Titreenp SERIOUSLY. This is what the crap Hollywood still puts out?

GazerRise Fantastic!

SparkMore n my opinion it was a great movie with some interesting elements, even though having some plot holes and the ending probably was just too messy and crammed together, but still fun to watch and not your casual movie that is similar to all other ones.

ChicDragon It's a mild crowd pleaser for people who are exhausted by blockbusters.

Mikey C It's a rare movie that manages to be both cute and naive, mature and interesting; Spud achieves the paradox to perfection. Anchored by the superb Troye Sivian, this is an easygoing, often funny coming of age story set in a South African boarding school. Whilst the issues of the country are referenced, they are not essential to the plot or even the characterization - people from any nationality will be able to enjoy this.There is a great dynamic amongst the cast of a whole. The boys in the Crazy 8 appear natural, with a great chemistry and sense of fun, which stop the film getting weighed down by the emotional issues encompassing growing up, fitting in and bullying that crop up. Sivian steals the show as the title character, with an astonishingly touching and believable performance that belies his years. He's also beautifully shot, the director capturing the wide eyed wonder of his endlessly expressive face, shy and insecure but growing in confidence. Cleese is the best of the adults, being both understated and moving as Spud's alcoholic mentor. His scenes with Sivian are especially notable, and are really the heart and soul of the whole film.Thematically this is essentially a piece about both choice and fate - the importance of making the right decision, whilst never losing sight of the fact we can only play the cards that life has dealt us. If this sounds on paper a little heavy for a school drama, it doesn't feel it in practice. There is no philosophy shoved down the viewers throat, and although the film has points to make and issues to explore, it does it in a subtle enough way that it will not hinder the enjoyment of kids and young adults who might want some light entertainment of lesser substance.The only gripe was the somewhat tragic ending - the death of a character close to the hero is a perennial plot device of scriptwriters and filmmakers, but it is still a very lazy way of drawing pathos and emotion from the viewer. In this case it was well built to but still felt unnecessary. While I'm not suggesting every film should end on unrealistically joyful terms, there are other ways to create sympathy than blunt death, and it didn't seem necessary in this case in relation to the plot, character or tone of the film. Overall, though, this is a wonderful piece, both funny and moving and engrossing. More people should see it.

hollyz60 The books were absolutely hilarious and i liked the character of Spud in the books but in the movie he just seems really wimpy, annoying, a grass, posh and desperate to be cool. Also in the books the dad and wombat character are so funny but in the film they were really boring, and didn't seem as crazy.Also the character of The Guv was also no where near as mad or crazy or funny as he is in the books!It could of been so so much better. If you have only seen the film, don't just base your opinion on that; read the books too!Overall i would say read the books DEFINITELY but the film is not really worth seeing at all.

fustbariclation I enjoyed 'Spud' today. I wasn't expecting much, which always helps. It was filmed in my old school, Michaelhouse, and it shows it very well for the beautiful place that it is - in a lovely setting.Mostly the action is quite accurate too, for live in that particular boarding school, as I remember it. It hasn't changed all that much, either, over the past 35 odd years. The old Chemistry Lecture theatre is now the English classroom in the film, which seems slightly odd. The theatre was being built when I was there - a boy called Cook, fell through the skylight onto the floor below, leaving his teethmarks in the floor. He fell in front of the painting of the three witches in Macbeth - which I didn't see in the film, sensible.The acting is good, and the South African accents authentic without being too grating. John Cleese acts very well - an not his usual comic style at all. I'm not sure how you'll find the film if you didn't go to school there - probably better because you'll not be thinking of what all the different places meant to you, over the years!

Barney123 I read the book Spud, a good 4 years ago and therefore have a very vague memory of what actually happened. But I can never forget the laughter it gave me and an awe of the crazy world Spud finds himself in.I came into this movie, with a very positive attitude but with a clear perception in my mind that you should not compare the book to the movie, how can a one and a half hour movie encompass all what the book has to show and the story it tells. It is an impossibility, I accepted that and tried to watch the movie with a clear mind and a unbias approach (being a south African) to the film. This film is being released overseas next year. Therefore I am judging this movie not as a South Afican film, but an international one. Is it truly a good film, does it work? Well, yes it is and it does. In this review I will not mention the book again. This is a review based purely on a film...called Spud.This Movie is shown, through the eyes and ears of John Milton- aka Spud. With the audience hearing his voice/ his thoughts. Spud tells us his story, we are guided through the movie with his voice explaining to us the ins and outs of his world. This by itself is unique, it immediately attaches us closely to spud and by the end of the first scene you are already feeling emotionally attached to the character. This technique is used extensively throughout the film, but only as a tool to help the audience become familiar with the circumstances surrounding spud. Crucially this is not overused which allows the movie to flow.The characters in the film are strong and generally well cast. With two notable performances. Firstly the guv being played by none other than John Cleese. He is as you would expect, brilliant and funny. But it is the unexpected and sincere emotional portrayal he gives to the guv that makes it so special, so human. Troye Sivan who plays spud, is ultimately, well how do I put this... spectacular. It is his performance which makes this movie so good. His Facial expressions and the emotions he feels flows from the screen into our brain, into our hearts instantaneously. It is truly something special, something out of the ordinary. A Spud we can all be proud of.This movie is of course funny, with many laughs traveling around the cinema. But its a movie with so much more than that, so much more than a cheap laugh. With all this being said, this movie as it stands so far in this review deserves a 10/10 but then why did I give it an 8? I must say not everything works in the movie, Character development of many important characters was very little and unmeaningful. Spuds interaction on a personal level with the crazy 8 was less then I would of liked and due to the book and thus the movie, the climax was, disappointing.The singing was prerecorded, which may make it sound better but also unnatural, not something I would of preferred.Even with that being said, as a whole this film works and it works well. It deserves to be seen, to be enjoyed.Its Something Different, something special. May the Madness continue :D and may the tickets sell.