This could have been a different and much better movie. Apparently I saw a potential depth to it that completely escaped the filmmakers. So I find myself in the odd position of disagreeing with all the other reviewers. What they hated about it I liked. What they liked about it I hated. I was unaware of the filmmakers' link to the splatter film "Hatchet", which I have not watched and have no intention to. So my review of this film is based solely upon its own merits and not on any similarity or differences to some other movie. So, what's right about this movie? I actually liked the slow development of the characters. I came to care about them. I began to root for the budding relationship between the two leads. Was Mason actually autistic, or was he a victim of emotional trauma? Was there hope for him to come out of his shell with the help of his quirky girlfriend Amber? Silly me. I found out too late that the movie makers didn't give a damn about the characters. They were merely fodder for the clichéd "twist" ending. What a letdown. They threw away all the potential for a serious movie by capping it with a cheap Hollywood trick from the threadbare "Screen Writing for Dummies" handbook. So, if you want a "mystery thriller", then the ending of this movie is for you, but you will become impatient with all the unnecessary character buildup preceding it. On the other hand, if you go in, as did I, unwittingly willing to care about people, especially those marginalized by society, and root for them to triumph over adversity, then skip this movie. The buildup will intrigue you and make you care. But the ending will terrifically disappoint you.
Add a Review
-
abitrowdy10 December 2013
-
darksong-16 March 2008Recommended to me by a friend from Denmark who came to stay. I first watched it only in part and found the film to be both amusing and suspenseful. Decided to watch it more sober in full today and discover the end. The film follows the life of a suspicious looking artist who is secretive and closed in person. He also works as a telecommunicator and attracts the friendship of a lively and friendly woman working close by. Together they make a good contrast that keeps you wondering who or what is real in Adam-the artist life. His outgoing boss is all at a loss to why Adam is this way but understands that we all have our problems and tries to help him in brotherly sense. He acts more as a king in his domain and tries to understand the Jack-frost mind of his colleague. The end comes as a surprise by the fact some of the answers to his motives and behaviour was not so well developed as could have been. However, i still enjoyed it. and would say it was not at all bad. Also to say that director Adam green's short film -king in the box- i watched after on youtube was funny and surreal and has a connection with the King and Snowman theme. check it out.
-
joemamaohio27 July 2008Recluse Mason (Joel Moore) has a dead-end job: working as a telemarketer for his friend Berkeley (Zachary Levi). His only joy is in his painting.
One day he runs into Amber (Amber Tamblyn), and he slowly begins to open up to her about who he is, and he begins to paint her.
Things go downhill as Amber discovers she isn't the only girl that Mason has painted...and has disappeared. Yet there's another question that this film raises...is Amber all in Mason's head, or is she a real person? I thought the script was fresh and original, with great acting (especially by Moore and Tamblyn), and is really eerie with the questions you have throughout the film. You think you know what's happening, but then the end hits and turns you for a loop.
Definitely a good underground movie to see. -
lennonroxanne18 June 2007Spiral is a well-acted, intense thriller about a lonely, delusional young man trying to overcome his powerful inner demons. In the starring role of Mason, Joel Moore effectively plays a telephone salesperson whose feelings of anxiety and confusion are intertwined with disturbing flashbacks of his former girlfriend. Mason cringes from most of society. His boss (played by Zachary Levi), an arrogant womanizer who knows the circumstances of Mason's tragic past, is his only friend. Gradually, however, Mason builds a relationship with a young female co-worker (played by Amber Tamblyn) who brings out his confidence by encouraging his artistic talents. Yet, Mason's feelings of dread and paranoia are never far away. In fact, deciphering whether Mason's reality is synonymous with truth kept me spellbound throughout the film. The camera work in Spiral is especially outstanding. Sudden, vivid images from Mason's memories take the viewer to his level of turmoil and terror. In addition, shooting this movie in the great city of Portland, Oregon was an excellent choice. The gloominess of the rainy winters fit perfectly with the murky shadows of Mason's mind. The end of the movie has some great twists and surprises for the audience to relish. When all is said and done, Spiral is a wonderfully dark and intense film that holds up to any of today's big-studio thrillers.
-
gavin694229 September 2010Call center worker by day, sensitive painter by night, Mason (Joel David Moore) is not all there. He has had emotional breakdowns many times in recent years... but now he has met Amber (Amber Tamblyn) and things seem to be looking up. Can he hold himself together?
Moore breaks out here. As both director and star, he strays away from the silly, nerdy, dorky guy roles we know him from. Here he is edgier, manic, violent at times... he strays into acting territory that should earn him attention from bigger names, maybe put him on a path towards Oscar.
Amber Tamblyn is a beautiful model, and perfect for the artwork featured here. The script is intelligent, with great insight into art, the idea of contrast and the construction of jazz music being harmony from discord. I'm sure there are deeper messages than I was able to pick up, but the writer gave this psychological thriller a smart wit and makes it a cut above the rest.
What is Adam Green's role in this film? He is listed as co-director, but this is clearly Moore's baby. I suspect Green was more of a support for Moore, helping him with technical stuff and boosting recognition for this one in the horror community... but I shouldn't assume.
As of this review, the film has been out three years with little buzz. Let me make some buzz right now: this is a film that you will love if you like thinking, mindbending films... some parts are deliciously ambiguous. -
TBJCSKCNRRQTreviews22 August 2010Mason is very shy. He isn't very comfortable with approaching others, though you can tell(from Moore's spot-on performance, that emphasizes that he doesn't know how to be around people, he isn't intentionally messing up; the nervousness and loneliness really come through... his talent was wasted in Avatar) that he does want to get into contact with others. His only real friend is Berkeley, who he's known since high school, who got him a job telemarketing, and who, while not a saint(no one is), does what he can to help him. Then one day, a girl sits next to our lead. Amber. She realizes that he paints(only people), and it isn't long before she begins posing for him, and a relationship develops between them. Not all is well, though. Are those nightmares he keeps having... or memories? This isn't for everyone. It's an indie flick, and when I say that it's a psychological thriller, I really mean that... don't expect chases, fights, or a fast pace. This is about the portrait(pun intended) of a recluse(not to be confused with "someone's idea of what everyone who doesn't have an active social life is like"), the gripping story, and the people within it. There is such humanity to our three main characters(and frankly everyone else in this). Not everyone will like or love them... however, you can't help but respond to them. They're as close as they come to being as real as if they actually were. Tamblyn has you falling head over heels in love with her, and not in that "wow, why isn't my girlfriend this perfect" kind of way, no, she has personality, and she really shines through as a real human being; she's very sweet, chatty and just plain fun, and in spite of the fact that you might not always get along with her, you have this feeling that she'll never be boring. Around the middle point, she cries, and I very nearly did the same(and I am extremely reserved, especially in that regard), out of sympathy for her. She is very underrated. All of the acting in this ranges from good to great. The humor is fitting, and comes off as natural. This takes a low-key, smart concept and goes for an appropriate execution, not throwing big-budget tricks in our faces to keep our attention. The editing and cinematography are amazing, and the lighting is excellent. They build the mood well. Subtlety is the name of the game here. Early on, the dreams do feel like they're rudely interrupting a drama, and the marriage of the genres isn't entirely without, shall we say, gentle nagging. With that said, this is well worth your time(if this appeals to you), and I implore you, make sure you catch the conclusion. It's impeccable. This is open-ended, providing food for thought and asking vital questions instead of providing answers. The music is well-chosen. I haven't watched Hatchet, also by Adam Green... I think I will, if I find it(not that I expect it to be like this). There is a bit of disturbing content, some partial female nudity and a little violence and moderate to strong language in this. The DVD comes with a trailer for this(that contains spoilers, save it until after) and a couple of other movies. I recommend this to anyone who likes the sound of what I describe here. 7/10
-
davorm15 March 2008This movie was strange... The premise of the movie is great, acting is good, and everything else is well done. But the main character's personality was way off, which at first you'll be wondering, "Who would actually like this guy?". Near the end it makes sense... but then the final twist throws it all out the window.
I understand that this guy was seriously disturbed, but the problem is who would actually come up to talk to him the way he acts, and keep talking to him after he acts towards you, if you actually decided to come up to him.
The final twist, although it's a good one in some way, the movie would have made more sense if it didn't have it. -
celr23 April 2008In order to describe what's seriously wrong with this movie it has to contain some *spoilers* so if you're going to see it and expect to be surprised, don't read this!
I liked everything about this movie except the plot; and in a thriller like this believable plot is essential. It is well acted, if a bit slow moving, and the camera work and Portland scenes are exquisite for a low-budget, unpretentious picture. The dialog is very good.
Mason is seriously withdrawn youth who works at a telemarketing company selling insurance. His high school buddy, Berkeley, is his employer and looks after him like a brother despite the fact that Mason is quite obviously mentally ill. Mason has nightmares which send him gasping and fumbling for his inhaler. His visions and nightmares suggest that he has had serious problems with good-looking women in his past, and the movie seems to be suggesting that he may be a serial killer of women. He meets a perky, pretty girl named Amber and he sketches her in his notebook. She takes a liking to him and poses for him so he can paint her portrait. He sees more of her and begins to awaken from his withdrawn state, almost becoming halfway human. Then something goes wrong. Amber finds sketchbooks with drawings in his apartment of other girls and she begins to wonder. She becomes frightened and pulls away. We are wondering if her sudden coldness is going to push him over the edge. His behavior becomes more erratic.
This is the setup for a revelation. In order to explain how this movie goes horribly wrong I have to explain what happens.
*Another spoiler warning!*
In order for this plot to work we have believe that Amber, a really outgoing, pretty young girl is going to go for a seriously emotionally disturbed young man who, at least at the beginning of their friendship, has a vacant stare and can only speak in monosyllables or doesn't speak at all. He's way beyond nerdy, he appears on the verge of total catatonia. Yes I know, girls can be attracted to all kinds of weirdos, but usually the Charles Manson type or punk rockers, guys with some kind of evil manic energy. Mason is practically a zombie, he's hardly there at all. Any perky young thing would cross the street to avoid him. It is just not believable that this girl is attracted to him. Moreover, there is no credible reason for Berkeley to indulge the crazy Mason, that just isn't believable either.
But wait, there's a revelation. Amber fails to show up at Berkeley's house for Christmas dinner where Mason is expecting her, and Berkeley, his old buddy, has to tell him that Amber and all his other former girlfriends, the ones he drew in his many sketchbooks, don't exist at all! She and all the others are merely figments of his twisted imagination: he dreamed them up.
Well, this explains why a normal cute Amber would go for Mason: she's just a figment of his imagination. This could have been the final revelation of the movie with the proper preparation and setup, but alas, it's not. At this point Mason runs back to his apartment and finds Amber there...he's enraged, he kills her. But now we are given to understand that Amber was in fact real, not Mason's imaginary girlfriend.
In the end, after being given proof that Amber actually existed and that Mason killed her, Berkeley has to admit that he was wrong, that he misjudged Mason. This would work if Mason had been halfway sane from the beginning, but because we the audience always suspected him of being totally deranged and possibly a killer of women, it is no surprise to us. We suspected what he was all along and can't understand why Berkeley couldn't see it. But then we are once again left to wonder: if she was real, why Amber would be attracted to the catatonic Mason?
To make the ending worse, we never find out whether Mason's other girlfriends, the ones in the sketchbooks, were real, or was Amber the first real one? And if the others were real, did he kill them too? What did he do with the bodies?
The problem is that the filmmakers just didn't know what to do with the material. Perhaps there could have been a way to straighten it out and tell a credible suspense story, but this movie is not that. -
kabeile18 July 2008Now this is really a movie for anybody, who is not only focused on getting a gripping story when going to the movies. Everyone who can get the kicks out of nicely staged and directed pictures, visual effects, lighting and the whole scenery will be pleased to see this one!
I got interested in the movie because of its director, Adam Green. Unlike many other users here i saw HATCHET on the 2006 Fantasy-Film-Fest in Germany and loved it! So i looked through IMDb from time to time, to see what he would do next.
First of all i have to warn all the "Horror/Gore/Splatter/whatever"-Fans. This movie has absolutely nothing in common with HATCHET except for its director and leading actor! Second: Don' t watch the trailer! It is a real spoiler, and it lets the viewer assume that SPIRAL would be a psycho-thriller, with a really dark atmosphere all the time and shock-moments every five minutes or so. It isn't - but that is what's best about it.
Other users compared it with Hitchcock and i have to say, that this reference also came to my mind when i watched the film. It's a mixture of a really gripping relationship (love-story???) and a character study that every now an then has its dark undertones. Only at the end there are real classical and modern thriller elements. The plot and the whole atmosphere really reminds me of my favorite Hitchcock movies like "Vertigo" oder "Marnie".
Of course you can see, that Adam Green is still trying to find his unique style, that the actors do their best but are not yet at the peak of their acting abilities and that this is an indie-film with a small budget. But after all i would say, that this is without doubt one of the best movies i have seen the last months! -
Jonny_Numb9 March 2008I regarded "Spiral" with a bit of skepticism before watching: on one hand, I have always loved the "disturbed loner" films of Roman Polanski (see "The Tenant," which clearly had a huge bearing on this) and Lucky McKee ("May" and the Angela Bettis-directed "Roman"); on the other, I hated "Hatchet," co-director Adam Green's romp in derivative slasher excess. And while "Spiral" never achieves a level of Polanski-an delerium (few films can), it is an efficient little character study with some standout elements in its favor: first is an unexpectedly eerie performance from Joel David Moore (who also co-directed and co-wrote the script), the lanky mainstream comedic foil who takes a convincing dip into darkness as Mason, a lonely, asthmatic telemarketer who spends his spare time painting. His relationship with his boss and best (only) friend (Zachary Levi) is an interesting, off-kilter distortion of male bonding, and his courtship of a similarly lonely female (Amber Tamblyn) is beautiful in its own unavoidable awkwardness. While "Spiral" does build to a twist that would cheapen any other film, its inclusion here actually enriches the characters and all that has gone on before in a quietly innocuous way. And even though the script leaves a fair share of unexplained loose ends and underdeveloped backstories (the significance of Mason's parents is never explained) that may have rendered this a more complex and fulfilling ride, I can't say I didn't enjoy watching "Spiral" spin out of control. A fine, offbeat effort that's a refreshing alternative to what the genre is currently offering.
6.5 out of 10 -
thumbworn21 July 2014First, I have to say that I picked this film up based on it's rating and after perusing the reviews here. While I was sitting through this terrible film, I started reading the reviews again, and I have to wonder if every person from the crew posted a review, because I, nor the friend that watched this with me, saw none of the good points in this film that many of the other reviewers did. It is painstakingly slow and boring with no payoff. The camera work is oftentimes very shaky and the colors aren't true. I'm not going to waste any more of my time, or yours, reviewing this. In short: It's not pretty, it's not entertaining, and it reeks of pretentious amateurishness.
-
allancronin17 February 2007This mystery/thriller has quasi-comic elements in the initial portrayal of the protagonist. But all is deceptive and this well-constructed film holds your interest with a well written script. The charming Amber Tamblyn shows her acting skills and is well cast as the quirky girlfriend character. The acting and pacing are excellent.The office space reference in the summary is due to the fact that the main character, an artist, works at an insurance company as his day job. His high school friend is his boss and tries to help him throughout the film. This is just a little reminiscent of the "Office Space" style parody of such places. If you like Hitchcock and independent film, you will love this one.
-
stargazer-lea5 December 2012I've been searching out low budget indie for a while now and came across Spiral and just thought go for it. The story revolves around Mason, who seems to be a complete pathetic loser. Dead end job, no real friends only his boss who seems to pity him more than like him and really is his own worst enemy. A social misfit who's only outlet is art and jazz music. during a lunch break a girl starts talking to him out of the blue. Amber. She is his opposite, chatty, friendly and seems likable and rather than pities Mason, enjoys his company. She agrees to let him paint her in poses he sketches for her but the happier he gets the more we see him crack up mentally.
Mason is played by the talented Joel David Moore, probably most recognizable as being the awkward and funny lab tech in Bones. He also co-directed it along with the versatile director of HATCHET. This is nothing like Hatchet being a much slower, less violent and less gore hungry of the two. Spiral concentrates on character development and performance over attacking the senses of the viewers with copious amounts of blood, in fact only 2 scenes show what could be blood in the entire 90 minutes. The acting is well done, Amber Tamblyn is as always, perfect while Moore fits into his role as Mason like a hand in a glove.
My only complaints are the twist is kinda obvious sometimes. I don't know if this was intentional but I feel it made the ending have less of an impact. Also, sometimes it was heavy handed in the set up for the ending and the story would almost grind to a halt making it sleepy and dreamlike and I did drift off once or twice and have to skip back a minute or so. Overall I really enjoyed it and give it a 7/10! -
NickGagnon9425 March 2022Basic and kinda predictable thriller about a socially awkward guy befriending and becoming obsessed with his co worker. Nothing great but Amber Tamblyn is fun to look at.
-
heyanerd13 June 2010The best thing about this movie is that despite how much you THINK you've seen this story before, no elements of the tale overstay their welcome.
It's like when a band you really like comes out with an EP. You enjoy it for what happens within the boundaries it's length.
What works best is the acting, particularly that of Joel David Moore, who simply seems to be enjoying himself while finding depth in this character him & Adam Green more than likely collaborated on. Amber Tamblyn was also not annoying to me in this. Sounds back-handed, I know, she's talented, but just ain't my style most of the time.
Also, the choices of music in the film add to it's uniqueness.
Please, do enjoy "Spiral." -
RockPortReview27 January 2011"Spiral" 12/2/2011
After his breakthrough horror splatter hit "Hatchet" Adam Green teams up with friend Joel David Moore to write and direct the suspense drama "Spiral" which also stars Moore in the lead as "Mason" as an intensely quiet and withdrawn painter who works at an insurance company call center. This movie is quite the departure from the blatant blood and gore of his previous film.
"Spiral" is really a hard film to classify. It's not really horror, but more of a character drama that happens to have an overall theme of terror. It's also about the nature of friendship between two friends. Zachary Levi (who now plays "Chuck" on the NBC show) is Mason's long time friend Berkeley who knows Mason has some serious issues. There is also Mason's relationship with women, Diana in the beginning and Amber (Played by Amber Tablyn) for the majority of the movie. The movie continues to tease the audience as to weather Mason is a killer or just and average guy dealing with some pretty heavy emotional issues.
Mason appears to be a very meek and neurotic guy. He lives alone in an apartment where he paints portraits of women who pose for him. Is Mason as benign as he looks or is there something else brewing inside his tall, lanky body? Joel David Moore's portrayal of Mason is pretty dead on and definitely makes this movie what it is. Zachery Levi is also very strong as the friend who is really in denial that his friend really needs professional help. Amber Tamblyn's character of who else Amber is probably the weakest of the three but in a movie as well acted as this one, she still does give a decent performance. What does she see in Mason anyway?
Spiral builds to a suspenseful and sort of obvious climax, but when Mason goes to Berkley for help after an "incident". The rug is pulled out from you in a brilliant "oh my god" twist, but is it the truth or is it just what Berkley wants to believe. He then comes to the realization that Mason isn't quite what he appears to be. -
Dubstars3 August 2013Spiral is worth a watch. The movie tells a story about an introverted young painter.
The movie is simple with some questionable acting, however the story is easy to follow and quite interesting. I'm happy to say that some scenes were really well done and quite intense.
The thing I found best about the movie was the timing and pacing. While it is not a fast movie, I think that the pacing of the scenes was good, keeping the audience engaged, but waiting to see the story unfold.
I enjoyed the music in the film. The frequent use of jazz in the film adds to the artsy feel.
This movie comes down to taste. I think the movie is well done, but may not keep everyone interested.
This movie may be for you if you want something that is easy to follow, interesting, and a little arty.
Maybe not for you if you are looking a deep and complex story or a high budget blockbuster. -
nightlavender-928277 March 2017I found this a very interesting movie. you feel sorry for mason but at times you wish he would be stronger and not so weasily. amber tamblin is adorable and very good.i was hoping for a different ending though. all in all it was a good movie and keeps you enthralled.i didn't realize it was filmed in Oregon as I live there but now all the rain makes sense.if you're looking for a tense tight thriller, this is it.
-
Intacto2 March 2008As a true lover of film I must advise you to avoid this appalling effort,, God knows how funding was approved, Seriously this is one cinematic experience which delivers zero dramatic tension and plods along until nothing happens again and again and again ,, The only connectivity is two scares which at least keep you awake Possiby the worst film I have ever witnessed and the acting by the female lead is bordering on criminal intent. One blessing with modern technology you can fast forward and watch it on 12x and it will only last 25 minutes, ,, And you won't miss any of the plot
No idea how people find this at all interesting and some are giving it high marks ! -
jedi_ninja28 August 2007I had the opportunity of seeing Spiral as part of the Film 4 Frightfest 2007, on Monday 27th August. I have to say that this was an amazing film that really struck a cord with me. The main character is developed with such love and empathy that by the end you want to juxtopositionaly love him as well as be horrified by his actions. The double twist at the end is brilliant and keeps you guessing right until the last few seconds of the film, the end result being that you have to revisit some of your earlier assumptions, particularly regarding the attitudes towards the secondary character of Mason's boss and friend.
In short, anyone who is a fan of love stories, horror, or dark independent films like Donnie Darko will love this movie. Highly recommended, and especially will resonate with those like myself who grew up as quiet intelligent outcasts; the "odd" kid at school. :o) -
ponchocrazydaze10 September 2009*Spoilers*! If you like Indie films and psychological thrillers, without over the top blood, guts and violence, you may like this movie a lot! Co-written, co-directed and starring Joel David Moore, the film builds slowly but compellingly towards a twisted psychotic finale. Fans of the TV show "BONES" will recognize Moore as the tall, geeky, depressingly emo forensic assistant on the rotating guest list.
Moore plays Mason, a painfully shy telemarketer with an obvious talent for and obsession with sketching and painting. He is also obsessed with jazz. (The original sound track is tasty, at times intense and bizarre, but always appropriate to the movie. Written and performed by Todd Caldwell, the music is reminiscent of the late 60's early 70's jazz of Miles Davis and Ornette Coleman.)
Mason has this recurring problem with psychotic episodes. The movie does not detail exactly what happened, but it appears young Mason witnessed something horrible being done to his mother by his father. Apparently this tragic event happened around Christmas sometime in the 70's while jazz played in the background.
Mason also has an extreme fear of elves and there are the running themes of rain and Christmas. (Santa hats in paintings and a surprise date at a local classic film theater showing "It's A Wonderful Life".)
TV's "Chuck", Zachary Levi, in an impressive non-comedic role, plays Berkeley, Mason's long time buddy and only friend. He is Mason's lifeline to reality after experiencing a psychotic episode. He tells Mason to just take his medicine, relax and go back to bed.
After one particularly bizarre episode, Berkeley gives Mason a new sketchpad upon noticing the previous pad has been used up to the last page, which is ripped out.
Mason is later befriended by Amber who works in the same building as he but on a different floor. Played charmingly by Amber Tamblyn she becomes his new sketch model. He paints a series of poses based on sketches in his new sketchpad building up to the "final pose".
One day at Mason's apartment Amber stumbles onto a stash of similar looking sketch pads with different names on each, and the last page ripped out. After a confrontation Amber decides she needs to spend time away from Mason to put things into perspective. At Christmas dinner that night it is implied by Berkeley that Mason does not actually meet the women he sketches and paints, they are figments in his mind. That is why they never show up for dinner.
I'll stop my review here, we never do see that final pose, or get the exact details of what happened that tragic last Christmas between Mason's mom and dad. But the end is creepy and twisty and the whole movie is a delight. It'll stay with you awhile. And you'll want to watch it again, perhaps with an imaginary friend. (^o-) -
BA_Harrison13 January 2015Spiral was written by actor Joel David Moore and Jeremy Danial Boring, which is funny because it's hard to see how this film could be any Moore Boring (badum-tish!).
Moore stars as socially awkward, neurotic, tooth chomping, jazz loving, asthmatic insurance salesman Mason, whose hobby is obsessively sketching and painting pretty girls. When attractive new co-worker Amber (Amber Tamblyn) takes an interest in his art, the pair develop an unlikely friendship (Very, VERY unlikely, given how bloody insufferable Mason is) which leads to Amber posing for a series of paintings, before ultimately hopping into the sack with the weirdo (sh'yeah right). However, when Amber discovers Mason's previous sketch-books of other girls hidden in his bedroom drawer, she begins to suspect that there is something seriously wrong with her new pal (something that the rest of us probably suspected from the beginning!).
Co-directed by Moore and creator of the Hatchet trilogy Adam Green, the majority of Spiral moves at a snail's pace, with the dreary, unbelievable action accompanied by a discordant jazz soundtrack that only serves to irritate further. While I admire Green for attempting something a little different, the slow burn style employed here is hard to endure, particularly when combined with such an unappealing central character. A weak Shyalaman style twist ending, in which Mason's womanising boss and only friend Berkeley (Zachary Levi) realises with shock that Mason is not only delusional but dangerous, does little to redeem the movie. -
angelwriter1232 April 2008Spiral is the story of Mason, played by co-director, co-writer, producer Joel David Moore from Hatchet. Mason is a telemarketer, who likes to paint mysterious women, and consumes nothing but peanut butter sandwiches, apples and milk. (Just a warning, before viewing, you may want to be sure to have these items in the house in case you have a sudden craving. Or maybe that's just me?) Mason's life is a mess; he's messing up at work, having panic attacks that end in 3am phone calls, and freaky visions of some waitress. Mason is like a child in a man's body, awkward, scared; he needs a lot of help that he unfortunately isn't getting. Mason's only "friend" is Berkeley, played by producer Zachary Levi, who I hear has a show called Chuck but I've never seen it. Berkeley doesn't so much help Mason, as treat him like crap, then tries to justify it to himself and others by saying that he's being "honest". I think he's said it enough times that he actually believes it either that or he doesn't care, because he treats everyone the same way. One day, Mason meets a woman named Amber, played by Amber Tamblyn of Joan of Arcadia and more recently a great Hallmark movie, The Russell Girl. Amber is happy, bubbly, outspoken, and open book, she's the exact opposite of Mason and for a while, their relationship seems to work. Mason decides to paint her; he starts to seem happy, borderline normal. But, Amber knows there's something in his past, other women he's painted but won't talk about and the harder she pushes the more he pulls away.
After seeing co-director Adam Green's film, Hatchet, back in December I wasn't sure I was ready for the 180 into Spiral. I knew this film was going to be different, because for one thing, Spiral wasn't written by Green. This film is Joel David Moore's first as a writer/director but you have to wonder how the director of Hatchet is going to make this film work. I don't know how they did it but Green and Moore did an incredible job, I love this film. It reminds me of Psycho (the original not the piece of crap 1998 remake), the Sixth Sense, and maybe even a little 1408. Spiral already seems like a classic, with a great storyline, amazing jazz score (I'm not even into jazz), great camera work (even the hand-held at the end which makes you just the right amount of nauseous) and memorable performances. I'm not saying that all fans of Hatchet will like this film because I know many of them won't, Spiral isn't hardcore horror and it doesn't claim to be. Spiral is much more psychological, character and relationship driven. But if you like mystery and suspense, with a great twist ending, see this film, you won't regret it. My only wish for Spiral is that it could see a wider audience because the film and filmmakers deserve it. -
Do you like art and jazz mixed with depression and anxiety, office politics and murder? If so you may like this film. Amber Tamblyn is adorable. What does she see in Mason anyway? Artfully shot. Too much Jazz playing throughout the film (annoying). Interesting twist at the end. I dug this out of my DVD collection.
-
After reading many of Spiral's reviews, I had to leave one for the less hebetudinous. It was awkwardly contrived, not unlike Meet Joe Black and Eyes Wide Shut. Those films had the outrageous nerve of making us look at pretty people without dialogue for 10 second clips all movie long. This film serves up the same silent drivel with a face that's supposed to have the same effect as a motorcycle accident, but fails to make anyone I know care. Gorgeous girl is liberated, feeling safe in her own skin for the first time in, who cares.
It seems this move was made to be enjoyed by politically correct souls. Those who want to demonstrate to whoever how intuitive and sensitive they really are if one to peak under the garb one needs to wear in the biz world. I didn't get it, thank goodness.