In an era of flashy filmmaking and movies driven by taglines it’s refreshing to see a film with deliberate pacing, a character driven plot, and a bow to Master filmmakers of times past. “Spiral” is a film written by, directed by, and starring Joel David Moore who most will likely know from his many supporting comedic roles (Grandma’s Boy, Art School Confidential). He has crafted what could be described as Alfred Hitchcock’s response to “Lars and the Real Girl”. A perfectly paced, beautifully shot, psychological thriller.
A Mentally Unstable Telemarketer
Mason (Joel David Moore) is an emotionally troubled young man who lives a solitary life filled only with jazz music (which is unfortunately played throughout the movie) and painting. He works at an insurance telemarketing firm for his best friend Berkeley (Zachary Levi), a tactless misogynist who mostly perceives Mason as a charity case.
One day Mason meets the slightly neurotic Amber (Amber Tamblyn) who takes an interest in him mistaking his peculiarity for artistic genius. As Amber poses for a series of paintings by Mason they develop a friendship. Eventually, Amber begins to suspect that something is wrong.
Assured Direction With Excellent Pacing and Tone
One of the strongest points of this film is the focus on tone, pacing, and an intentional aesthetic. Joel David Moore and Adam Green (Hatchet) have a firm grasp on the world they are attempting to create. The uses of red to represent psychological unease and danger, the costumes and design of the telemarketing firm, and the lingering shots of characters contrasting off of each other are just a few examples. The pacing is bang on for creating the unsettling tone, but may frustrate a less patient viewer. Also, each shot is gorgeously framed by cinematographer Will Barratt. This is an unexpected follow-up to the campy horror of “Hatchet”; but a welcome one.
A Surprisingly Strong Script From Moore and Boreing
The screenplay penned by Jeremy Danial Boreing and Joel David Moore, is particularly strong as well. We’re never treated to redundant exposition in order to explain what is going on. The characters and their interactions drive the story. The audience is respected rather than placated, which again, is rare these days. The only weakness of the script is the development of Amber. There are a lot of factors within her character and her relationship with Mason that cannot be discussed as they will ruin the movie. However, despite her character’s ignorant interest in someone with an artistic predilection, there isn’t a lot of insight into why she would be overly interested in someone who, on the surface, appears to be borderline schizophrenic. Had more care been taken to develop her character, and her motivations, the film would have gone from “good” to “great”.
Tamblyn and Levi are Stars of the Future
The acting is surprisingly strong for an indie feature. Amber Tamblyn is the biggest “name” in this film, aside from Tricia Helfer who does a fine job in her supporting role. Tamblyn, plays her character with a well placed neuroses and insecurity, and does so without making her character seem like a victim. This is a fine balance and she does so with effect. Zachary Levi is a revelation here. Most people will be familiar with him only from his television work as “Chuck”. He plays a very different character in this film, melding self assurance with bigotry and his own form of empathy; he may be the most interesting character in this movie. This is an actor to watch out for in the future. Joel David Moore does a fine job with an unstable character. The only criticism might be that he went a little too over the top, making a love interest angle unconvincing.
A Slow Convincing Hitchcockian Thriller
“Spiral” is a rare independent treat. Mixing the character driven motivations of films like "Dedication", and the film theory insights of "All The Boys Love Mandy Lane". It may be too slow and subtle for some viewers, but will likely interest Hitchcock fans, and those who aren’t afraid of investing a little thought into a low budget film.
