Diggers

You don't need another list of "underrated comedies" — Diggers in Australia on Hoopla, and in the US on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video earns the label on its own. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. A 6/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Watch it for Paul Rudd — stay for everyone else around them. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Hoopla.

Diggers arrived without much fanfare and built its audience the hard way — through word of mouth. Sharp writing and a well-matched ensemble are what separate Diggers from the crowd. 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. Between them, Paul Rudd and Lauren Ambrose carry the comedy without ever forcing it. It was released in 2007. Diggers earns its laughs from character rather than situation, which is why it does not wear thin the way pure farce tends to. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

For viewers who want something light without wanting something stupid, Diggers respects your intelligence. If you have run out of similar titles to watch, this is a strong next pick. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Paul Rudd's comic timing carries it through its weaker moments. The kind of comedy you recommend to someone who claims they do not watch much.

Diggers was released in 2007, directed by Katherine Dieckmann. The full 96-minute film is available to watch now. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.