Spring: A Romance to Die For

by Corey Gray

    Spring, directed by Justin Benson and Aaron Scoot Moorhead, starts out like any other indie romance, but it hatches into a wildly complex and shocking one-of-a-kind gondola ride into the unexplored caverns of love, science, and history. This romantic-horror came out in early 2015, and while it received rave reviews, it remained a fairly underground favorite that only few and far between people had seen. The premise may seem a bit strange, which is why a lot of people didn’t check this bad boy out, but it turned out to be one of the most satisfying flicks I’ve seen all year. ​

---

It takes a minute for the film to pick up, but once it does, you’ll be hooked. It follows a man with nothing to lose. He makes the spur of the moment decision to get a breath of fresh air anywhere other than America, and he ends up finding himself in Italy. From the jump, you’ll see how this film reads as an art piece. Every shot, every jump, and every motif weaved together to form the most vivid and atmospheric web of a buzzing romance in coastal Italy. The female lead is introduced as an aloof beauty in a red dress, and of course, our leading man has no choice but to become completely enamored by her. The story proceeds like a fever dream. There’s the fast paced romance, cut by periodic shots of squirming insects to balance it out. The duality of the very pedestrian romance and the primal force of nature is exquisite. Nature starts bleeding more and more into the narrative and eventually ushers in the horror element. The gorgeous landscape and romance lulls you into a sweet cocoon, only to cut you open and remind you that not all things are what they seem. The movie then introduces strong ties to history and art, which will attract a whole other viewership.
    This is a shatteringly romantic movie that plays out like folklore. The romance element is so visceral and optimistic that it grounds the fantastical plot points. You’ll find yourself deeply invested in this forbidden love, and you’ll be so grateful that the film never feels pretentious. This is a gorgeous movie across the board and there’s something in the plot for everybody. It’s a deftly concocted brew of everything you’d want in a movie. It never gets too gushy, nor too spooky; too scientific, or too analytical. Spring is a must watch in my book.  ​