OBSERVER: Rourke’s Reviews
Something In The Dirt
(M). 116 minutes. Now available on DVD.
Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead continue their winning ways, once again combining sci-fi and drama (on a micro budget) to intriguing effect. Moorhead and Benson star (as they did in The Endless) as John and Levi, both tenants in a low-rent, run-down apartment building in L.A. John has been living there for ten years, while Levi has just moved in upstairs, and the pair seem to hit it off immediately. While helping Levi move in, John notices weird mathematical equations written on the frame around the closet door, but when a heavy quartz ashtray starts to levitate and throw particular patterns of light against the walls, John and Levi believe the apartment holds far bigger secrets. As the two start to document and research what is going on, the possibilities of what may be causing this event spirals in every direction, and will not only affect their opinions and feelings for each other, but of reality itself. Benson and Moorhead (who along with directing and starring, also write, produce, and edit) have been building a superior body of work since they appeared on the scene in 2012 with their no budget wonder, Resolution, following that up with Spring (2014), The Endless (2017) and Synchronic (2019), and the pair have superbly connected most of these within the one universe. With Something In The Dirt, the talented film-makers very cleverly use a sci-fi framework to explore the current epidemic of conspiracy theories and misinformation, and how easily people can fall down the rabbit hole, and in some ways is reminiscent of David Robert Mitchell’s unfairly dismissed (but very David Lynch inspired) surreal 2018 thriller Under The Silver Lake. Benson and Moorhead, like in The Endless, offer solid performances, making their characters’ journey feel convincing, and deliver the humorous elements with conviction. The effects are well-executed and perfectly timed. Something In The Dirt will definitely frustrate some viewers, as it remains low-key and deliberately paced, relying on cerebral verbal exchanges rather than big, fx-laden set-pieces. If you enjoy this, I highly recommend searching out Moorhead and Benson’s earlier efforts. Like Project Wolf Hunting (also available on DVD), this is another cult winner from Umbrella Entertainment.
RATING – ****
The Sisters Brothers
(MA). 122 minutes. Now available on DVD.
Renowned French film-maker Jacques Audiard (A Prophet, Rust And Bone, and most recently, the Oscar winning Emilie Perez) made his english language debut with The Sisters Brothers, a smart deconstruction of the traditional western, which sees its title characters in an increasingly unique light. Using the Gold Rush as its backdrop, we are introduced to bounty hunter brothers Eli (John C. Reilly) and Charlie (Joaquin Phoenix), whose ruthless reputation precedes them, as they carry out their tasks with no questions asked. Their powerful boss, known as The Commodore (a barely glimpsed Rutger Hauer), enlists the duo to hunt down Kemit Warm (Riz Ahmed), who has apparently stolen from him, but will not go into specifics. Also on the case is Morris (Jake Gyllenhaal), who is already closely watching Warm, but circumstances change when all three pursuers find out what Warm has in his possession, leading to numerous unforeseen complications. Based on the 2011 novel by Patrick deWitt, co-writer/director Audiard lovingly plays with the western’s form, stripping the genre of its mythology and carved-in-stone righteousness, while instilling the material with striking humanity and heart (its finale is particularly moving). Performances are outstanding, with Reilly and Phoenix sharing wonderful chemistry together, while Ahmed gets one of his best roles to date. Beautifully crafted, The Sisters Brothers is a film to seek out and savour, providing strong entertainment for adult audiences.
RATING – ****
Aaron Rourke