With the rise of social media, fame became more accessible than ever. Gaining a large following became achievable for anyone with a recording device and internet connection, with some getting millions of followers and dollars seemingly overnight. For many younger individuals, this not only became a goal but a believable reality. Where a select few rose up and became internet famous, the mass majority tried and failed.
For some, this fight for fame became desperate as seen in Eugene Kotlyarenko‘s Spree. The film follows a young man named Kurt Kunkle (Joe Keery) who after years of struggling to gain a following of any kind decides to risk it all with a single night. Here he live streams himself committing a series of murders in hopes to finally get internet famous.
Taking on a style that blends the grit of Drive with the creativity of Searching, Spree is able to capture an oddly honest and genuine emotional core. While also enhancing elements of satire and social commentary. The entire film is framed from the perspective of a compilation of social media clips both from Kurt’s live stream and the social media of those around him.
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This approach can be jarring at first, though the film quickly finds its groove. And the editing only worked to enhance the experience. Everything seen within the film, good or bad, is being chosen by the characters to serve as a representation of themselves.
Social media allows individuals to build their own identities online through what they post and how they interact with others. Seeing the story play out through this context allowed for the content being shown to carry a deeper more personal meaning within the film. With that said, this concept also asks the audience to suspend their disbelief quite a bit.
From characters conveniently live streaming events that they clearly wouldn’t, to the police and other outside forces seemingly ignoring the live stream murder of multiple individuals. Spree is a film that easily is broken apart when logic is added. But for those who can look past these logical flaws, the story holds up quite well.
There might not be a ton of nuance or groundbreaking ideas within Spree, but the overall message still connects with a poignant sense of genuine truth. Where the actual events the film is to a fictionalized scale, the desire to find a purpose and achieve validation for one’s art is all too real.
The character of Kurt is in no way a hero, but he is a villain that is easy to sympathize with. He is a tragic character who exposes the scars growing up in the time of internet fame in a fresh and skillful matter. Kurt is someone with a huge ego and truly believes that his content is pure gold. But to cast judgment on him when the world around him supports content creators carrying similar egos is a hard burden to put onto the young man.
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These emotions might come naturally from the film, but it skillfully never sits down to explain these ideas to the audience. Much of the film – and especially the performance coming from Stranger Things alumni Joe Keery – is painfully naive and upbeat in the best of ways. No matter what happens, Kurt has to keep a positive attitude going. For both his fans and himself, promising that things are only going to get crazier and better moving forward. Hoping to attract more viewers and keep the few he has.
It is purposefully annoying drawing clear inspiration from the likes of Jake Paul and other various popular YouTubers. But only helps build the character of Kurt. And never feels irritating to the point where it will take audiences out of the film.
Spree might not be a flawless film, but it is a film that was engaging. At the end of the day it had an important message to say. It sticks with its unique style, and produces a bizarre thriller. One that will likely have audiences on the edge of their seats. Perhaps both scared for what will happen next and laughing at the absurdity of the characters. It walks a fine line, but is able to find the balance, and stand out as a well crafted and inspired effort.
Spree is available to stream now on Amazon.
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