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Diggers

Diggers

No one can drift forever.

200696 minRMidcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films
Director
Katherine Dieckmann
Starring
Paul Rudd, Lauren Ambrose, Josh Hamilton, Ron Eldard

In 1976, four working-class friends come of age in The Hamptons, on the South Shore of Long Island, New York, as clam diggers, as were their fathers and their grandfathers before them. They must cope with and learn to face the changing times in both their personal lives and their neighborhood.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Diggers?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Diggers streaming on Magnolia Selects via Prime Video, Netflix and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Diggers?

Diggers earns 4 badges, led by Standout acting and Crowd Pleaser.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Diggers worth watching?

Diggers' Midcredits score is the 53rd percentile of all films, from 5.7K ratings across 6 sources. 50% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

53rd percentile

Better received than 53% of films

60th percentile among Comedy50th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)52nd
Approval (how many liked it)52nd

62 /100

52nd percentile of all films

59th percentile among Comedy51st percentile among 2000s

Critics 66 · Audience 61

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.4 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

50% liked it

52nd percentile of all films

58th percentile among Comedy49th percentile among 2000s
50% rated it 7–1050% rated it 1–6

Critics 69% · Audience 57%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Reach

How many have seen it

79th percentile

5.7K ratings across platforms

76th percentile among Comedy71st percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 53% in 30 days

Box office

Opening weekend$33K
Domestic gross$67K
Worldwide gross$67K

20th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A well-acted, character-driven slice-of-life about working-class clam diggers, but it's low-key and lacks forward momentum.

Fans praised

  • realistic slice-of-life drama without quirk
  • excellent ensemble acting and authentic feel
  • sharp dialogue capturing 70s Long Island

Detractors panned

  • talky inertia and no real story
  • formulaic premise, familiar concept
  • underdeveloped plot

What stands out

Acting78

ensemble cast praised, Rudd and Tierney stand out

Characters75

well-drawn, archetypal but relatable

Atmosphere75

authentic 70s Long Island setting

Dialogue72

sharp dialogue, some forced smoking

Emotional impact68

touching but not deeply moving

Plot and storyDivisive55

formulaic and thin, nothing much happens

PacingDivisive50

talky inertia, low-key rhythm

OriginalityDivisive45

familiar dead-end small-town premise

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 11 points higher than women.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • US vs non-US 6 points apart

Watch experience

What is Diggers like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

No single mood: browse every movie of this kindNo one kind of watch fits it, so it is described by how heavy it is.

Watch this when you want something serious but easy to take.

It is gentle, takes its time and leaves you bittersweet. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Moods
MelancholicWarmHopeful
Heaviest: throughout
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
WarmTender · 13% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its characters with affection and gentleness, capturing the rhythms of everyday life without irony.
The rideReviews note the film is a modest seriocomedy with elegiac moments and an unexpectedly moving conclusion, suggesting a melancholic but warm mood that peaks toward the end.
StructureThe film unfolds chronologically across the summer of 1976 following Hunt's personal journey after his father's death.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

BittersweetHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayThe film ends with a sense of loss for a dying way of life but also hope for one character's new beginning.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Rebirth
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13% (this title): Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% (this title) · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Rebirth: A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed. · Liberation: Breaking free of a confining life (Room).

13% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe story follows a group of friends as they navigate personal and economic changes in a small town; the protagonist Hunt undergoes a quiet transformation toward leaving his old life behind.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFriendship
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% (this title) · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% (this title) · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% (this title) · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Friendship · 9% of filmsCommunity · 14% of films: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Tradition vs change · 2% of films
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on a tight-knit group of friends clinging to their small-town way of life as outside forces reshape their world.
StanceThe film follows a group of friends facing change without judging them, presenting their lives with warmth and humor but avoiding a strong polemical stance.

The world

Late 20th centuryRuralDomesticRealistic
FolkSupportive music · original score · David Mansfield
Settinga small-town community on Long Island in the 1970s
MusicThe score likely underscores the film's nostalgic 1970s small-town setting.

Content guide

Is Diggers okay for kids?

R

Diggers is rated R: “Rated R for language, drug use and some sexual content” (MPAA). As of March 15, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (17/100), sexual content at moderate (52/100), language at intense (67/100), drug and alcohol content at intense (67/100) and frightening material at minimal (0/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 2 other countries
  • UK15
  • Hungary16
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Mild
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Moderate
too few votes to rank (7 votes)
Profanity
Intense
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Intense
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (1 vote)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (18 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Diggers have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Diggers?

Cast

Paul Rudd
as Hunt
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Lauren Ambrose
as Zoey
Josh Hamilton
as Cons
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Ron Eldard
as Jack
Ken Marino
as Lozo
Sarah Paulson
as Julie
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Maura Tierney
as Gina
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Beeson Carroll
as Hunt's Father
Jack O'Connell
as Mr. Wilson
Mather Zickel
as Alan
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Diggers?

Movies like Diggers include Cemetery Junction (2010), The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys (2002) and Big Time Adolescence (2019). Two are coming-of-age stories; two are films set in the 1970s.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Diggers?

742 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: hangout movie. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.