Review of Laggies (2014) by Walter M — 16 Nov 2014

In "Laggies," Megan's(Keira Knightley) life is stuck in neutral, working with for father(Jeff Garlin) by holding a sign outside of his accounting firm. Even as she is comfortable in her life, she is shaken up by first her photographer boyfriend Anthony(Mark Webber) proposing marriage and then finding her married father in the process of getting a handjob outside of a wedding from another woman. That might explain why she buys booze for teenage Annika(Chloe Grace Moretz) and her friends one night who later asks for an additional favor in asking Megan to pose as her mother for a guidance counselor.

"Laggies" is an amiable enough movie about two young women coming together in friendship, both in need. While Annika needs an older sister to talk to, Megan just needs new friends. Sadly that premise does not work as well it should, not only because of a rushed, predictable and too conventional ending but also for the first time in a long time Sam Rockwell being disappointing in a movie. On the other hand, this might arguably be the best performance of Keira Knightley's career, even if she does get upstaged by a turtle in a scene.