Down to the Dirt

Down to the Dirt (2008)

  • 50% of critics liked it
    (6 reviews)

  • 15% want to see it
    (55 ratings)

Joel Thomas Hyne's acclaimed novel about a Newfoundland drug addict's attempts to make sense of his own warped existence serves as the foundation for this poetic yet visceral addiction drama that stars the author himself as the damaged protagonist. Keith Kavanagh (Hyne) is a collection of… More

Unrated, 1 hr. 54 min.
Directed By
Justin Simms
Genres
Drama
Mongrel Media

Critic Reviews

  • Patricia Hluchy, Toronto Star

    We know how his story will unfold.

  • Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail

    By the time the movie finally gets round to the narrator enumerating the life lessons learned, viewers may already be sleeping it off.

  • James Adams, Globe and Mail

    The movie, directed by first-timer Simms, gets really interesting -- in a squalid, darkly humorous, Atlantic Canada Gothic kinda way.

  • Dennis Harvey, Variety

    Many viewers will find time spent with this hapless screw-up two hours too many, but the pic does at least partly capture the source material's rambunctious gallows humor.

  • Liz Braun, Jam! Movies

    Hynes is really effective as Keith, at ease with the rude, raw material that's drawn from his own past, and he manages to be charismatic even at his most down and dirty.

Read all 6 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • Audrey L


    This film is a depressing coming-of-age story based upon Newfoundland author Joel Hynes' first novel. It's gritty and dirty in the depiction of the main character's plummet from small community- troubled teen to a drug and alcohol addicted young man bent on self… More

Cast

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