Forget the critical acclaim. Forget the well-known cast. Forget the music by Billy “I’m Deep” Corgan.
The fact of the matter is that Spun is dire, save one scene.
The cast are largely annoying, perhaps by design. However, it certainly doesn’t make them any more endearing or interesting to watch.
The most grating part of the film is the music, where horribly overt acoustic tunes abound. They detract from the film by being played along to driving sections, cutting the pace in exactly the wrong places.
If your idea of gritty realism (a phrase that is bound to appear in any review of the film) is anything with a low-grain camera, jaunty angles and some faux arthouse dialogue (in limited doses), then this might just appeal to you. To anyone expecting actual depth, go elsewhere.
A staccato review for a staccato film.