2002   USA Spun
Spun Image Cover
Additional Images
Director:Jonas Åkerlund
Studio:Brink Films
Writer:Will De Los Santos, Creighton Vero
IMDb Rating:6.6 (18,432 votes)
Awards:2 nominations
Genre:Comedy, Crime, Drama
Duration:101 min
Languages:English
IMDb:0283003
Amazon:B00005JM23
Search:NetflixYouTube
Jonas Åkerlund  ...  (Director)
Will De Los Santos, Creighton Vero  ...  (Writer)
 
Jason Schwartzman  ...  Ross
Mickey Rourke  ...  The Cook
Brittany Murphy  ...  Nikki
John Leguizamo  ...  Spider Mike
Patrick Fugit  ...  Frisbee
Mena Suvari  ...  Cookie
Chloe Hunter  ...  April Love
Elisa Bocanegra  ...  Giggles
Julia Mendoza  ...  La Sadgirl
China Chow  ...  Escort
Nicholas Gonzalez  ...  Angel
Deborah Harry  ...  Neighbor
Josh Peck  ...  Fat Boy
Charlotte Ayanna  ...  Amy
Eric Roberts  ...  The Man
Billy Corgan  ...  Composer
Eric Broms  ...  Cinematographer
Comments: If it doesn't bother you when a director rips off another movie, take this one for a spin. It's Requiem for a Dream for the methamphetamine crowd. Not as good, of course, but it's a fun ride. Lots of quick edits, lots of Oliver Stone weird, sweaty, extreme close-ups, and absolutely no substance. It's just a week, or so, in the life of a bunch of speed freaks. Nothing more.

BIlly Corgan contributes some good stuff, via Djali Zwan to the soundtrack and gets in a quick cameo. There's lots of cameos alongside the ensemble cast. Leguizamo's a little over the top, and Mira Sorvino seemed a little stretched, but all in all not too bad. It's a fine line between over-acting and acting like you're freakin' on speed, so I'm not going to complain.

Spun is also surprising explicit in a number of ways: Leguizamo's masturbation scene wearing nothing but a sock; the shot of a little turd splashing in the toilet while Sorvino takes a dump; a girl tied to a bed for pretty much the length of the movie, naked and spread eagle with gaffer's tape over her mouth and eyes forced to listen to a skipping CD the whole time.

There is no moral to the story. Heck, there really isn't any story. It's just one big buzz with events. I don't mind that it's a Requiem for a Dream clone in style, not substance. I would imagine this kind of physical film making via power-edits would be difficult to do, and I think this first time director did a credible job.

Summary: Ross (Schwartzman) is a regular customer of Spider Mike (Leguizamo), a methamphetamine dealer. He and his girlfriend, Cookie (Suvari) are constantly arguing, and Ross strikes up a friendship with Nikki (Murphy) a fellow addict. Acne-stricken Frisbee (Fugit), an avid gamer, is kicked out by Spider Mike, who is furious over losing his stash. Nikki takes Ross to "the Cook" (Rourke) when Spider Mike loses his stash. The Cook gives a small amount of meth to Ross in exchange for bringing his girlfriend home, and says that he'll be in touch.


Search: AmazonMRQERoviWikipediaMetacritic