SPIN WARS

(director/writer: Philip Byron; screenwriter: James Thayer; cinematographer: Brandon Riley; editor: Maximilien Blanc; music: Casey Gibson; cast: Katie Couric, Mary Beth Barone, Brandon Kyle Goodman, Ruth Zuckerman, Heather McMahan; Runtime: 86; MPAA Rating: NR; producers: Jillian A. Goldstein/Philip Byron; DirectTV/Plex/Fulwell Entertainment; 2026)

“I couldn’t get too excited about its subject.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
 
Philip Byron, a former producer and five-time Emmy winner, directs for the first-time this glossy documentary that chronicles the billion‑dollar boutique fitness revolution. Byron co-writes it with James Thayer.


Ruth Zukerman is in business with Julie Rice and Elizabeth Cutler. They create SoulCycle, a NYC located business of ultra-trendy gyms where sexy trainers lead their students through challenging bike exercises in candlelit rooms with enticing music. Zukerman created the exercise routines. But her ruthless partners cut her out of the business just as the businss hit it big nationally and brought in a fortune.

Zukerman stayed on as the gym trainer. She soon quit and created Flywheel, a company that took some business away from SoulCycle. Eventually Peloton came along to be the king of the bike exercise field.

The SoulCycle trainers were encouraged by the owners to sleep with their clients. Thereby public scandals hit the news and their business was rocked. The film is filled with lots of juicy stories about the scandals.

The documentary was entertaining, but I couldn’t get too excited about its subject.

It played at the Tribeca Film Festival.

REVIEWED ON 7/30/2026  GRADE: B-
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