Spud 3: Learning to Fly

2014 1h 29m EN

😐

6.0

MID

⭐

5.8

IMDB

★6.0TMDB · 30★5.8IMDB · 1,012

Comedy

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

As Spud Milton continues his awkward stagger through adolescence, he learns one of life's most important lessons: When dealing with women and cretins, nothing is ever quite as it seems. "I'm practically a man in most areas," writes Spud confidently on his sixteenth birthday. The year is 1992 and, in South Africa, radical change is in the air. The country may be on the bumpy road to an uncertain future, but Spud Milton is hoping for a smooth ride as he returns to boarding school as a senior. Instead, he discovers that his vindictive arch enemy is back to taunt him and that a garrulous Malawian has taken residence in his dormitory, along with the regular inmates and misfits he calls friends. Spud's world has never seemed less certain; he attempts to master Shakespeare, wrestles constantly with his God, and the power of negative thinking, and develops an aversion to fried fish after a shocking discovery about his grandmother, Wombat.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Where to watch · US

Cast

John Cleese
Mr. 'The Guv' Edly
Troye Sivan
John 'Spud' Milton
Caspar Lee
Garlic
Sven Ruygrok
Robert 'Rambo' Black
Byron Langley
Simon Brown
Blessing Xaba
Sidney 'Fatty' Sibeko-Scott
Tom Burne
Vern 'Rain Man' Blackadder
Travis Hornsby
Alan 'Boggo' Greenstein

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Johnny Barker
Writers: John Van De Ruit
Languages: English
Countries: South Africa

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

89 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 12 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "Spud Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Johnny Barker, shot by Willie Nel. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Jon Savage. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Megan Gill shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

John Cleese and Troye Sivan and Caspar Lee carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt3121562 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Johnny Barker directs. Willie Nel behind the camera. Jon Savage scores. Megan Gill cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in South Africa. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

189 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
2Released 12 years ago.
3Part of the "Spud Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
4Directed by Johnny Barker, shot by Willie Nel. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Jon Savage. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Megan Gill shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7John Cleese and Troye Sivan and Caspar Lee carry the top of the cast.
8IMDB entry: tt3121562 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 30 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.