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Parents' Guide to

Spree

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Strong star performance in violent social media satire.

Movie NR 2020 93 minutes
Spree Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 15+

Based on 8 parent reviews

revesebra
revesebra Adult
July 8, 2021
age 15+

Very creative and fun

Honestly a genius film. Despite having such a dark and morbid concept, the producers and cast managed to execute the comedy aspect so well. It was so fun to sit and watch, it felt real and had realistic portrayals of social media and its users. I found myself watching intently, waiting to see where Kurt would end up next, who he was going to kill and who he wasn't, it was just so engaging for me. Joe Keery was the perfect actor for a role like this. Kurt has this weird innocence to him despite being utterly crazy, and Keery pulled it off perfectly. At times I wasn't sure if I felt bad for Kurt, or if I was scared of how crazy he is, and still, even after watching the film, I can't decide. He's a likeable character which makes it interesting to see him go on a murderous rampage, because it inclines you to dislike him and his actions, yet I personally couldn't. I also loved how they merged comedy into horror, and they did it so well. Usually, when you see comedy in a horror film, it's horribly cringe-worthy "jokes" made at stupid times, which are forced and have no relevance other than an attempt at a comedic touch. However, the comedy in this film came naturally. It wasn't forced or unnecessary, it was the characters and their personalities, the way they interacted and the way they were all embodied stereotypes made as mockery, and I personally find it really enjoyable and funny to watch.
2 people found this helpful.
joycebear123
joycebear123 Parent of 12-year-old
August 14, 2022
age 12+
See all 8 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In SPREE, Kurt Kunkle (Joe Keery) is a would-be social media star, having posted videos for years while rarely achieving more than single-digit numbers in terms of views and likes. Now working as a Spree ride-share driver, he makes a life change. He mounts cameras all around his car and sets to work. He picks up a man who turns out to be a White supremacist. Kurt offers him a complimentary bottle of water, and the man chokes and dies. Kurt reveals that he's on a killing spree, trying to document as many kills as he can. But then he picks up stand-up comic Jessie Adams (Sasheer Zamata), and he realizes that if he can piggyback on her huge social media following, that would double his chances of becoming a star. Thus begins a long, strange, and very bloody night.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (8 ):
Kids say (34 ):

While its themes are nothing new, this demented, envelope-pushing satire somehow balances its sadistic violence with smart humor and Keery's lovable, lunatic puppy dog performance. Like so many movies before it, Spree attempts to skewer obsessions with online fame, continually readjusting where the line is crossed and for whom. Its ultimate conclusion -- that we're obsessed with social media and that it's almost impossible to quit -- isn't new, but the road to get there is certainly fascinatingly teasing. That said, plenty of viewers are also likely to find many of the movie's scenes offensive.

Spree is presented through a combination of surveillance footage and footage shot on phones, as well as livestreams, complete with a never-ending scroll of emojis and comments. Director Eugene Kotlyarenko uses these for maximum creepiness, employing split-screens that offer two different perspectives at once. Zamata is perfectly cast and does great work, but the key to the movie is Keery. As he did as Steve on Stranger Things, he finds a link between extremes. In the midst of Kurt's good-natured, happy-go-lucky attitude and his deep psychopathy, there's a deep loneliness and neediness that Keery beautifully draws on. It's very difficult to create such a brutal character that we can also feel sorry for.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Spree's violence. Is violence glorified here? How did the violent scenes affect you?

  • How far would you go to be a social media or YouTube star? How far is too far? Who decides what "too far" is?

  • How did you feel about elements of the film like the White supremacist character, the prank on the unhoused people, and the use of terms like "f--got" and "retard"? Does the movie seem to condone these things, or is it satirizing their existence?

  • Is the Black character here accurately represented? Is she a stereotype? A role model? Why is it important to see a wide range of representation in the media?

  • Is pot smoking glamorized? Are there consequences? Why does that matter?

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