Diggstown

Gabriel Caine has just left prison when he hatches a plan to test Diggstown’s boxing fever with a grand bet. He pitches a game to a wealthy owner who controls most of town life: find a fighter who can knock out ten Diggstown men in a single night inside a ring. Roy Palmer, nicknamed Honey, is 48 and dismissed by many as past his prime, but Caine believes he has one last score to settle. The con hinges on speed, smarts, and a cast of locals eager to place bets, each with their agendas. As the night unfolds, schemes collide, loyalties are tested, and the line between trickster and ally blurs in a town where every punch carries a prize.

Directed by Michael Ritchie, Diggstown blends sharp wit with brisk pacing. The film leans on an original premise by Steven McKay and Leonard Wise, anchored by Woods and Gossett Jr in a townwide hustle, with Heather Graham and Oliver Platt.

Box office figures show the film earned about 4.84 million worldwide on a 17 million dollar budget, making it a modest performer by the standards of its era and a quieter entry in the early 90s crime comedy landscape today.

Diggstown has a practical charm that fans remember for its backroom schemes and the clash between a wily con man and a hard boiled boxing town. The standout dynamic comes from Woods as the fast talking Gabe and Gossett Jr as Honey Palmer, with Tex Cobb delivering a gritty subplot.

Critics reviewed Diggstown as an energetic caper with strong performances and uneven tonal shifts. It probes greed, loyalty, and the rules of the street, while balancing humor with menace. The film considers how bets shape friendships and destinies, and the price of pulling off a perfect hustle and the toll it takes on those who gamble.