For some people, it’s believed that your social media “status” is directly correlated to your worth as a human being. Clearly this is ridiculous but in a city like Los Angeles where numbers and followers mean everything, some people will do whatever it takes to raise their profile. Director Eugene Kotlyarenko pokes fun at this insane influencer culture in the dark comedy Spree, a story about how one man’s desire for fame turns deadly.
On 4/12/19, Kurt Kunkle (Joe Keery) aka @KurtsWorld96 finally went viral. In a desperate attempt to raise his followers and, in turn, self-esteem, Kurt concocts a plan which he brands #TheLesson. His goal? Kill as many people as possible, all while live-streaming during his shift as a rideshare driver. Kurt clearly subscribes to the belief that “If it bleeds, it leads” and throughout the course of the night, unsuspecting passengers fall victim to Kurt’s antics; the more gruesome the kill, the more his viewer count increases. It’s sick and twisted, and frighteningly, doesn’t seem so far-fetched in today’s wacky world. However, his plan takes a turn when he crosses paths with stand-up comedian Jessie (Sasheer Zamata). Shot and edited in a similar format to 2018’s Searching, where the story is told through technology only, Spree is a visual whirlwind of desperation. For 90 minutes, we watch Kurt (in an incredible performance from Joe Keery) unravel into a demented psychopath.
What The Rental did for Airbnb, Spree does for Lyft (semi-spoiler alert: You may think twice about drinking that backseat bottled water). In addition to being a somewhat cautionary tale about trusting the convenience of technology, Spree is mostly a character study on the effect of social media on the mentally unstable. Whereas 2017’s dark comedy Ingrid Goes West is an uncomfortable look at stalker behavior and mental illness, Spree is all of that amplified by 100%. You’re in for a wild ride, dare you take it.
Distributed by RLJE Films, Spree is available in select theaters and VOD on August 14, 2020.
