Diggstown

Diggstown is currently streaming in Australia on Amazon Prime Video, and in the US on Amazon Prime Video and YouTube TV, and it delivers exactly the kind of comedy that earns a loyal following. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. A 6/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Watch it for James Woods — stay for everyone else around them. Put it on tonight on Amazon Prime Video and see for yourself.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Diggstown is worth clearing space for. Diggstown does what great comedies rarely manage — it is actually funny, consistently, across the whole run. Gabriel Caine has just been released from prison when he sets up a bet with a business man who owns most of Diggstown, a boxing-mad town. The bet is that Gabe can find a boxer that will knock out 10 Diggstown men, in a boxing ring, within 24 hours. Roy 'Honey' Palmer is that man that, at 48, many say he is too old. James Woods and Louis Gossett Jr. Lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 1992. The real test of any comedy is whether it is still funny once you know all the jokes, and Diggstown holds up on rewatch in a way that separates it from one-off curiosities. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

If you need a comedy that actually makes you laugh, Diggstown is a strong candidate. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. Short enough to finish in one sitting, substantial enough to feel satisfying. James Woods's comic timing carries it through its weaker moments. The kind of comedy you recommend to someone who claims they do not watch much.