Spin Me Round Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.0

Spin Me Round Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf June 8, 2023

Co-writers Alison Brie and Jeff Baena previously collaborated on 2020’s “Horse Girl.” They share a fondness for bizarre material and deep character work, playing with tonality and comedy as they visit some shadowy psychological spaces. The duo returns with “Spin Me Round,” which has the initial vibe of an upbeat workplace farce, but Baena (who directs) and Brie (who stars) aren’t committed to a straightforward tale of everyday pressures and absurdities, committed to strangeness that’s slowly massaged into the material. Much like “Horse Girl,” “Spin Me Round” has moments of greatness, but the work eventually runs out of inspiration, getting grabby with silliness and sinister business in the second half, which doesn’t line up with the breezy peculiarities of the first half.

Amber (Alison Brie) is a manager at Tuscan Grove, a chain restaurant specializing in Italian food for the masses. She’s dedicated to her job, trying to do her best for her boss (Lil Rel Howery), and she’s rewarded with a trip to visit the Tuscan Grove Institute in Italy, promised luxury and time with owner Nick (Alessandro Nivola). Amber is joined by Fran (Tim Heidecker), Jen (Ayden Mayeri), Deb (Molly Shannon), Susie (Debby Ryan), and Dana (Zach Woods), with the group soon realizing they’re stuck in terrible accommodations, with handler Craig (Ben Sinclair) making sure they stay on the property. While the others receive culinary lessons and play team-bonding games, Amber is soon singled out by Kat (Aubrey Plaza), Nick’s assistant, who pulls the American out of her schedule and shows her some of the sights, while the man behind Tuscan Grove is drawn to Amber, making moves to seduce her, which feeds into her fantasy concerning European travel, ignoring the strangeness that’s overtaking the Institute.

While the world of Olive Garden is an easy target for mockery, Baena offers a highly amusing parody of the chain restaurant in “Spin Me Round.” Tuscan Grove is an establishment that offers casual diners the escape of Italian food for low prices, with Nick promising a family experience and top cuisine in his commercials. The reality of the business is explored in the opening of the film, with pasta constructed on an industrial assembly line, alfredo sauce is delivered in generic bags, and the “kitchen” largely consists of a microwave warming up dishes before delivery to customers. It’s a job for Amber, and one she’s good at, managing employee needs and customer satisfaction, and her diligence is rewarded with a trip to Italy, participating in a program meant to strengthen employee relationships by bringing a select few to a gorgeous estate owned by Nick. Laughs connect with restaurant realities, and they increase with Amber’s arrival in Italy, moved into a sketchy hotel without a working lock on the door, meeting with colleagues such as Deb, who’s lost her luggage and can’t deal with it, revealing swift and sharp emotional instability.

The second act of “Spin Me Round” follows Amber into the Institute’s program, where she meets others selected for the special trip, learning more about their personal issues and general awkwardness. Fran is the most fun, presented here as a blowhard molecular gastronomy chef with a game show past always trying to take command of group meetings (Heidecker was born to play the part). Baena and Brie return to specific character quirks and suspicious behaviors, with the cast offered an open space to explore neuroses and slow-wittedness, and Shannon and Mayeri bring hilarious energy to the endeavor. The team works on games of trust with Craig, who doesn’t seem trustworthy, and they’re visited by master chef Liz (a perfectly sour Lauren Weedman), but “Spin Me Round” carefully sets up a little tension with Liz, who’s tasked with collecting Amber, initially bringing her to Nick’s yacht, where he commences a routine of seduction, drawn to the Tuscan Grove manager for reasons soon clarified. Trouble is, Kat is also fond of the visitor, with the pair enjoying their own side missions as Amber is overwhelmed by attention and Italian luxury.

Spin Me Round Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation provides a clear look at facial particulars, and costuming is fibrous, exploring kitchen gear and evening attire. Exteriors offer a dimensional view of Italian locations, especially with big shots of the countryside. Town tours are also deep. Interiors secure a look at decoration. Detail is also interesting with food preparation, preserving the textures of factory prepared dishes. Colors are capable, with a pleasant sense of greenery as the action moves around outside, maintaining a summery glow. Broader red and blue lighting in the finale is stable. Delineation is satisfactory.

Spin Me Round Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix shows some life, especially with musical selections. Scoring cues support with crisp instrumentation, setting Italian atmosphere and suspenseful moods. More active dance music and soundtrack selections are also defined, delivering beats and a sharp synth sound. Surrounds push out musical offerings, enveloping the listener, and atmospherics are lively, capturing the open world feel of Italian tours and character bustle during social engagements and educational gatherings. Dialogue exchanges are clean, dealing with a range of performance choices and some accent work.

Spin Me Round Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

There is no supplementary material on this release.

Spin Me Round Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Spin Me Round" takes a turn midway through the feature, trading a lively sense of industry tomfoolery and interpersonal exploration for a touch of mystery and more broad antics. After dancing around the endeavor, playing with a loose atmosphere of self-consciousness, the material begins to feel around for a plot, and the one Baena and Brie pick isn't commanding, digging into the toxicity of male behavior and the surprising violence of a Tuscan Grove getaway. "Spin Me Round" remains ridiculous, but the subtlety of odd people trying to make sense of one another is replaced by half-baked sleuthing and mediocre revelations, allowing a charming offering of goofiness to gradually become a chore to sit through.