club Keeps Growing

Patinkin is, per Deadline, the latest star to publicly back the film. Anne Hathaway gave it five stars on Letterboxd, calling it "smart and trippy and aggressive and funny and ambitious." Guillermo del Toro, a close friend of Iñárritu, has also been staunchly defending it on social media.

Deadline also reported the film could lose around $150M, which is... a number. After the opening, Cruise said he was "proud" of what the team created.

So Is It a Misunderstood Masterpiece?

We haven't seen it, so we're not picking a side. But the gap between the box office and the celebrity cheerleaders is fascinating. Patinkin framed it as a "battle cry for art" in an industry that rewards mass appeal. Audiences, for now, seem to see it differently.

Sources: Deadline

Have you seen Digger? Are you Team "Instant Classic" or Team "C+"? Tell us in the comments.