Metascore
76 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 28 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 23 out of 28
  2. Negative: 1 out of 28
  1. Reviewed by: Joel Selvin
    100
    Remarkable rockumentary.
  2. Reviewed by: Ty Burr
    100
    The result is one of the most unforgiving ground-level documentaries about the music business ever made -- the six-string equivalent of "Hoop Dreams."
  3. What makes the movie powerful is Timoner's decision to structure it via Taylor's perspective on his competitor, with no holds barred.
  4. Reviewed by: Steve O'Hagan
    100
    A vibrant and vivid documentary masterwork, DiG! will have you celebrating independent filmmaking while lamenting the state of independent music-making.
  5. 100
    It's a teeming, steaming, bubbling stew, a tremendous good time, a rich entertainment and a heck of a lesson in music, human etiquette and the politics of making it (or not) in show biz.
  6. The fascination of Dig! is that it invites those of us who aren't alt-rock obsessives into the hive, yet it never feels like a dilettante's tour.
  7. Reviewed by: James Barber
    90
    The movie has become a kind of highway-safety film for the rock community.
  8. There's a genuine sense of loss when dreams go unrealized, and in these moments Dig! transcends the typical "rock movie" format and aspires to something greater: an examination of why we create and what we receive from art.
  9. Reviewed by: Allison Benedikt
    88
    Anton, because after watching your tantrums, abuse and addiction in DIG! I went straight to the record store to buy your music. And that's something.
  10. 88
    DiG! is raw, just as the band members themselves.
  11. Reviewed by: Robert Dominguez
    88
    A riveting rock documentary.
  12. 80
    Fascinating, horrifying and hilarious.
  13. 80
    The no-frills documentary also makes it clear that Newcombe is the real deal -- both supremely gifted and organically nuts.
  14. Reviewed by: Carina Chocano
    80
    Should be required viewing for youngsters thinking about a music career. It's a great reminder to be careful what you wish for.
  15. Reviewed by: David Ansen
    80
    It's like a spectacular roadside accident: you can't turn away.
  16. Reviewed by: Dennis Harvey
    80
    The terrific DIG! offers a unique chance to watch two classic rock band scenarios unfold simultaneously.
  17. 80
    The video is narrated by Taylor, who magnanimously presents Newcombe as a Byronic hero, but ultimately proves that the pursuit of success and the pursuit of cool can be equally pointless.
  18. Timoner offers a resonant, often painfully funny, drama about two good friends who become enemies against the backdrop of the pop-music business.
  19. Reviewed by: Bill White
    75
    Captures the infantile fantasies of rock 'n' roll's self-made messiahs with an honesty that is rare in today's MTV world of promotional entertainment.
  20. Reviewed by: Ken Fox
    70
    It's a fascinating film that manages to touch on subjects as diverse as mental illness and what's wrong with the record industry, set to brilliant music by the one of the best bands you've probably never heard.
  21. If universities ever start graduate programs in rock stardom, Dig! will surely be a cornerstone of the curriculum, for it works as both an instruction manual and a cautionary tale.
  22. Reviewed by: Aaron Hillis
    63
    DiG! never delves deep enough to act as a true cautionary tale. It's an amusingly drunken PBS-worthy human-interest doc, unless you're too old or not cool enough to have played in the embarrassing hipster zoo, in which case DiG! may be the closest you'll ever get to the uncaged animals.
  23. Reviewed by: James Greenberg
    60
    May not be for all tastes, but it's an up close and personal look at a true rock 'n' roll animal.
  24. 60
    These flashes push Dig! beyond recording-industry kvetch, causing it to stay with you longer than either band's ephemeral music.
  25. 50
    By giving Taylor the last word, Dig! becomes little more than a self-serving, unconvincing infomercial for a musician who comes across as functional and bearable only when compared to his counterpart.
  26. Reviewed by: Melissa Levine
    50
    Whether or not you like this film may depend on how much interest (or patience) you have for the antics of a self-proclaimed prophet.
  27. Reviewed by: Richard Harrington
    30
    Ultimately undermined by the fact that the two rock bands Timoner chose to focus on -- the Brian Jonestown Massacre and the Dandy Warhols -- simply don't matter as much as she thinks they do.
User Score

Universal acclaim- based on 9 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 4
  3. Negative: 0 out of 4
  1. MojoP.
    10
    Funny, fun, amazing music, and most of all, it's inspirational and teaches you a lot about the music industry and how to make it and how to fail. It was an adventure through and through and at no point did it get slow or boring. Plus the music was fantastic. Although it was a bit of a Springeresque portrayal of the Massacre, it wasn't overly innacurate either. A mad fun flick to watch any given night. Rent it! Full Review »