Fantastic Fest 2019 Review: THE DEEPER YOU DIG

By Mark Saldana

Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars)

From writers/directors/actors Toby Poser and John Adams comes a chilling thriller which basically takes elements from Poe’s The Tell-Tale Heart and sets it in modern times. Thought it isn’t an exact adaptation, Poser and Adams, instead, take the theme of guilt and utilizes it to tell a haunting story of their own. The indie filmmakers make this a family affair and cast their daughter Zelda Adams, as well as starring in the lead roles. The result is an utterly gripping and atmospheric movie that proves that it doesn’t necessarily take a big budget or major studio backing to make an affecting piece of horror cinema.

Toby Poser stars as single mother and fraudulent fortune teller Ivy, a woman who lives with her eccentric teen daughter Echo (Zelda Adams) in the woods of upstate New York. Ivy cons the locals out of their hard earned money by pretending to be a psychic and Echo struggles as an outcast at her school. Their lives suffer a major knock when a newcomer to town accidentally kills Echo in a terrible accident. Though the unusual and quiet stranger named Kurt (John Adams) tries to cover his misdeed, he is unable to escape the haunting spirit of Echo who repeatedly contacts him.

I have to say that I am quite impressed by this low budget offering by the wonderfully named Adams family. The Deeper You Dig literally is a deep, moving, and chilling piece of cinema that delves into guilt in some truly moving ways. Not only are Toby Poser and John Adams great filmmakers, they offer fantastic work in front of the camera as actors. I was also pleased with the acting of their daughter Zelda Adams who shows the apple doesn’t fall far from the trees. It is a film which deserves more appreciation and praise than some of the bigger budget entries in horror cinema.

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