Spinning Gold

I had high expectations here and this movie didn't come close to meeting them. At it's core is an amazing story, but they failed to tell it with any suspense, compassion or coniction. The trailer sells you on inside details of every act on the label, but for the most part, we only get to know Kiss and Donna Summer.

The biggest problem with this film is none of the talent looks like who they are portraying. Kiss has 5 decades of Cosplayers and every one of those fans looks better than the clown squad they assembled for this film. Not a single member looks like the actual band member and Gene Simmons looks like he's about 5"6' and that is with the platform boots. Tall talent in real life is portrayed by short people. Thin people like Gladys Knight are portrayed by a fat woman, and short people like George Clinton are portrayed by talent a full foot taller.

As much as I tried to get into this movie, the poor portrayals kept pulling me out. The music also was poorly done again removing me from the fantasy.

There are two reasons this movie is going to tank. 1) its target audience is most likely retired or pushing it. 2) it's not true enough to the people to satisfy the crowd. This was a watered-down remake of Rock of Ages. A poor parody or of poor movie. That's what happens when you allow the family of the subject to run the show. These kids are not film makers and it shows in every scene.

I will give the director (son of the man this movie is about) credit. Watching this movie from beginning to end (or rather listening to the narration, A clear sign this movie was bad) made me interested in his dad. Ironically, I became so interested that I felt this man deserved a better movie about himself.

It was over bloated with too much stuff that could not be gel together well. Possibly would have been better as a series of episodes in which each musical act was on focus (If it was a series, I would give it a higher rating simply because of the Kiss episode).

Its funny that the movie is about the filmmaker's father because it felt like the man himself directed it as a stoke to his own ego.

Literally, the film was a man telling me how awesome he is and realistic that could have been done in a podcast or Youtube video. These days listening to some one talk for over two hours seems like better time management than watching a boring biopic.

A colorful and moving tribute to Neil Bogart, "Spinning Gold" is about fulfilling dreams and life itself. A somewhat sedate and less manic "Vinyl" the movie is a cruise through mid - 20th Century America and the ascent of a young Jewish man from humble and troubled beginnings in New York to the pinnacle of success in Hollywood and beyond. Jeremy Jordan livens the party as the glib and amiable Bogart who navigates his way through debt and hairy personal situations in making his record label Casablanca Records the most successful independent music company. Along the way we're witness to music history as Bogart discovers or signs KISS, Donna Summer, Gladys Knight, The Village People, Parliament, etc.., and the rest is music history. One aspect missing here is the failure to bring life to the times and the music. Too much focus on the interpersonal relationships charts this tale into tunnel vision that misses the fun parts of a fun time. Perhaps the most glaring sin is the miscasting of the music legends featured. The actors are either too tall, too short or too fat. Considering the nature of the film they should have damn well made the actors look like their characters as much as possible. All in all a fine tribute to a man and a time that altered and enriched and whose legacy endures potently to this day.

My rating (6) is higher then the movie actually deserves.. This has to do that I'm greatfull to learn the origin some of my music. Not using the original music tracks is a big miss of the true feeling in my hart. No discredit to Donna Summer actrice Tylor Parks, but she does not have the voice or image of Donna Summer. I'm sure it has to do with the original song rights where proberly to expensive to use in the movie. That's a real shame because it would give the movie much more credit. The acting is oke-ish, but story play is poor. I had people that just walked out of the cinema that could not look at it anymore. (...) second half of the movie was better. But it took to long to be involved as a viewer.

Note to self. Don't let the sons make a film about the father. Bad wigs, bad acting - covers that don't sound like the originals Tone is all over the place. Just bad and poor Jeremy Jordan in a terrible wig. Jason Isaacs so miscast. The actresses are badly used. Just a bad version of Scorsese or PT Anderson. How did this get a wide release? Who financed it? It should have gone straight to video. The lead character is unlikable and inconsistent. This is a vanity project if there ever was one. The script is terrible and the directing borrows from a bunch of different movies. Expect to see this on VoD very soon.