DIRECTED BY

Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson

STARRING

Aaron Moorhead, Justin Benson, Sarah Adina Smith and Vinny Curran

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SYNOPSIS

Maverick filmmaking duo Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead offer up a twisted reflection of our paranoid times in this inventive mix of buddy comedy and sci-fi thriller.

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Something In The Dirt is the latest offering from filmmaking duo Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead. Set in Los Angeles, we focus on neighbours John and Levi who witness supernatural events in their Los Angeles apartment building and realise that documenting the paranormal could inject some fame and fortune into their wasted lives. An ever-deeper, darker rabbit hole, their friendship frays as they uncover the dangers of the phenomena, the city and each other.

Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson are one of those duos that when they bring out their latest work, I happily take a few hours of my day to see what complex story they’re offering to the world, and Something In The Dirt may be their most convoluted yet. We follow Levi moving into his new apartment, who also believes it to be a temporary stay and he in particular has a sketchy past. He meets his neighbour John, a gay man who belongs to an apocalyptic Evangelical church. One day, Levi sees what he believes to be a rather irregular ashtray levitating in his apartment. Skeptical, John sees it for himself and the two decide to not only document this phenomena according in the apartment, but also look into the reason behind it.

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Something In The Dirt gives us an interesting look into how the pursuit for purpose and reason for everything can become an obsession and that’s what occurs for Levi and John during the course of the film, though one character in particular seems to be more zestful than the other. The film is very dense with its dialogue as John spirals down the rabbit hole of conspiracy theories and how this phenomena could be connected to everything surround them, such as electromagnetism, and how one four digital number is somehow connected to everything. It’s an interesting script, though admittedly I would find myself lost in the middle trying to keep u with the documentary-style talking heads that appear in the duo’s documentary to provide ‘creditability’ for their efforts. The direction from Moorhead and Benson, and Benson’s script, is so meticulous and captivating, I believe I’ll just enjoy the film even more after repeat viewings. The performances from the duo and their authentic chemistry is what really shines through, with Moorhead being the more laid-back, almost man-child like Levi, while Benson is the more articulate, yet potential pathological liar John.

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VERDICT

Something In The Dirt is a wonderfully complex and engrossing film tale on obsession and meaning that I admire more than love from Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson.

★★★½

SOMETHING IN THE DIRT WILL BE AVAILABLE ON DIGITAL DOWNLOAD AND BLU-RAY ON THE 5TH DECEMBER 2023.