by Shane Conto, Staff Writer
What does director and co-writer Jeff Baena have up his sleeve for his latest feature film? A Horse Girl was a bold, but messy film that featured a strong performance from his frequent collaborator, Alison Brie, and The Little Hours just might be one of the most underappreciated comedies of the past decade with such a robust and riotously hilarious cast. Baena will certainly go there with his projects and try to keep his audience on their toes. One thing is for certain, Baena succeeds in delivering that much with Spin Me Round.
But what is the set up for this brand new insanity? A manager at an Olive Garden-esque “Italian cuisine” chain gets sent to an institute in Italy for a few days. This setup introduces a wide range of crazy characters in the institute group, as well as the quirky bunch of employees who surround the enigmatic founder of the company. If I went into too much detail, there would be way too many spoilers. To put it simply… stuff hits the fan, and this film throws all it can muster at its audience. Paranoia runs deep as our lead (Brie, who also co-wrote the film) has plenty of theories for what their owner (Alessandro Nivola) and his assistant (Aubrey Plaza) are up to with all the managers.
The key question is, does it all come together? That is not certain. The narrative of this film plays out like a hot mess. There are so many plants that are set up early in the film. It is almost impressive that so many of them come back as well. But the issue is that plenty of them feel shoehorned in and don’t fit well into a cohesive and effective story. Then there are some other plot threads that feel abandoned or mismanaged. The third act offers up everything but the kitchen sink, but at least it is so crazy that it must be entertaining on some level.
Beside the messy plotting, how does Baena wrangle it all together with his direction? There are some distinct moments where the tone really swings wildly. At some points in the third act, the film leans into a slasher feel, which feels out of left field. Generally, though, this is a quirky and weird comedy with plenty of awkward and wry humor. This film is hilarious at times, and you can feel that same energy from The Little Hours. On top of that, the film moves well. You will never really feel bored during it (but you might feel confused and overwhelmed by all the red herrings and hints getting thrown at you).
But what is at the heart of the film? Brie’s journey to find self-worth and purpose. Even if the film turned out to be a mess, the messaging still gets its time to shine with some good resolution in the final moments. Brie provides an endearing, relatable performance. We can understand her search for love and why she might fall for some of the others in the film. Her chemistry with both Nivola (which is meant to feel a bit more desperate and awkward) and Plaza (which is hot and heavy in many ways, providing quite the spark at times) is tangible and furthers the film.
Let’s not forget the rest of this cast, though. Even if their purposes are murky and muddled, this is a fun crew of people. Zach Woods steals just about every scene he pops up in. Woods is a cruelly underrated performer who deserves more praise for his work, and he delivers yet again. Veteran comedian Molly Shannon swings wild in her role, which never feels defined but she is a riot every step of the way. Throw in some surprising big names and charismatic character actors, and you have an ensemble that makes this a worthwhile experience.
In the end, is Spin Me Round worth your time? This is a messy and mostly unsatisfying film from a narrative standpoint. Too much is attempted, leaving very little defined and deliverable. But I must tell you… this is so darn funny that it still has its merits. Do you want a fun time that will take you on a crazy ride? Give Baena’s new film a chance in theaters or on AMC+.
Score: 6/10
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