Nordling here.
I have heard good things about Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson's RESOLUTION, and the film was well received enough to garner the new directors a slot on V/H/S VIRAL. But it is their second feature-length film, SPRING, that really made me sit up and take notice. It's still too early to call favorites for Fantastic Fest, but I don't see how SPRING doesn't wind up in my top three unless this is a truly incredible year. Even so, I cherished every moment of this movie. SPRING is probably best seen blind, with one caveat - don't expect a full-on horror film. Instead, Moorhead and Benson really explore young romance in a way that, while reminiscent of films such as Richard Linklater's BEFORE SUNRISE, is unique and deeply resonant. SPRING uses horror as a springboard to examine love, passion, and relationships, and our capacity for acceptance and understanding. We will risk it all when we find that one person that truly connects to us, even when that person carries an incredible amount of baggage.
Evan (Lou Taylor Pucci) is coping with the loss of his mother and father in the space of a few months - his father in a car accident, and his mother with cancer. Giving up his hopes and dreams to take care of her, Even works as a cook at a restaurant and longs to live a life of meaning, but it's difficult. When Evan, in a rage, gets into a fight with a local, he decides to leave the country and take his inheiritance and explore Italy, where he meets two British young men on holiday. They manage to make their way to a small village outside of Naples, and it's there that Evan meets Louise (Nadia Hilker), a lovely young woman who lives in town. The two hit it off immediately, and their discussions are full of great dialogue that feels honest and true, and also very funny. There's a real chemistry between Evan and Louise, but Louise is also holding something back - at times she is withdrawn, and tells Evan that she suffers from a rare condition. But Evan doesn't care - he thinks he's met the love of his life, and enjoys every moment he spends with her.
It's when that condition rears its ugly head that the horror aspect of SPRING comes into play, but it's not what you might expect, and when the film goes into the explanation of what Louise truly is, it may lose some people not willing to follow where the film wants to go. But I loved where the movie went, and while other films of this nature may take the road more traveled by, Moorhead and Benson decide to delve into themes and ideas that horror rarely explores. SPRING isn't particularly scary in that regard, but it also isn't afraid to show some pretty incredible practical effects that not only are amazing to look at, but actually build character. I've rarely seen a horror film do that. Again, many audiences won't be able to swallow that aspect of the movie, but Benson and Moorhead are trying new things, and looking for something genuine instead of simply shocking people.
Pucci and Hilker are terrific. They have real warmth in their scenes together, and much like Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy in the BEFORE films, you can sit and listen to their conversations for hours. It's also beautifully shot, with gorgeous location shooting in Italy by Aaron Moorhead. The cinematography makes the film look more budgeted tha it actually is, and Moorhead has a keen eye for real beauty in the landscape. The makeup effects are top-notch, and unexpected; it's lovely and pretty terrifying in its way. The script by Justin Benson is funny, true, deep, and full of charming moments, and Pucci and Hilker act the hell out of the great dialogue.
The passion for great character work is what really pushes SPRING over other routine horror fare; and again, to call SPRING a horror film isn't really fair to SPRING or horror. SPRING isn't out to frighten or disgust, but wants the audience to be willing to travel where Evan and Louise travel, and anyone who has ever been in love will understand that when we meet that special person, their shortcomings are just as important to who that person is as much as their strong points. We all have our inner battles, we all have our bad moments, but love overcomes those moments, and to truly share a life with someone means that it's all a part of the whole. Romance and horror rarely interact, and even rarer successfully, but SPRING doesn't straddle the boundary so much as melts them together. It's one I can't stop thinking about, and I can't wait to see what Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead do next. SPRING is a beautiful film, full of passion, intelligence, and emotion. One of my favorite films so far this year.
Nordling, out.
