|
Re: Spun (2003)
| | Added by ViSionS (email) on 2004-07-11 16:27:55 |
I understand where you are coming from with this review and agree that it isn't going to catch mainstream popularity but it has a definate message that reflects the alternate universe that methamphetamine can deliver you to. The observation that shooting up the drug just makes you act funny is while an accurate observation misses the point of that sequence. It misses the different level one is on when using meth interveiniously. It has the ability to take any given emotional state and disolve it into a state of sociopathic wellbeing that isn't realy reached with any other method of injestion. Couple that with garbage, constipation, sex, violence, jail, dreams long gone, paranoia, and death and you have a quite disturbing image of methamphetamine use as a whole. When you see that a lot of story telling is in the metaphors and imagry that is combined with the dialog and actions of the actors, then you can understand where this movie is coming from. The truely unique nature of methamphetamine use is shown in this movie which is what sets it apart from other popular drug movies. Nikki trying to hold on to the idea of having a son, and Ross trying to convince himself he has a deep meaningful relationship with his ex who just want's the money he owes her and nothing to do with him shows some of the pain associated with meth. Cooks story about his mother killing the puppies because she gets rid of what she cant care for and telling him she wishes she could do it to him is another example of the pain associated with meth. Spider Mikee shooting frisbee in the balls is pretty blunt if you ask me, but this movie explores some of the more defining aspects of meth addiction. What other drug offers ease of production along with the possability to blow you and whoever is nearby sky high without even a second thought to anything but getting started again. It's just plain crazy, but to the meth head, crazy is the norm. I speak from past personal experience so my opinion is not going to be the mainstream opinion about this movie, but for anyone who has ever been there can easily see every aspect and point this movie has to offer. I must say I liked the ending even though I knew what was going to happen a couple minutes before it did. The images of everyone sleeping finally followed by the cook blowing up the trailor with himself inside just brought everything together with a sick final feeling to it. I would call this movie a comedic tragedy because there is a lot of comic relief based on reality that is coupled with tragedy in the sense that its funny because it's sad and true. If you don't get the fact that the plot IS methamphetamine addiction and it's unique alternate universe then you will see a bunch of no point scenes and dialog going nowhere with seemingly no end, but that is one way of looking at meth use too if you think about it.
|
|
|
Re: Spun (2003)
| | Added by Bill King on 2004-07-28 14:54:10 |
Thank you for your comments. I did like some parts of the film, particular Cook's speech about the puppies. I just felt that the movie was too concerned with looking cool and hip. You make a good point that the film is trying to capture the frantic world of meth users, but everything is presented too humorously, and then the movie tries to get serious in the last twenty minutes or so. It's like the director was saying, "Okay, all kidding aside now, you shouldn't do meth because..."
When I said "when someone shoots up, he just acts funny," I don't see how that's missing the point when that's what we see. Quoting my review again: "We don't see the pain, or anything else that suggests a deadly habit." The movie's endless scenes of fast editing and hyper behavior come across as the filmmaker's desire to attract an MTV audience. If you're speaking from personal experience, that's fine, but that's an edge (if you want to call it that) that most viewers won't have. The filmmaker should keep that in mind when tellling a story to an audience that lacks drug-abusing experience. Danny Boyle did it with "Trainspotting."
|
|
Add new comment
All comments are owned by their posters.
Please e-mail [email protected] with complaints.
|
