
The Deeper You Dig
2019

2022
Director
Keishi Kondo
Runtime
100 minutes
Average Rating
No ratings yetSynopsis
After her daughter's death, divorced Miyabi works as a call girl. One day, she meets a weird customer who wants to take a picture of her spine. Then, at another assignation, her feet. She soon realises that every time she allows her body to be photographed, her daughter's spirit gets closer. Soon only her eyes remain to be captured, leading to the collapse of society in this bold, visionary and unique fantasy.
Overall Score
Good
Category Breakdown
LGBTQ+ Representation
The film lacks explicit depictions of LGBTQ+ identities or non-heteronormative relationships. The narrative focuses primarily on the protagonist's personal trauma and her professional life as a sex worker.
Gender Representation
Miyabi disrupts traditional gender hierarchies by centering a female protagonist whose agency is defined by her marginalized social position. The film avoids domestic tropes, focusing instead on her unconventional labor and bodily reclamation.
Racial & Ethnic Diversity
As a Japanese production, the film presents a culturally specific narrative with a predominantly homogeneous cast. The potential for a more fragmented social landscape is suggested by the theme of societal collapse.
Religious & Cultural Diversity
The story critiques capitalist and patriarchal norms by focusing on a protagonist outside traditional family structures. It explores subjective spirituality and the dissolution of established social and religious institutions.
Disability Representation
The protagonist's psychological state and grief serve as a study of mental health and emotional vulnerability. This trauma acts as a central driver for the plot's progression.
Strengths
Areas for Improvement
AI Analysis
Keishi Kondo’s *New Religion* is a bold deconstruction of social structures that uses the horror genre to explore bodily autonomy and spiritual evolution. By centering on a woman navigating the fringes of society, the film successfully challenges traditional hierarchies and domestic expectations. The narrative moves effectively from a personal study of grief to a broader critique of institutional stability. It prioritizes subjective, identity-driven experiences over the rigid frameworks of organized religion or conventional social contracts. However, the film remains culturally homogeneous and lacks explicit representation of LGBTQ+ identities. While it explores unconventional interpersonal dynamics, it does not provide specific markers for diverse sexual orientations.

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