Review of Ingrid Goes West (2017) by Tvjerry — 30 Aug 2017

In a young culture that's obsessed with being "liked" on social media, Ingrid (Aubrey Plaza) is an awkward misfit who's overly fanatical about her image. She moves to LA to stalk her favorite Instagram influencer (Elizabeth Olsen), who's superficial, shallow and self-possessed.

Comparisons to "Single White Female" are inevitable and Plaza effectively captures that creepy vibe. She also manages to make her character understandable, although not ever sympathetic. Olsen's portrayal also embodies the appropriate vacant, phony vibe.

The only real sincere character is played by O'Shea Jackson, Jr. who's appealing in his first role since "Straight Outta Compton." The film's desperate narrative pushes credibility in some of the relationships (esp.

his), but it does tell a compelling story. After the controversy over "13 Reasons Why," it's disconcerting that a similar subject reinforces desperate behavior, even though it effectively explores the phenomenon.

BTW, there's a strange little short that precedes the feature.