Review of Laggies (2014) by Adrian S — 02 Feb 2015

A core member of the 'mumblecore' subgenre of independent films, Lynn Shelton has been consistently turning out perceptive and entertaining adult comedies of individuals on self-edifying and soul-searching journeys.

What makes her films a joy to watch is how she empathizes with and humanizes her characters - they may be flawed but you actually come to care about them because their flaws are so eminently human. That connection to her on-screen characters (and their quirks) is a vital reason her comedies stand out from the slew of other disposable one-dimensional ones in a waning genre.

Laggies continues Shelton's winning streak as seen from her other hugely-enjoyable comedies, Humpday and Your Sister's Sister. Witty and ably-directed, Laggies never errrr, lags. Although the premise of a fish out of water being subsumed into a family isn't entirely new, the terrific ensemble of Keira Knightley, Sam Rockwell and Chloe Grace Moretz breathes life into the already finely-drawn characters and makes Laggies a fun and moving journey.