[REVIEW] Something In The Dirt

Something in the Dirt is the latest and most personal piece from filmmaker duo Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson. The film is a meta-reflection of Moorhead and Benson themselves and follows John and Levi who meet and make a documentary together about the supernatural happenings in their apartment building.
The setup of the film, including the supernatural elements, are creative and they create a pastiche style story with documentary style interview clips and scientific information overviews. The film is a collage of elements, much like a real documentary. 

More than anything, Something in the Dirt is a character study dedicated to the filmmakers’ own friendship. The plot is simple, and may not even be considered “horror” more than a scientific discovery film, and this allows for the attention and time to dedicate to John and Levi’s relationship. Though they come to bond over their shared discovery, their filmmaking process is what solidifies their friendship and leads to the deepening of their relationship. The film is even dedicated to making movies with your friends, which is exactly what this piece represents.

Source: IMDB

The film is sweet and tender, giving a rare glimpse into male friendship that is rooted in something other than hyper-masculine tropes.

It is a breath of fresh air when it comes to gender dynamics and allows for John and Levi to learn about each other’s interests, given that John is a mathematician and is genuinely invested in uncovering the magic in their home. By the end, though we come to find out that their documentary may have some movie magic enhancements in the special effects department, what remains is the emotional impact that these characters hold on the audience. The film may be “about a ghost,” but it certainly rises above its own premise.

The emotional impact of the film is its biggest strength, but the film does get a bit hung up on its own structure. The majority of the film is created with scene “re-enactments” by John and Levi themselves, making it a bit confusing to follow what is happening and what is recorded footage in the terms of this film’s world. The opening scene has clunky, almost cringe-worthy dialogue and acting, which may be intentional if the approach is a reenactment, but since those lines are blurred, it’s really difficult to tell and perhaps could have benefitted from some clarification. The reenactments feel as if they should be confused for a narrative structure that shows the events happening and though this idea would work well for what the film is trying to achieve, it is blurry from an audience standpoint. The film could really be tightened and cleared up, so the intention is specific and understood by the audience.

Something in the Dirt uses a sci-fi presence in an arthouse style to showcase Moorhead and Benson’s own relationship and it’s apparent how much this project means to them. It’s a heart-warming watch despite its flaws and is a great friendship feature, especially if you are familiar with their previous work.

Something In The Dirt will be available on Digital Download + Blu-ray from 5th December