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A Wakeup Call

Bruce Kendall | Southern Pines, NC | 09/11/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A wide-awakeup call, in fact. About five days worth. That's the amount of 24 hour cycles, Ross, the central character spins through in this relentless movie. Yes, this film is derivative. Shades of Oliver Stone's Natural Born Killers (the animation sequences, especially), David Lynch's Lost Highway (a repeated shot of the dark, empty highway ahead, illuminated only by the car's headlights), D.J. Caruso's The Salton Sea (also about tweakers, with Mickey Rourke here substituting for Vincent D'Onofrio as Mr. Space Cowboy, menace 2 society, honkeytonk hairtrigger), and Darren Aranofsky's cutting-edge, Requiem for a Dream (similar downward spiralling of characters and not too dissimilar an ending). So why the five stars, you ask? Because this film, while borrowing heavily from its sources, is still entirely original and innovative. Swedish born director, Jonas Akerlund has taken his music video sensibility and "tweaked" it to an extreme, combining visual and aural sensations in entirely novel ways. The camera work must be seen to be believed. Reviewers who denigrate the script are missing the point. This movie is about the camera. This is not herky-jerky, cinema verite, hand held camera work we're talking about here. This is carefully story-boarded, minutely crafted creativity at play. There are shots that could only have occured to a director who is either as crazy as his characters are (or as drug addled) or to someone possessing something along the lines of cinematic genius. Maybe it's a combination of all these. As this is Akerlund's first foray into feature films, I guess we'll just have to wait for his next movie (Lords of Dogtown, in pre-production) to decide. Don't worry yourselves about from whom, or from what, Akerlund is borrowing. Real artists worth their salt openly acknowledge that they're only building on the works of those who have come before them. I have a sneaking suspicion that Akerlund might be an artist to reckon with in the future.BEK"

Still Spinning

lecorel@hotmail.com | Atlanta, GA | 04/28/2003

(3 out of 5 stars)

"What an aptly titled film. After seeing Spun I felt, well, Spun. This is a drug movie in every sense. In terms of this genre it takes it's audience where only Star Trek has taken it's Sci-Fi audiences. Drug films aren't for everyone, but it is a wild ride, to say the least. Spun depicts a day, or several days, in the life of people hopelessly addicted to Meth. We join Ross (Jason Schwartzman), Spider Mike (John Leguizamo), Cookie (Mena Suvari), Nikki (Brittany Murphy) and The Cook (Mickey Rourke, who is awesome) in a place where few people will ever go with a substance abuse problem. They mostly have no jobs, no money, and no self-respect. Their addiction consumes them and their entire lives revolve around getting high and then getting more drugs so they can get high again. Since the film basically follows them through several days of this process and the misadventures that happen along the way it relies heavily on it's performances. And these actors are amazing, they really come through. The same goes for the world director Jonas Akerlund has created for them. The actors chew the scenery all right, but it is so vile that it looks like they would want to spit it out. Also, much has been said about the editing of the film. It is true, few pictures have this many cuts, but it works for the film in ways it wouldn't work for another. It adds to the notion that these people have no attention span and no concept of time. Spun now joins the ranks of other films illustrating graphic drug use such as Requim for a Dream, Trainspotting, and Drugstore Cowboy. It isn't as good as any of these films though, because it doesn't tell us enough about the characters (like where they came from, why they are so addicted, etc). That being said, Spun is still a good movie. Perhaps this is the point. None of the characters in Spun could tell you anything about themselves. In that sense Spun does what it sets out to do. Ever wonder what its like to be up for days on Meth? Spun is your movie."

I've been Spun!!!

Mark Twain | 04/13/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Spun" is a fascinating journey into the lives of LA drug addicts. Director Jonas Akerlund has created a frantic nightmarish world that is both funny and disturbing at the same time, and never ever boring.Rounding out Akerlund's frenetic visual style is his amazing cast. It's true that this film is chock-full of unsavory drug addicts who you wouldn't want to give a ... for, but every single one of these actors portraying them are so entertaining to watch, that you won't mind a bit spending this 90 minutes with them. First and foremost...MICKEY ROURKE! This is by far Mickey's best role. He plays the Cook, a hulking [person] with his own meth lab he runs out of a motel room. He supplies the schlep rock Ross (the wonderful Jason Schwartzman) with speed as long as he, in turn, drives him and his stripper girlfriend (brilliantly played by Brittany Murphy) around in his car whenever they need it. These drives include trips to the gas station for "ingredients," visits to the porn store, beer runs and chauffeuring Nikki back and forth to the strip club for work. And the bulk of the film carries on this way, focusing on this bizarre friendship, clouded by rail after rail of crystal meth. But like I said, you can't take your eyes off of this cast, no matter how covered they are with sores and blemishes. Everyone is simply outstanding!!!!Rounding out the cast are John Leguizamo as Spider Mike, a dealer, and Patrick Fugit and Mena Suvari as speed freaks who hole themselves up in his house, awaiting their next drug feast. Also, there's Peter Stormare and Alexis Arquette as a couple of cranked out cops, Deborah Harry as Ross' lesbian neighbor with a great interest in martial arts and Eric Roberts as...well, you'll just have to see....On top of that, there're also plenty of cameos from Rob Halford and Billy Corgan, so keep your eyes open. "Spun" is an absolute visual spectacle, and further proof that even music video directors can make good movies."

Artistically Capacitated

Yael Manor | Toronto, Ontario (Canada) | 02/26/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"While standing in the Neverending lineup for the Toronto Film Festival, I couldn't help but think about if it was really worth it to be wasting hours of my life just to be seeing a simple little film called "Spun". Now that I have seen it, I shock myself when thinking about how after waiting in a 2 hour line up - I was ready to leave. Jonas Akerlund's work on Spun is nothing but "truly genius" when it comes to cinematography and creating structure for the New Independent Films. My attention was held through every scene and after hearing his "Media conference" it is obvious why. He is such a creative man with a knowledable grasp of what is different. I can't help but shudder when thinking about watching most movies/films that are related to drugs, but this one was different. This film was artistic and expressive in showing the many pros and cons as well as the lifestyle that is ingested when you first consume your first feeling of "ecstasy" (being speed in this movie). I truly hope that there are more directors and filmmakers that can take tips from Mr. Akerlund and apply them to their own movies because there is nothing that is more worthy of time. If you are looking for a Hollywood "Studio Type" Business Blockbuster - Look elsewhere. This film is artistically clever and is more than enough to feed the spirit of anyone who is in need of a different taste in film.I'd give Spun a rating of 4**** because of its creative genius as well as Casting transitions. The actors and actresses were truly remarkable when taking on roles and characters that they had never worked with before. From Jason Schwartzman going from the clever and childishly geeky Rushmore student to a Mature (aside from drugwise)manly and entertaining characater that you can't help but adore, to Mena Suvari the annoyingly perfect, sweet and beautiful "American Pie" actress to the angry, unattractive, raging lounger. It seems like an all star young adult cast that is just not properly exposed to the media. You want acting skills? These are actors!Wonderful Film that makes me crave more of Jonas Akerlund. I could hardly be more impressed."