Movie Review: ‘Spin’

By John Thomas

France is in deep mourning – their favorite president has just died. To make matters worse, his death was not from natural causes but from a suspected terrorist attack. While visiting a factory strike in Satint-Etiene with his Social Minister, Anne Visage (Natalie Baye), a suicide bomber had rushed towards them igniting a bomb strapped to his body. The emergency procedures performed at a local hospital saved Anne but not the president. A close friend of the president, Simon Kapita (Bruno Wolkowitch), leaves his United Nations post in New York and rushes back to Paris.

In spite of no one coming forth to claim responsibility, a preliminary investigation into the president’s death indicates the involvement of international terrorist groups. A closer inspection of the suicide bomber shows he was mentally troubled, socially alone and with no ties to terrorist groups. The only other suspect is an African man with whom the bomber spoke moments before igniting his bomb. Security cameras show the brief encounter between the two men. It’s now a matter of finding this mysterious person.

Comfortable in his office and surrounded by his attentive staff, the Prime Minister Philippe Deleuvre (Philippe Magnan) shows little concern for the bombing. He is more interested in the upcoming election at which time he plans to run for president. His Prime Minister role already places him in that position but only temporarily – he wants the job permanently. His advisor, Ludovich Desmeuze (Gregory Fitoussi), assures him all went as planned – everything is in place.

Simon is also a long time friend and supporter of Anna and encourages her to run for president in the upcoming election. “It would honor the late president,” he tells her at the funeral. She is reluctant, but with Simon as her advisor, agrees. Advisors to the two main candidates begin planning their campaigns. Both Simon and Ludovich are considered “spin doctors/shadow men” – driven to succeed at any cost.

From research done by his hired investigators, Ludovich discovers Anne and the late president had been lovers for the past three years. That story is the headline on the next day’s newspapers. Anne’s poll numbers suffer a setback until Simon arranges for the media to see a meeting of Anne and the late president’s wife. The two women are photographed comforting each other while meeting in a restaurant. Anne’s numbers are back up. Simon’s investigators find that the Prime Minister had a male lover for the past seven years. That information Simon refuses to use as it would appear too anti gay – he tucks it away for the moment.

A investigative reporter on Simon’s team uncovers the whereabouts of the mysterious person speaking with the bomber. He had been secretly deported to his distant homeland of Mali. It is now a matter of sneaking him back into France for questioning without the opposition’s knowledge. Simon has resources for that type of clandestine operation but so does Ludovich.

Directed by Frederic Tellier (and two others) Spin is an 18 episode French TV series and is a “should see” for an revealing look into French political intrigues and the roles played by the behind-the-scenes spin doctor/shadow men.

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