Spread

Friday 11th December 2009

Dir. David Mackenzie
Rating ***1/2

Inspired by films like Shampoo, Breakfast at Tiffany’s and American Gigolo, director David Mackenzie presents an explicit look into the immoral life of Hollywood high-lifers and the shameless things they do to sustain it.

Meet Nikki (Aston Kutcher), the beautiful lothario who is living out his fantasy lifestyle of sex and money in none other than Hollywood, California. Nikki has no home, no car and no job, but with his charm and good looks he prides himself on duping wealthy middle-aged women (Anne Heche) into providing for his every need. From Prada sweaters to luxury sports cars, Nikki has it all and when things hit a snag he can count on his buddy Harry (Stan) to bail him out with a place to stay. But when Nikki meets Heather (Margerita Levieva) at a coffee shop one day, his charm that he’s grown so dependent on fails him, and when he learns that Heather is not as innocent as she seems, the two hit it off and the game of one-upmanship ensues. But as their friendship strengthens, feelings inevitably come into play and it’s up to the two hedonists to decide whether love or living a life of luxury is of more importance.

Despite dreadful reviews since it’s screening in Sundance, Spread is a surprisingly candid foray into the shallow and morally lack lifestyle of high-end Hollywoodites. Casual sex and unapologetic debauchery are delved into, yet not glamorized, as we follow Nikki and learn that despite how impressive things might seem from the onset, the truth remains that he is a homeless, jobless narcissist who uses women, his friends and his family for his own gain. Albeit with overindulged sex scenes, the film cleverly slips from being an initial playful look at the life of a Hollywood boy-toy to a stark look at a narrow-minded, amoral young man, and with a notable performance from Ashton Kutcher, Spread is an unjustly dismissed flick worth seeing.

PUBLISHED IN SCREEN JABBER