Spun

This article is about the 2002 film. For other uses, seeSpun (disambiguation).

Spun
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Jonas Åkerlund
Written by	William De Los Santos Creighton Vero
Produced by	Chris Hanley Fernando Sulichin Timothy Wayne Peternel Danny Vinik
Starring	Jason Schwartzman John Leguizamo Mena Suvari Patrick Fugit Peter Stormare Alexis Arquette Deborah Harry Eric Roberts Chloe Hunter Nicholas Gonzalez Brittany Murphy Mickey Rourke
Cinematography	Eric Broms
Edited by	Jonas Åkerlund
Music by	Billy Corgan
Production companies	Silver Nitrate Films Brink Films
Distributed by	Newmarket Capital Group
Release dates	June 14, 2002(2002-06-14)(Las Vegas) January 17, 2003(2003-01-17)(Sundance)
Running time	101 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$2 million
Box office	$1.02 million

Spunis a 2002 Americanblack comedycrime dramafilm directed byJonas Åkerlundfrom an original screenplay byWilliam De Los Santosand Creighton Vero,based on three days of De Los Santos's life in theEugene, Oregondrug subculture. The film starsJason Schwartzman,John Leguizamo,Mena Suvari,Patrick Fugit,Peter Stormare,Alexis Arquette,Deborah Harry,Rob Halford,Eric Roberts,Chloe Hunter,Nicholas Gonzalez,Brittany Murphy,andMickey Rourke.

Åkerlund made hisdebutas a feature film director withSpun,having already become known for his work inmusic videos.The film was shot in 22 days, and centers on various people involved in amethamphetaminedrug ring. The film blends elements ofdark comedyanddramain its storytelling. Its title is a reference to the slang term for the way users feel after going multiple days without sleep while on a methamphetamine binge. The characters take a combined total of 23 "hits" during the course of the movie.

Plot

College dropout Ross (Jason Schwartzman) is a customer of Spider Mike (John Leguizamo), a methamphetamine dealer. Spider Mike and his girlfriend Cookie (Mena Suvari) are constantly arguing, and Ross strikes up a friendship with Nikki (Brittany Murphy), a fellow addict. Nikki takes Ross to meet her boyfriend, "The Cook" (Mickey Rourke), who supplies Spider Mike with drugs from ameth labhe has set up in amotelroom. The Cook gives a small amount of meth to Ross in exchange for bringing Nikki home, and says that he will get in touch with Ross if he needs a driver.

Back at his apartment, Ross gets messages from his mother and his former girlfriend, Amy, wishing him a happy birthday. Ross, assuming that Amy still loves him, sporadically calls her and leaves messages on her answering machine. He then goes to the localstrip clubwhile high, leading to an intense pornographichallucination.He takes April (Chloe Hunter), one of the dancers he has a relationship with, home and has sex with her in a variety of positions, the last of which leaves her tied to the bed, naked and fully spread. As they finish, the Cook calls with an emergency regarding Nikki's dog, Taco, which needs to be taken to theveterinarian.April tells him to untie her but Ross, still high, duct-tapes April's eyes and mouth shut to keep her quiet and leaves her bound to the bed, playing music to cover her gagged screams. Elsewhere, two policemen (Peter StormareandAlexis Arquette) working with a TV crew, raid the trailer where Frisbee (Patrick Fugit), another one of Spider Mike's customers, lives, falsely believing that a meth lab is located there. They take Frisbee and his overweight mother into custody and threaten him into helping them on a drug bust against Spider Mike.

After driving the Cook around town to buyephedrinepills, beer, andpornography,Ross returns to his apartment to apologize to the helpless April. The Cook orders a prostitute to his motel room, but when she shows up, he and Nikki argue and break up. Nikki calls Ross and asks him to take her to a bus station so she can go back toLas Vegas.Ross agrees, leaving April still tied to the bed. While Ross and Nikki are out, Frisbee, now wearing a wire, visits Spider Mike to buy some meth so the cops can arrest him. When he enters, Cookie attempts to seduce him as revenge for Spider Mike using aphone sexline, but she finds the wire. As the cops burst in, a furious Spider Mike shoots Frisbee in the testicles; Spider Mike and Cookie are both arrested, and Frisbee is taken to the hospital. After Ross and Nikki go back to his apartment and find April gone (rescued by his lesbian neighbor (Deborah Harry)), Ross finally drops Nikki off at the bus station, where they share a kiss, and hope to reunite if he ever goes to Vegas.

Meanwhile, the Cook's meth lab catches fire and destroys the motel room; he flees to the adult film store, where he is arrested after the owner (Rob Halford) calls the police. Once the Cook makes bail, he calls Ross asking for a ride to another dealer's (Eric Roberts) house in the city, which Ross agrees to do so that he can see Amy, who also lives in the city. The dealer provides the Cook with cash, some meth, and the equipment to start a new lab. The Cook promises Ross six months' worth of meth in exchange for being hischauffeur;he agrees on the condition that he can see Amy first. Amy, who has gotten her life together, wants no part of him after seeing that he still uses drugs and can only give her $100 of the $450 he owes her. As all the other characters go to sleep, the Cook drives a depressed Ross out to an old trailer in the countryside. Ross naps in his car as the Cook sets up a new lab in the trailer, only to blow it and himself up in the process.

Cast

• Jason Schwartzmanas Ross
• Mickey Rourkeas The Cook
• Brittany Murphyas Nikki
• John Leguizamoas Spider Mike
• Mena Suvarias Cookie
• Patrick Fugitas Frisbee
• Peter Stormareas Mullet Cop
• Alexis Arquetteas Moustache Cop
• Deborah Harryas The Neighbor
• Eric Robertsas The Man
• Chloe Hunteras April
• Nicholas Gonzalezas Angel
• Charlotte Ayannaas Amy

Cameos

• Larry Drakeas Dr. K.
• Billy Corganas The Doctor
• China Chowas The Prostitute
• Rob Halfordas The Clerk
• Tony Kayeas The Strip Club Announcer
• Ron Jeremyas The Bartender
• Josh Peckas Fat Boy

Reception

The film received mixed reactions, with some analysts remarking that the film added nothing new to the genre ofdrug movies.As of July 2020,the film holds a 37% approval rating onRotten Tomatoes,based on 79 reviews with an average rating of 5.0/10. The website's critics consensus reads: "A chaotic drug movie that has little substance behind the stylistic flash."Time Out Londonwas particularly harsh, accusing the film of "smugamoralism",and claiming that Åkerlund simply re-uses other people's ideas and techniques.

Roger Ebertwas more sympathetic in his review, where he described the film as having "effortless wickedness". His main appraisal is the fact that the film in no way attempts to romanticize any of the characters and further goes on to say, "it's interesting how this story and these people seem to have been living before the movie began and will continue after it is over; instead of a plot, we drop in on their lives". Ebert does, however, explicitly mention the similarities between this and the earlierRequiem for a Dream.This comparison may not have been lost on the filmmakers. The title on apornographictape purchased by a character reads "Rectum for a Dream", and the scenes which show consumption of the drug also show its constricting effect on the pupils infast cutscenes,unlikeRequiem for a Dream,which shows pupil dilation. Both are incorrect pharmacologically.

Soundtrack

The original music forSpunwas written byBilly Corgan.The soundtrack to the film features songs by artists such asIron MaidenandUFO(performed byThe Djali Zwan),Ozzy Osbourne,Mötley Crüe,Blues Traveler,Bathory(for whom Åkerlund once briefly played drums),Richie Havens,Phantom Planet(with whomJason Schwartzmanplayed drums at the time),Per Gessle (half of Roxette),PaolaandSatyricon,whose video for the song "Mother North"appears in the movie.

External links

• SpunatIMDb
• SpunatAllMovie
• SpunatBox Office Mojo
• SpunatRotten Tomatoes
• Metroactive Movie Review
• Film Freak Movie Review