Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- warm
- nostalgic
- lazy sunday
- teen movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the adaptation charming and entertaining, with a lively coming-of-age perspective and strong comic performances despite some unevenness.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Spud records his first year at boarding school in a diary that exposes his private fears, crushes, friendships, and bewilderment.
Spud must adapt to a boys' school populated by Gecko, Rambo, Rain Man, Mad Dog, and other outsized personalities.
Spud's first school year unfolds in South Africa in 1990 as Nelson Mandela's release approaches.
Spud contends with a paranoid anti-communist father, a boundaryless mother, and a senile grandmother.
Films like Spud, and why
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
coming of age comedy-drama centered on adolescent identity, friendship, school hierarchies, and awkward family life
Dead Poets Society
warm, irreverent boarding-school comedy driven by eccentric students, mentorship, rebellion, and self-discovery
Sing Street
teenage outsider navigating school culture, bullying, friendship, and first romance with a mix of humor and tenderness
The Wonder Years
nostalgic adolescent perspective, mischievous school experiences, family eccentricity, and emotional growth
Movie Details
- Director
- Donovan Marsh
- Release Date
- 2010-12-03
- Runtime
- 107 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (56)
Cast
- Troye Sivan
- John Cleese
- Jamie Royal
- Sven Ruygrok
- Blessing Xaba
- Tom Burne
- Josh Goddard
- Travis Hornsby
- Byron Langley
- Jason Cope
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Spud about?
- A shy scholarship student records a hilariously chaotic first year at a South African boarding school while discovering friendship, desire, and the uneasy first steps toward adulthood.
- What is Spud like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Spud as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Spud violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Spud as mild.
- What did critics think of Spud?
- Critics broadly found the adaptation charming and entertaining, with a lively coming-of-age perspective and strong comic performances despite some unevenness.
- Which films are like Spud?
- Films with a similar feel include The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Dead Poets Society, Sing Street, and The Wonder Years.
- How long is Spud?
- Spud runs 107 minutes.
- Where can I watch Spud?
- In United States, Spud is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube.
