disappointment media
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • The Snake Hole
  • About

LOVE SPREADS -- A Charming Music Hang Out Movie

6/17/2021

0 Comments

 
Review by Sean Boelman
Picture
The hangout movie is a subgenre of comedy that is especially hit-or-miss, but the few which are able to effectively capture the intended feeling can be enjoyable beyond belief. Jamie Adams’s Love Spreads is an absolute surprise thanks to a sharp script and a cast that is strong all around.

The film follows a band who, following a successful debut, are in disarray when they try to make their second album. There have been plenty of movies that have shown the creative forces in a band at war with each other, but Adams’s script is refreshingly light on melodrama, taking a much more low-key approach than is typical for films like this.

Like much of the genre, the pacing of the movie is very laid back, but that isn’t a bad thing. For the ninety-three-minute runtime, audiences won’t feel as if they’re watching a movie, but rather a series of sessions by this fictional band. And for those who are into the music scene, the film will prove particularly entertaining.

The thing that Adams’s script largely lacks is something to say. There are some moments which show the promise of this being a commentary on the music industry, this isn’t really the movie’s focus. It’s much more observational than it is insightful, refraining from taking much of a stance on the issues that it could have explored.
Picture
That said, as an ode to creativity in the music-making process, it works exceptionally well. The dynamic between the members of the band feels extremely lived-in and authentic. This believability is what makes the film tick, as our investment in their creative process is fundamentally tied to how much we buy into their relationship.

The acting in the movie is also very strong. Alia Shawkat does a great job. Recent years have seen her evolve from being goofy to more straight-faced, even when she’s in a comedic-leaning project like this, and it suits her well. Eiza González, Chanel Cresswell, and Tara Lee are all good in their roles as well.

As expected, the film is very low-key, but it does a great job of capturing the intimacy of the setting. The recording studio Rockfield is fabled, and the movie does a great job of bringing to life what one would imagine the place to be like. The soundtrack is strong as well, with some catchy tunes, but one will be left wishing the filmmakers had done more with it.

Love Spreads is a charmingly quaint film, and while it certainly could have done more with its premise, part of the appeal is how simple it is. It’s a great hangout movie set in the music world, and that’s a niche that is fun to watch.

Love Spreads hits VOD on June 18.

Rating: 4.5/5
               
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    June 2025
    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019

    Authors

    All
    Adam Donato
    Alan French
    Allison Brown
    Borja Izuzquiz
    Camden Ferrell
    Cole Groth
    Daniel Lima
    Dan Skip Allen
    Erin M. Brady
    Jonathan Berk
    Joseph Fayed
    Josh Batchelder
    Paris Jade
    Rafael Motamayor
    Sarah Williams
    Sean Boelman
    Tatiana Miranda

disappointment media

Dedicated to unique and diverse perspectives on cinema!
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • The Snake Hole
  • About