Spiral

Now 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!

SPIRAL seems very innocent at first. Mason (Joel David Moore) is a typical office drone. We feel sorry for this hopeless nebbish. Then, Amber (Amber Tamblyn) enters Mason's barren life, and slowly wins his heart. A warm romance builds between the two.

That's when the trouble starts.

SPIRAL is a tricky film, leading us to believe that it could be another romcom, right up until the madness and terror arise! The finale is quite a grabber and sends shivers down the spine...

Mason 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

Spiral 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.

This 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.