Redford Reexamines Reality of Relationships

Author: Sara Granstrom and Jackie Hurwitz

With the snarl of an airplane engine, James Redford's "Spin" takes the classic family drama beyond conventional expectations. Based on the novel by Middlebury College graduate Don Axinn '51, the film explores the nature and endurance of human ties of blood and affection. But hold the tissues. Despite its sometimes sentimental nature, the film is lightened by frequent bouts of comic relief that reveal the complexity in every familial relationship.

The characters are introduced in the aftermath of a great tragedy. A fatal plane crash in rural Arizona leaves Eddie (Ryan Merriman) an orphan after the death of his parents, the two pilots. He must live the remainder of his childhood in the care of farm hand Ernesto (RubÈn Blades) and a teacher Margaret (Dana Delany). Absent for most of his life, Eddie's uncle (Stanley Tucci) returns from the Air Force only to fulfill Eddie's father's wish for Eddie to learn to fly. As Eddie grows to adolescence, his identity as a nearly adopted son of Ernesto and Margaret collides with his ideas of his place in his family. Upon entering high school, Eddie rediscovers his childhood friend Francesca (Paula GarcÈs), who becomes a love interest and an essential part of the story. As tensions at home arise for both of them, Eddie seeks liberation through flying. A collision of past, present and future exposes Eddie to who he must be and more importantly, what it means to be loved.

This film fakes a calm and studied look at the dynamics of relationships and the hard times that affect those relationships. One of its main strengths is the care with which it portrays the characters and their outer and inner struggles. Tucci and GarcÈs in particular stand out in the cast. They play their roles with an honesty that touches the audience directly.

In one interaction between Eddie and Ernesto, the audience can see the understanding that the two men have with each other and the carefully maintained faÁade that hides their connection from the rest of the world. They use light-hearted humor - and horseplay with gigantic clumps of hurled dirt - to move past a touchy subject, but their communication is revealed to the audience in brief moments of serious conversation.

At times, however, the plot creeps dangerously close to a clichÈ, using symbols that do no more than garner an unearned emotional response from the audience. Eddie's father's last written words, scribbled on a bloody cloth moments before his death, provide a trite message that carries little substance in the story. After making an appearance shortly after the death, the cloth disappears until a predictable, emotional moment at the end of the film.

Redford and Axinn both spoke at the event, providing the audience with further insight about this enormous undertaking. They shot the movie in a mere 30 days, but the creative process spanned years. As a team, Redford and Axinn created a story so real it makes the audience smile with recognition. Redford has carefully chosen and guided his actors to complete a satisfying portrait of a family struggling with hardships.

The movie has substance, but the director leaves plenty of room for personal reflection. Its appeal spans all audiences, so it's a great film for a relaxed evening when you need a break from work - and from the constant stream of "perfect" love stories that Hollywood brings us.