Common Sense Media Review
By Sandie Angulo Chen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Strong performances drive thoughtful, mature marital drama.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Digging for Fire
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
DIGGING FOR FIRE is a relationship dramedy starring Jake Johnson and Rosemarie DeWitt as thirtysomething married couple Tim and Lee, who are staying in Lee's yoga client's beautiful bungalow with their toddler son, Jude (Jude Swanberg), for a long weekend. While walking around the property, Tim unearths a gun and what he believes is a human bone. Lee tells him to drop it, but when she and Jude head to her mother's house (Judith Light) for a night so that Time can stay home and presumably work on their taxes, Tim ends up having a drunken guys' night in and enlisting his friends' help to dig in the backyard for more clues about the mystery of his findings.=
Is It Any Good?
Featuring his cast of regulars and an intriguing central plot point, Swanberg's latest relationship story is well acted, if not particularly memorable. Swanberg and Johnson have collaborated before, as has most of the ensemble cast, who are somewhat of a troop for the Chicago-based filmmaker. DeWitt and Johnson are achingly authentic as a couple old enough to be married with a kid but young enough to have friends who are still living the hook-up-and-get-wasted lifestyle.
Once Tim and Lee part ways for some separate time (he stays in the bungalow to take care of family business, while she heads to her wealthy mom and stepdad's, played perfectly by Light and Sam Elliott), the stories divide, but Tim's gets the lion's share of screen time. While he has all of his friends (Chris Messina, Sam Rockwell, Mike Birbiglia, etc.) digging for clues, Lee is busy debating her well-heeled mother about not sending Jude to a fancy preschool and then heads out for a much-needed night alone on the town, where she meets a handsome pub-goer (Orlando Bloom). How Tim and Lee comport themselves apart is fascinating, and it's ultimately the leads' performances that make this drama shine just enough to keep you interested, if not enough to make this a must-see.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Digging for Fire presents drinking and drug use. Do you think Tim and his friends party too much? Does their behavior seem believable? What are the consequences for their substance use?
What's the movie's message about marriage and relationships? Were you surprised by how the film ended? Do you think it's believable that a married couple would act that way?
Joe Swanberg is known for semi-improvised dramas. Does this movie seem somewhat improvised? Do you prefer improvisation in comedies or dramas? Why?
Movie Details
- In theaters : August 21, 2015
- On DVD or streaming : November 3, 2015
- Cast : Jake Johnson , Rosemarie DeWitt , Brie Larson
- Director : Joe Swanberg
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : The Orchard
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Friendship
- Run time : 85 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : language including some sexual references, drug use and brief graphic nudity
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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