Spread (2009) - 60%
Nikki (Ashton Kutcher) is a pretty boy in LA intent on living the good life. He’s equally intent however, on not getting a job. Instead, he finds young women to have sex with - and therefore a bed in which to sleep - and older women to sponge off. His studied craft of seduction and charm lands him in the sexy providing care of Samantha (Anne Heche) and for a while his life is sweet, but along come strong feelings for Heather (Margarita Levieva) to turn this vicariously enjoyable poolsex-and-cocktails playboyfest into an actual movie. Cue typical Hollywood convention of lothario learning the wrong of his ways and then everyone decides that love is all that really matters, right? Well perhaps a dab, but Spread is a little more cynical than that, and ultimately earns itself more credibilty than it was first given.
Even though, despite being a heterosexual man, I spent a lot of the film idly staring at Kutcher in something between envy and arousal, his acting talent goes somewhat unmentioned. Take his superb performance in The Butterfly Effect, a very underrated ingredient in its success. He’s obviously got the looks for the part, but he also manages to carry off the effortless arrogance and manipulation necessary for Spread, sizing up new potential partners and reminiscing - Alfie-style - about old ones. His technique is coordinated to the small details, and we’re left in no doubt about his intentions. The fact that, oh, he goes on and inevitably develops feelings and realises some important stuff about women or whatever is perhaps a wellworn path and doesn’t make my job of recommending the film to any guys reading any easier. But forget that. It’s a well-played and watchable title, and though ultimately unlikely to change your life or do any of the things that movies at their best can do, I recommend it to you.
If nothing else, Peter Bradshaw gave it 4 stars. Let’s not talk about it’s Rotten Tomatoes rating though eh? And if that’s still not enough, it has the most captivating ending credits sequence I think I’ve ever seen.
60%
