Fantastic Fest 2014: SPRING – The Review

Walking into a film completely blind and letting it take you to a new and foreign place is an exciting and refreshing experience. Rarely do you have that luxury with social media and modern marketing. I knew next to nothing before seeing the new film from Moorhead & Benson (RESOLUTION). SPRING took me on a journey, but more importantly, this film about personal discoveries and being reborn anew is a filmic journey that demands to be taken again and again.

Evan (Lou Taylor Pucci) embodies a Charles Bukowski lost soul character. He’s constantly at odds with himself and rarely is seen without a cigarette, booze, or other drug in his hand. When the opportunity is available, he pines for the comfort of a woman in his dazed and confused state. Yet there’s a softness to his eyes that makes his hard lifestyle choices forgivable. Evan has been through a lot of recent hardships – losing his mom and his job in the same week – and the idea of a new life, or at least an escape from his old one, comes in the form of an aimless journey through Italy. Initially though, it’s not really a “new” life for Evan. He immediately links up with two horny travelers who are reminiscent of his friend Tommy back home. It isn’t until Evan begins developing a relationship with a mysterious stranger named Louise that we finally see the promise of rebirth. Shots of insects and plants blooming during the spring season as well as a few references to the evolutionary advances of man lends the last half a metaphysical tone that opens up the film in a new light.

What makes SPRING such a treat to discover is the way in which the story is presented. An air of mystery sets in once Evan arrives in Italy. Directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead are careful about revealing what exactly is going on as we are left speculating at what’s around the corner. For instance, the farmer who hires Evan for work speaks short, cryptic phrases – “Italian women”; locals are seen peering through their windows as he walks down the streets; dead animals are found in the streets; and most importantly, the elusive and exotic Louise keeps Evan in the dark about her life; all of these elements slowly weave together to form one of the best horror-fantasies I’ve seen in years and one that will constantly keep you guessing.

Moorhead & Benson invest a lot of time and effort in their characters. There’s an excitement to the playful banter between the young lovers that typically isn’t heard in most films. Writing “real” situations that don’t include empty or contrived dialogue can be a struggle. Justin Benson’s genuine love for the characters is evident and is perfectly brought to life through two wonderful leads in Lou Taylor Pucci and Nadia Hilker. A heartbreaking vulnerability is conveyed in their performances – a style that is equally as rare to see in the horror genre.

Some will be quick to describe the film as Richard Linklater’s BEFORE SUNRISE mixed with … well … saying the last part gives more away than I would prefer; even though most critics will likely mention it since its an important aspect to the story. Let me just say this: the last part works. Yes… there’s some scientific rambling that may be hard to stomach or believe, but I was sold on it based on the foundation that the directors had previously setup. If you can be content enough with the vague description of “horror-fantasy,” than that might be the best way to describe the last half of the film without spoiling it. Some shocking and surreal make-up and effects work is achieved that will satisfy patient genre fans; one quick but horrific scene in particular left me slack-jawed for a solid minute. At a genre-centric festival like Fantastic Fest, a film like SPRING stands out as a refreshing approach to a supernatural story. As Louise explains to Evan, “Just because you haven’t seen something before, it doesn’t mean it’s supernatural.” So maybe it is in fact a human story as opposed to a supernatural one. Not unlike Evan’s wide-eyed stare when he first meets the dark-haired vixen, I was constantly in a state of wonder watching SPRING and was transfixed by a unique and beautiful film that breathes life into the horror genre.

Overall rating: 4.5 out of 5

Drafthouse Films just picked up the film for distribution and has not released a poster or release date as of yet