Film Reviews

Spun

• Rating:
• Director:
• Starring: Alexis Arquette
• Details: US / 95 mins / (15PG).

Drug films are rather difficult to pull off without offending mainstream sensibilities (don't do it kids!) while still presenting a fair, balanced portrait of the actual realities of addiction, usage and the culture surrounding them. In 'Spun' the drug of choice is Methamphetamines and the picture charts the disintegration of a group of friends, all addicted to various degrees, to crystal meth. Leading the charge in the pure hedonism stakes is Ross (Schwartzman), a young addict whose life is about to turn to utter madness over the course of three insane days. His bug-eyed, half crazed dealer Spider Mike (Leguizamo) introduces him to his dealer, the Cook (Rooney) and thus follows a tremendous three day headrush in which Ross will be lucky to escape with his sanity.
Heavily influenced by the likes of 'Requiem for a Dream', 'Spun' may not be quite its equal, but it explodes with a visual dynamism and an aloft, if very moralistic even condescending, tone. Having started out as a pop promo director for the likes of The Prodigy ('Smack My Bitch Up') and Madonna ('Ray of Light'), Jonas Akerlund's sensibilities seem a little light for the picture, but he almost makes up for his lack of experience in the development department with a slick, punchy delivery.
To the performances. Of course, with the exception of paraplegics, there are few roles that actors savour more than junkies. Most of them rise to the occasion - Schwartzman, Leguizamo and most surprisingly, Suvar - while others, like Murphy, don't have enough to do, other than come off as shallow and one-dimensional.

Review by Garreth Murphy