I love Aubrey Plaza for two reasons: she's funny and she's got an eye for interesting indies (check out The To Do List if you haven't already, it's a quite interesting watch). That's why I decided to watch Ingrid Goes West and I wasn't let down.
Ingrid Thorburn (Aubrey Plaza) is an Instagram stalker who confuses likes for meaningful relationships so when Instagram famous Taylor Sloane (Elizabeth Olsen) replies to her comment, she moves to Los Angeles using her inheritance from her late mother with one goal: befriend Taylor.
It's a funny and interesting story with elements so realistic it can be hard to watch at times, especially if you are someone who spends quite some time on social media. Some complained about the ending, calling it unrealistic, but it's not so far-fetched to me as I'd be one of those people sending virtual love to Ingrid.
The film explores our obsession with social media and instead of portraying the internet as some sort of evil creature, it only suggests that maybe we are using it the wrong way. It shows that we let this world affect our lives more than it should and it poses us many questions but without being preachy.
The film explores our obsession with social media and instead of portraying the internet as some sort of evil creature, it only suggests that maybe we are using it the wrong way. It shows that we let this world affect our lives more than it should and it poses us many questions but without being preachy.
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There are many movies focused on these obsessions, but Ingrid Goes West manages to stand out from the crowd because it never takes itself (too) seriously. The writers, director Matt Spicer and David Branson Smith, took a rather serious issue and made it into this unique comedy that has the right balance between humour and drama.
Another reason why this film stands out is the cast. Aubrey Plaza is fantastic as the title character. She delivers an awkward, charming and genuine performance, and she captures the desperation and loneliness of Ingrid very well. Elizabeth Olsen is also wonderful as Taylor, a shallow girl who basically lives to share her "perfect" live on the internet. As for the supporting cast, O'Shea Jackson Jr. easily stands out as Dan, Ingrid's landlord/Batman fanboy. He is so charming and he brings lots of warmth to the role. And he makes it look so effortlessly!
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