Rent Ingrid Goes West on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: David Branson Smith, Matt Spicer
Directed by: Matt Spicer
Starring: Aubrey Plaza, Elizabeth Olsen, O'Shea Jackson Jr., Wyatt Russell, Billy Magnussen, Pom Klementieff
Rated: R
Watch the trailer
Plot
An unhinged social media stalker moves to LA and ingratiates herself into the life of an Instagram star.
Verdict
The message is clear. You can't take social media seriously. It takes effort to craft the facade of a perfect life, and that shouldn't be used as a comparison to our own lives. The effort required to fit in will always be wasted. The other side of this is that when we put so much of our personal lives into the public, it makes it possible for anyone to pry into our life. We see two people that don't care about each other. One wants a connection even if it's superficial, the other uses people as a prop to create an image of her ideal life.
It depends.
Review
From the very start we're aware that Ingrid (Aubrey Plaza) has an unhealthy obsession with social media. She wants friends, a connection. She feels like she's part of the circle through social media with what people share. The problem is that it's a one sided relationship. Ingrid is getting to know someone through what they post, but that person doesn't know her.
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| Aubrey Plaza plays Ingrid |
This movie cuts both ways. The other part of the problem is the people that crave attention and put their lives on social media. Taylor (Elizabeth Olsen) curates this image of herself online. It's not reality, but what Taylor wants her life to be, and to a degree she's delusional.
Ingrid manages to ingratiate herself into Taylor's life, creating her own fake reality. Ingrid puts more emphasis on these interactions than she should, using them for validation and meaning. Once she gets that validation, she needs more. Lies beget lies as Ingrid blows through cover stories and money rapidly. Ingrid uses Dan (O'Shea Jackson Jr.) to create her own picturesque life. Jackson does a great job in this role, stealing every scene he's in.
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| Elizabeth Olsen, Aubrey Plaza play Taylor, Ingrid |
It's a situation where Ingrid thinks she's a friend, but doesn't realize that Taylor is self-centered. Ingrid is using Taylor as a means to feel included. Taylor is using Ingrid for validation. Ingrid tries so hard to emulate and craft an image pleasing to Taylor. Taylor uses her as a prop.
When their relationship drifts, Ingrid has to find a way back in despite realizing that Taylor's life is a facade. Ingrid escalates the situation, but I thought this was going to get much darker than it did. The movie sets us up for that when a character we don't like is placed in danger.
I have to wonder about the last scene. It feels a bit like the ultimate wish fulfillment and this disingenuous. Then again a moment in which Ingrid was honest has been turned into something superficial my social media. Ingrid has popularity, but she hasn't gained anyone that truly cares about her. Just as Ingrid was vying for Taylor's attention, now people are vying for Ingrid's.
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