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It is a performances centric movie

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

Joe Swanberg is an actor who has become a seminal figure in the mumblecore movement of the past ten years. With films like "Happy Christmas" and "Drinking Buddies," he has a distinct voice among the indie set. His films often start with a simple outline for the plot, with some tragic thirtysomething characters, and then the dialogue is mostly improvised by the actors themselves. He often operates with a cast that he has worked before, such as Jake Johnson, Anna Kendrick, and Melanie Lynskey.The film's plot is actually based on events in Jake Johnson's own life. The film follows a married couple, played by Johnson and Rosemarie DeWitt, who are having a hard time coexisting after the arrival of their son Jude. The wife, Lee, is a yoga teacher and one of her clients is letting the family stay at her vacation home for two weeks. The husband, Tim, digs around the property and finds a bone and an old gun. When Lee leaves to spend time with her family Tim invites a group of friends over, and though Lee has stated that he shouldn't dig anymore, he and his friends do anyway, and find quite a bit of evidence. The rest of the film sees both Tim and Lee try to find themselves in the company of others, as they attempt to piece together what they want from life.I mean, that's the interpretation that I came up with in watching this film. Swanberg eschews traditional storytelling and rhythm in order to delve into the inner psyche of the subjects covered in his films. To do this he often focuses between two and four characters. In this film there are two central characters, but there's also a large ensemble cast who do nothing but throw off noise. Chris Messina shows up for a good ten seconds of screen time, and Anna Kendrick does her cameo in stride, but they don't add anything to the story besides showing that Tim isn't a hermit. Brie Larson probably has the largest role as a friend of a friend who helps Tim flirt with the idea of infidelity as she becomes his confidant. Sam Rockwell is an explosive if unneeded presence, as a friend who becomes jealous of the Tim and Brie's relationship.Though there are some stark moments among the pretentious drivel, this is the worst example of the mumblecore movement I've seen yet. It reinforces the criticisms of most, as it's unfocused, monotonous, and slow. Johnson's usual charm is masked by a performance that weaves in between interesting and wayward. DeWitt isn't much better as the controlling and yet unfocused wife. If there had been a little more plot, a little more explanation, this would have been a much more interesting and deep film.

While Digging for Fire is not the finest Swanberg film, for anyone who knows what they are looking to get out of his movies they will not be disappointed here. Digging for Fire is less about a man's journey to unearth a potential crime from the past buried under a clients home, but more about self exploration during a brief time apart from his marriage to his wife; whom makes up the other scenes in the film.Digging for Fire avoids being sympathetic towards either main character and rather provides a basis for us to just watch instead of judge. All involved are indeed flawed, but very human. The brief moments we share with them don't plan on leading to anything Earth shattering, but rather provide two sides to a coin flipping back and forth. If you don't care much for films lacking in plot development; rather just moving from moment to moment guiding with each scene instead of using traditional story progression, than Digging for Fire will not be for you. Anyone else should be more than pleased by this well acted and nuanced mumbercore hit, and again, while it isn't quite Drinking Buddies, or Happy Christmas, it's still a film more than worth the watch! Also, the soundtrack, while minimal is a pretty good listen as well!

I don't understand the work of Joe Swamberg. Every time I give it a try because I'm a bit intrigued, but every time I am disappointed. This one has even come to make me laugh out of boredom and I kept raising my eyebrows at every shot or dialog. I don't understand his obsession with white, hip adults in hip environments. A beautiful house in Cali, adults doing coke, getting naked in pools... how indie... (sarcasm). The stories could be interesting or touching or alternative or intriguing but they are none of that. They feel like a failed attempt, every time. I would be interested in the conflict of an adult not really good at dealing with the responsibilities that come with a family lifestyle and being torn between the melancholia of younger days, I honestly would. But not translated in just a bunch of guys hanging out around a pool. I mean, not the way it is filmed here. It needs a bit more depth, something that would resonnate with a feeling we all go through. But no, it's not working at all. Joe Swamberg needs to move on to another subject. Can he see further than his own environment? He has the tools, but doesn't seem to want to.

Greetings again from the darkness. If one is evaluating the most misleading movie trailers of the year, this one would definitely be a contender. Rather than the carefree, laugh-a-minute, hanging with buddies, offbeat comedy it's presented to be, it's actually a rather dramatic observation piece on adult responsibilities and the changes we go through with marriage, kids, jobs, and so on. Think of it as an adult-coming-of-age weekend.Writer/director Joe Swanberg has become a festival favorite with such previous films as Drinking Buddies and Happy Christmas. He co-wrote this script with Jake Johnson, who also stars as Tim, husband to Lee (Rosemarie DeWitt). As the film begins, we quickly realize Tim and Lee are terrific parents to their young son Jude (director Swanberg's real life son), but are also a bit emotionally-strained with the whole marriage and adult responsibility thing.A pretty amazing ensemble cast delivers a 90 minute acting seminar based not so much on plot, as two separate spousal adventures. Using a client's beautiful home as their own family retreat, Lee and Tim quickly decide to spend a weekend apart – so that Tim can finish their taxes, and Lee can hit up her parents for Jude's pre-school tuition. Of course, watching Tim work on his taxes wouldn't be much of a movie, so instead, he finds a rusty revolver, and what appears to be a human bone, in the backyard. With Lee and Jude gone, Tim invites his friends over for beer, snacks and help with the gun/bone mystery. This leads to appearances by Sam Rockwell, Chris Messina, Mike Birbiglia, Brie Larson and Anna Kendrick.Lee's trip home permits quick exchanges with both of her parents (Judith Light, Sam Elliott), an ego-boosting interlude with Orlando Bloom, and a visit with old friends played by Ron Livingston and Melanie Lynskey. Ms. Lynskey's appearance seems especially fitting, as the tone of the movie is very much in line with her TV show "Togetherness" with Mark Duplass. The "tone" is related to people who aren't so much unhappy being married as they are curious as to what they are missing. These people haven't adjusted to the fact that life isn't always a party, and it's not really possible to recapture the carefree days with your old friends. Sam Rockwell's character is a stark reminder of this.The book "Passionate Marriage" makes multiple appearances in the movie, and it's clear that the lead characters believe they are losing their self, rather than evolving. It asks the question about what is "happy", and just how crucial it is to be open to the changes life brings.The classic song "Li'l Red Riding Hood" from Sam the Sham and the Pharoahs gets a prime spot during the film and is much more enjoyable than the slightly annoying New Age score that is overused through many scenes. This isn't really a mystery about the gun and bone, and it's not really about old friends or saving a marriage. It's mostly about coming to grips with life and taking joy in the good things … like a cute little boy and a trusted partner with whom to share each day.