According to Spencer is a straightforward, very little nonsense, post-teen, predictable, romantic comedy that makes its pedestrian way from go to whoa in the obligatory 90 minutes with little ultimate reward. There is nothing particularly wrong with the film (apart from some obvious and distracting continuity gaffs), but neither does it grab you with anything particularly funny or gripping. Assuming you want to know more, read on.
Spencer Gould (Jesse Bradford) is your typical ‘boy-next-door’ type. A fine balance of cute versus geek, mildly confident, yet somewhat shy and awkward. Leaving home for the bigger smoke after the death of his beloved grandmother, he lands a job at an advertising agency, and rents a room from two oddball characters that are in the process of casting (then filming) a home-porno film (or art-film according to them) for entry into a local competition.
Spencer literally runs into an old school friend that he has had a crush on since the fourth grade, yet she barely remembers him. One-way crushes are so demoralising. Melora (Mia Kirshner) also works at the advertising agency, but is in a stormy relationship with big-knob Craig (Brad Rowe) who, naturally, treats her like dirt. Offering the hand of friendship, she agrees to go out with him “as a friend” and the evening goes rather badly for him.
Melora continues to use Spencer in an attempt to make Craig jealous. It works just enough to get him back, but little has changed. Spencer accepts his fate, but fortune is on his side. Or is it? His housemates have cast their film, but when the lead ‘actor’ bails, they offer Spencer two-months free rent if he will appear in the film, chest and arse shots only! Against his better judgement, he agrees, but just as he prepares for his dramatic entrance, Melora bursts in after running to his house for support after another disastrous date with Craig. She is less than impressed and does a runner.
Spencer receives his first break when an advertising campaign he has been quietly working on as a side-project, lands in the right hands, thanks to Melora. Will this be enough to persuade her that he is no part-time porn star? Will his advertising campaign be seen a winner? Will the porno-film get finished on time and under budget? Should you care, then you’ll need to see According to Spencer to find out.
As said, it is a film that pays little reward for persistence. There are some amusing scenes, mostly involving the crazy housemates, and some decent eye-candy no matter your preference. Jesse Bradford and Mia Kirshner do a fair enough job as the lead couple, but neither seems to be able to drum up much rapport with, or sympathy from, the viewer. You just know they’ll work it out so there is no real “will they, won’t they?” in a very predictable pattern of events.
This release screams “cheap!”. The pan and scan aspect ratio is therefore not 16:9 enhanced, and just like the film itself, the transfer is as bland as can be. The original aspect ratio of 1.85:1 has been sacrificed for the sake of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Average as we all know how much they hate “them black bars”.
The film displays a lot of mild grain and is a little soft, especially for a flick that's only two years old. Shadow detail is relatively poor and black levels are quite undefined. Colouring overall makes no real impact, apart from the housemate’s Union Jack shirt which is unusually bright. There are also a few artefacts in the way of dirt and other marks, and a few white sparklies that are thankfully brief. There is also some mild evidence of noise at times, and some slight shimmer on some Venetian blinds in Chapter 9. There is no layer change.
We have three from three folks. The bland movie with the bland vision is matched by the bland audio. The Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo track does only what is required. It is stereo despite the overall lack of separation and directional sound, but there are a few instances where sound pans and separates. The accompanying music of mostly unknown tracks is clearly in stereo.
As far as dynamics go, well everything is where it should be. There are no big ‘booms’ in the action scenes (that don’t exist), and the dialogue is clear, mostly audible and in synch. The subwoofer, centre and surround speakers are not utilised.
Bland, bland and blander.
