La Nuit du défi

this is a superb movie that really should have been seen by many many more people than it clearly has been. The best James Woods performance I have seen , superb support from Oliver Platt, Bruce Dern and - well, everyone in it. The script is tight, sharp, incredibly clever and very very funny. I'm not a fan of boxing movies, don't let it put you off. yes, the sting ultimately revolves around a fight, well, ten fights, to be precise, against just one man - but really it's a hugely satisfying con movie that ultimately becomes about vengeance, paying for your actions and finding the morality amongst the money. It's brilliant. Buy it/get it from a video shop that has old movies, steal it, whatever it takes.

Tremendously overlooked conjob flick concerning Woods and co. trying to mastermind a huge payday over a smalltown giant. Jimmy gets out of the pokey and heads to the title town, which is lorded over by Dern. A bet is made that Woods boxer, played by Gossett, can wipe out ten men in one night. What ensues is a ton of double-crossing, trickery, and surprises right up until the final moment, which is a doozy. Terrific performances by all (Woods as always is a dynamo), as the comedy and suspense are mixed perfectly. Film wasn't given much of a chance, as most movies get about 2,000 screens, this one only found its way to a little over 700, which would explain its anonymity. But if you find it you should get hooked like us cult fans who had the chance to go along for the great ride.

At least it has recently appeared on ESPN Classic so it would seem that a cult following may be building for this terrific film. I don't think this one lasted three weeks in the theaters around here, but the first time I saw it on cable, I was hooked. Diggstown is not only a hilarious film, but it's also one of the best "sports" movies I've ever seen.

Our story has a small group of con men led by James Woods who are trying to outwit a corrupt small town kingpin. They bet that "Honey" Roy Palmer (Louis Gossett Jr.) can knock out ten of the town's best boxers in a 24 hour period. Palmer is an outstanding, yet aging talent who "never got his shot". His skills, and the help of some local insiders make Woods and Co think they have a real shot at robbing the town blind. The funny thing is how Bruce Dern, who plays the local kingpin, reacts. He is no fool. He knows that Palmer will be tough to beat, and that Woods is trying to con him. But he has too much pride to pass on the wager. He also thinks the boxing talent in town is certainly good enough to beat a forty-eight year old fighter no matter how good he used to be. You'd think the locals would have the upper hand, but Woods and his people have all kinds of tricks up their sleeve both leading up to and during the matches. Once the wager is agreed to, the film never lets you up for air.

Diggstown is a very funny movie. James Woods could sit down and read the newspaper aloud and it would be entertaining, but here he has a great script to work with. Plenty of one-liners and intelligent dialog are used by everyone. The fight scenes are a considerable cut above any Rocky film ever made. It really looks like people are getting the crap beat out of each other in the ring. The motley crew of locals that Palmer has to fight are a hoot. One of them is even played by The Passion of the Christ's very own Jim Caviezel. He actually makes the mistake of calling Palmer the N-word in the ring. Yikes! There are numerous twists as the conclusion draws near. It becomes a question not of which side has the most endurance, rather which side has the biggest surprises in place to trip up the other. The final twist in one you will absolutely NOT see coming. For great comedy, spectacular fight scenes, and a surprise ending, check out Diggstown. It's a shame more people don't know about this film! 9 of 10 stars.

The Hound.

I like James Woods. Yes he is over the top blah blah blah but he takes risk and among his many bad films there are many good ones. In this movie he is at his best. The veteran actor paired with Louis Gosset Jr. does a great job. Gosset is also great as the overweight but still feisty boxer. The we are to old for this is a subtle joke that runs throughout the movie. The film has good twists and turns and real nasty villain played by Bruce Dern. When you get a few quality professionals as they did in this film you tend to produce a quality product. The script is sound and everyone looks like they had fun making the movie. The film has charisma, atmosphere, and a great deal of whit. In my opinion it is one of the better boxing movies made as well. The Great White Hype is witty but at many times is forced and requires more knowledge of the boxing industry for its jokes. Raging Bull is of course a masterpiece so there is no touching that, but if you are in the mood for a good comedy and just a flat out good movie I recommend it.

'Diggstown' is An Entertaining Film, that earns itself a viewing, by sheer merit. Also, It's lead-star, the ever-dependable James Woods, delivers an exceptional performance from start to end.

'Diggstown' Synopsis: A charming con man teams up with a boxer fallen on hard times in hopes of making some quick money.

'Diggstown' gets it right, because the humor works & so do the characters. The Boxing Match in the finale, is superb & stands out. Steven McKay's Screenplay is entertaining & well-done. Michael Ritchie's Direction, is good. Cinematography, Editing & Art Design, are passable.

Performance-Wise: Woods is exceptional, as expected. An Actor who NEVER Disappoints! Louis Gossett, Jr. is very impressive. Bruce Dern is decent. Oliver Platt scores. Heather Graham is her usual self. Others lend support.

On the whole, 'Diggstown' is an entertaining flick, that definitely deserves a watch.