INGRID GOES WEST (2017)
Indie comedy-drama tells the tale of emotionally disturbed and Instagram obsessed Ingrid Thorburn (Aubrey Plaza). Upon release from an institution for assaulting one of her Instagram “friends” at her wedding, Ingrid finds her mom has died and left her a large sum of money. The deranged young woman decides to use the money to move out to L.A. to get closer to another Instagram obsession, internet socialite Taylor Sloane (Elizabeth Olsen). The two bond, but as Ingrid’s web of lies and obsessive behavior get the best of her, the situation predictably crumbles.
Boring and pretentious flick is directed by Matt Spicer from a predictable script by he and David Branson Smith. It’s supposed to be a satire on the shallowness of internet friendships and how they are taken far too seriously by some. The point is made, but the film is just so predictable and takes itself far too seriously when they could have had a lot more fun with the concept. It’s a tedious flick with a lead character who is creepy and unlikable and that would be fine if at least we liked and sympathized with Olsen’s Taylor. She, however is shallow and self-centered and just as unlikable, so we have no one, except maybe Ingrid’s Batman obsessed landlord (O’Shea Jackson Jr) to become emotionally invested in…and he’s just a supporting character. For this to have stronger emotional investment on our parts, we’d have to sympathize with someone, but we don’t and it leaves us distant and uncaring about whatever is unfolding…and even there, we know what’s coming long before it does. A dull movie with Plaza in another cookie cutter performance as a social misfit/oddball character.
-MonsterZero NJ
MonsterZero NJ's Movie Madhouse 