Spin is not only a Disney+ movie, the opening credits say it’s a Disney Channel movie. That should be a red flag (says the guy who did not grow up on the Disney Channel). But I grit my teeth, pushed down the raging cynic in me, and I gave it a shot… and, you know, it’s pretty good.

Spin is a coming-of-age story about an Indian-American girl who works in her family’s restaurant when not hanging out with her high school friends, coding, and coming up with cool music mixes for the restaurant. One day she meets a cute boy who teachers her how to DJ (with two turntables and a microphone, I suppose). Will these two get together, will she realize she loves EDM, does she want to work in her family’s restaurant, etc.

For a movie about EDM, this movie is as edgy as a luffa. It’s major Disney vibes… but, you know what? It’s quite charming and even a little inspirational. Sure it’s perhaps not fully representation of rave or dance culture or whatever… it’s Disney. I liked and related to the characters and wanted their little family dynamic and friends to work out.

he movie makes a decent-ish effort to advertise for DJing and EDM but I’m not sure if it knows what it’s talking about. And I’m not sure the movie’s Battle of the Mixmasters contest is really sold as this pivotal thing in her life. I can see the movie’s structure too easily when Dad shows up to watch as a proud papa, etc. You know the drill – it’s that only done mechanically.

And I guess that’s a problem. But since I enjoyed almost everything else on the periphery and I know what they are trying to do, I’m giving the movie a bit of a pass. Since everything else works and is harmlessly charming.

Score: 82