Spin (2003)

Such a frustrating disappointment

Just so...so bad

It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

I was in a local video store that was closing down and selling off their stock, a trend these days it seems due to the emergence of Netflix and the like, and noticed this film. It caught my attention because I'm a pilot so I bought it ($2).It wasn't at all what I'd expected but I was pleasantly surprised none the less. The cinematography and acting are exceptional. The story is a little slow but holds your interest and you become invested in the characters as the movie moves along. They seemed real to me. That alone is saying a lot considering some of what is foisted upon the viewing public these days.While I would classify this as a family movie it does contain some dark material dealing with sexual abuse so I would not say it was for young children. Still and all, it was a pleasant viewing experience and I found it head and shoulders above a lot of what is produced in Hollywood these days.I would recommend Spin for anyone looking for a well done, mostly pleasant viewing experience.

In the 1950s near the Mexican border, Eddie Haley's parents die in a plane crash. Eddie's Uncle Frank takes care of him for a while, but his career with the Air Force requires a lot of travel and he can't take Eddie along. So Eddie is left in the care of Ernesto and Margaret, who run the Haley family ranch.Eddie meets Francesca at the park and they become friends. Francesca's father is mean, and she claims her mother and grandparents don't want anything to do with Francesca and her father.Several years later, Eddie is 17 and sitting in his father's airplane, which is his now. He has no plans to become a pilot, and he doesn't seem to have much of a plan for his life, period. Margaret gets a job teaching at the high school in town, so Eddie goes to school there and makes the football team.Eddie meets Francesca once again. She is very nice and quite pretty, but she has a dark secret. Not only that, but she is poor and Mexican, so she is treated differently by some people. Brad, whose father owns a mine where Eddie's parents died, is Eddie's friend. He knows about the plane crash but not the fact that Eddie's parents were in the plane. Eddie and Brad both want to date Francesca, but only one can, so the other gets Julie.Uncle Frank returns and teaches Eddie how to fly, though Eddie has never gotten over how he was rejected years ago.This starts out as a pleasant enough family film. Toward the end, though, some disturbing themes are introduced. There is nothing explicit except for one scene where there is blood, but no obvious clue as to where it came from unless one is really paying attention (what I mean is that a child wouldn't have to know it was blood). There are bruises, so we know one character was the victim of violence. And there is the suggestion of a despicable deed no child should know about.But the good news is that Eddie shows character and determination as a result of what happens. And an element of excitement is added as well. The film does inspire because of what Eddie has to do. I actually assumed this might have been a real person (otherwise, why did the film have to take such a dark turn?) until I saw the closing credits, which said this movie was fiction.Most of the actors give good performances, but Stanley Tucci stands out as a loving but firm uncle.

As other commenters here have noted, Spin is a quiet gem with wonderful performances, breathtaking cinematography and a simple, familiar storyline that never descends into triteness.I think this flick falls into the 'life goes on' category - where Lasse Hallestrom leads the pack. It has true sensitivity without a single false note. I was ready to be disappointed by the scene in which Francesca reveals the nature of her tragedy, but the dialog was perfect - the only thing said was what was needed to be said, and the movie moved on to explore the same themes it had set up in the first 2 acts.In fact, the dialog and direction seem to be what gives Spin its depth - the cast is able to express deep and sometimes-brutal emotions through their interactions rather than through words and gestures. There was simply no artifice to this movie - not in the acting, not in the dialog, not in the images. I do have to disagree with the commenter who felt there were dry spells in the action - I fell into the movie almost from the first scene and felt carried slowly and comfortably along the entire time. They were (mostly) a nice bunch of people to spend a few hours with.I suggest Spin for anyone who would like to be wrapped in the feeling that although the world can be harsh, it doesn't necessarily have to be devastating.

"Spin" came as a total surprise. We had not heard about the movie before, so when it was shown on cable recently, we decided to watch it, something that paid off because it is basically an unpretentious look at a not too distant past. James Redford, is making his debut as a director showing he has an eye for detail.The story centers around Eddie. When we meet him, he is a young boy who has to deal with the premature death of his parents in a small plane crash. As a result, his only living relative is a distant uncle, a major in the Air Force, who practically abandons him to the caretaker couple that works for him in the Arizona ranch. Eddie's uncle, as well as his father, have a passion for flying that is transferred to the young man. A few years go by and next we see a teen aged Eddie who is not doing well in school. His friendship with the lovely Francesca develops into love, but fate intervenes in their lives.The film has a lovely finished look thanks to the cinematography of Paul Ryan who captured the rugged Arizona landscape in all its glory. The musical score is by Todd Boekelheide, which serves the film well. The performances are credible as Ryan Merriman makes us care for his Eddie. Stanley Tucci, Dana Delany, Ruben Blades and Paula Garces are the other performers.James Redford does a good job with his first directorial assignment.