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Director Michael Ritchie turns in another crowd-pleasing sports picture with DIGGSTOWN, featuring James Woods as Gabriel Caine, a con artist who has just been released from prison. Based on a tip by his cellmate, Wolf Forrester (Randall "Tex" Cobb), Caine heads for Diggstown, Georgia, a small town run by the ruthless John Gillon (Bruce Dern). Arriving there, Caine sets his sights on the ultimate setup. Conning Gillon into believing that he's the one being scammed, Caine makes a bet with him. Caine will supply a fighter he's convinced will beat any 10 men whom Diggstown has to offer over the course of one day. The palooka, "Honey" Roy Palmer (Louis Gossett Jr.), a 48-year-old ex-heavyweight, must be coaxed out of retirement in order for Caine to exact his plan. As the fights begin and the double crosses begin to spiral out of control, Palmer must reach inside himself to recapture the glory of his youth and ensure victory for Caine. Playing the conniving scoundrel with remarkable ease, Woods delivers one of his best performances, making Caine a character who walks with the calm and authority of a true professional. Gossett, Dern, and Cobb all deliver fine supporting turns, as do Oliver Platt, Orestes Matacena, and Heather Graham.
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