The story that unfolds in Something in The Dirt performs out like a misguided documentary. Though the larger themes of the movie appear to be past this universe, Co-directors Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson (who additionally wrote the script) cleverly lean into character quirks and unreliable narration to make the movie very human and modern, particularly contemplating the quantity of historical past, math and conspiracy theories populating the script. The creators additionally star on this sci-fi two-hander that’s set primarily in a small one-bedroom condo. Since the movie is about making a documentary, there may be a lot to unpack.
When Levi (Benson) strikes into a brand new condo advanced, he runs into fellow neighbor John (Moorhead). Levi works as a bartender and John is a marriage photographer, however they each share an curiosity within the mysteries of the world. John affords his ex-husband’s furnishings as a welcome present to Levi and the 2 strike up a friendship. One day, John is leaving Levi’s condo when he sees a mysterious mild reflecting off an ashtray. Upon additional investigation, John and Levi notice they’ve solely scratched the floor of the supernatural. They determine one of the best plan of action is to make a documentary about what they’re witnessing. Soon after filming begins, they each go down a rabbit gap of secret societies and theoretical abstractions, however one thing extra sinister lies beneath. The supernatural phenomenon could be protected, however John and Levi aren’t.
The movie has terribly excessive aspirations. Saying that they’re all reached could be a stretch, however it will be truthful to say that they’re all addressed. Considering the movie’s scope, it turns into tiresome to introduce a B plot about Benson’s relationship with prison injustice and habit, however it’s the nihilistic viewpoint of Moorhead’s character that brings the secondary plot into focus. He firmly believes that nothing issues, so why fear about overdosing? It’s in distinction to Benson, who has been in search of happiness his complete life and simply can’t appear to carry onto it.
The idea of a film inside a film is not new, however the gems are discovered right here within the relationship viewers have to what’s artwork and what’s conceitedness. Something in The Dirt options two leads who lie, assume they’re smarter than one another, and admittedly signify what’s incorrect with anybody who is for certain their viewpoint is correct. This concept is sensible when juxtaposed with discovering a supernatural ingredient inside an condo. No one will go away this movie pondering that is not precisely what these characters would do in actual life. There are quite a lot of movies within the vein of Bodies Bodies Bodies, which makes an attempt to discover Gen Z and their shortcomings. But Benson and Moorhead are millennials who’re investigating why they are often concurrently pretentious and broke.
Something in The Dirt is a wild journey that may take one to the boundaries of actuality and take a look at one’s endurance. It’s laborious to look at unlikable characters, nevertheless it’s additionally fascinating. Benson and Moorhead have made a really attention-grabbing film, and it’d even reside on to be a cult traditional. Benson and Moorhead have actually made it clear what they’re curious about as filmmakers and Something in The Dirt is one other trippy entry into their burgeoning cannon.