Spin Me Round has a great cast and tons of silly moments, it just doesn’t pack the same punch as Jeff Baena’s other films.
Frequent collaborators Jeff Baena and Alison Brie have given us some wild movies – such as ones with a group of naughty nuns (with other frequent collaborators Aubrey Plaza and Molly Shannon), a woman with strange dreams and a crazy “bachelor” weekend – but their latest journey, “Spin Me Round,” delivers a wild adventure in beautiful Italy. When a restaurant manager gets an opportunity of a lifetime to attend a training program in Italy, she dreams of a magical vacation. There’s plenty of that, along with mishaps and very interesting travel companions. A wild bunch of supporting cast members really up the humor here, but the story itself lacks in many ways.
Amber (Brie), the manager of a Bakersfield, California, Tuscan Grove restaurant – basically an Olive Garden knockoff created by Nick Martucci (Alessandro Nivola) that features employees singing brain-numbing birthday songs to customers and pouring alfredo sauce straight from a microwavable bag – gets an opportunity to go to Italy for training, and she immediately thinks about the possibility of finding love overseas.
Once she gets to the country of amazing cuisine and stunning views, instead of staying at Nick’s beautiful villa, she’s whisked off to the neighboring rundown hotel. Joining Amber on this trip are other Tuscan Grove managers, played by Molly Shannon, Zach Woods, Tim Heidecker, Debby Ryan and Ayden Mayeri, who are the wackiest bunch. If one isn’t talking about her lost luggage and all the important items in her suitcase (Shannon), another is so self-absorbed (Heidecker) that he tries to take over a cooking class led by Lauren Weedman’s character.
When Nick and his assistant Kat (Plaza) visit the class, sparks fly between Amber and the business owner. Sure enough, Kat starts to sneak Amber away from the program to Nick’s yacht the next day, to go on shopping trips or to his sculpture friend’s party (Fred Armisen). The vacation feels like a dream to Amber, but viewers will be able to pick up on some strange vibes here. Soon, more women from the managers’ training program start disappearing, and while we might be able to guess why, Amber and her fellow trainee Dana (Woods) start investigating what Nick and Kat are up to, which ultimately leads to a … shocking finale.
Like in Baena’s other films, the humor is top notch here. The hilariously incredible band of misfits in the managers’ program will make you laugh nonstop, especially Shannon and Woods who are either complaining about something or fawning over the Tuscan Grove history. Armisen, who is a little restrained in this film compared to others, has a laugh out loud moment when he looks directly into Brie’s eyes and starts singing along to “Lady in Red” during his party.
Somehow Brie manages to keep a straight face around this wild bunch, which makes those moments even more funny.
Despite these light moments, the story and character dynamics are a bit disappointing in the end. Brie’s role is fairly simple, but when she and Plaza are on screen together, it’s magical. Unfortunately, Plaza’s character disappears completely in the second half, and I spent the entire time wondering if she would ever return.
The movie would have benefited from more time with Nick, Amber and Kat overall, since the moments when they were sneaking away from the class were the most exciting. Nivola shines in this film as the handsome businessman who is equal parts charming and a little strange. Once we move away from the Nick romance, you’re left wondering where the movie is ultimately going, and while it’s definitely surprising, the journey to the end is a bit out of place.
“Spin Me Round” may not have the same punch as Baena’s other films, but the silly moments from a great cast help carry it along. And even if you’re a little disappointed with it overall, at least the Italian views and food – except the microwavable alfredo sauce – will delight.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5
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About Spin Me Round
When the manager of an Italian restaurant chain wins the opportunity to attend the franchise’s educational immersion program in Italy, what she thought would be a romantic getaway devolves into chaos and catastrophe.
