If Ashton Kutcher wants to be regarded as a serious actor and not just Demi’s toy-boy he’s got to stop signing up to movies like Spread.
As Nikki, a lothario who’s charmed his way into the beds of rich women in LA, Kutcher shows flashes of brilliance but is badly let down by a weak script.
If ever there was an opportunity to take potshots at the idle rich in La-La Land then Spread was it, but by pulling its punches the film fails to make much of an impression.
This is despite a promising start that sees Nikki screwing his way to the top and latching on to wealthy forty-something lawyer Samantha (Heche), who allows him to live the high-life.
Inevitably, the pants man gets a taste of his own medicine when he becomes smitten with feisty waitress Heather (Margarita Levieva).
To its credit, Spread does have some darker moments as Nikki falls on hard times, and Kutcher handles the dramatic stuff well.
But just when a bit of subtlety and irony is called for, director David Mackenzie opts for melodrama, a decision that ruins the latter part of the movie.
Unless Kutcher gets a better agent he’ll be known as Mr Moore the rest of his life.
Good for: Those who want to see Kutcher with his shirt off.
PIERRE DE VILLIERS
