At first blush, 'Ingrid goes west' very much sounds like a predictable dime-a-dozen indie dramedy: A young woman drops her life to move out west and befriend a beloved social media starlet. It sounds like the sort of movie that I'll watch willingly, but probably won't think about much afterward.
Yet that simple premise belies a narrative that is better, deeper, and darker than I could have possibly expected based on advance press. 'Ingrid goes west' came and went with seemingly little fanfare, and that's a mistake, because I think it deserves a much larger audience.
There's nothing that particularly leaps out at me in terms of the music, direction, or cinematography, though it's all quite fine. The screenplay is subtly brilliant, and but a vehicle for the cast. All play their parts very well, but it's Elizabeth Olsen as Instagram darling Taylor, and especially Aubrey Plaza as the titular Ingrid, who anchor the feature and steal the show.
As if the notion of moving across the country weren't enough, Ingrid's fascination with Taylor quickly turns from befriending her, to ingratiating herself to her, to utterly ingraining herself in her life. 'Ingrid goes west' is a comedy, but it's ultimately not a particularly light-hearted one. Olsen and Plaza breathe life into their characters, one happy and unaware of the machinations of the other who has more devious designs than her friendly demeanor portends. It's an engrossing dance that plays out as Ingrid tries not to tip her hand too far.
What sounds on the surface like a movie Zach Braff may have made several years prior dives surprisingly deep as Ingrid's behavior progresses. Clear lines can be drawn between the friendship Ingrid purposefully constructs, and the way that many Internet-famous people - often rather ordinary folks that have amassed a large following - struggle with a balance between fostering community and setting boundaries. It's easy on social media to feel like we know very well someone we've never met before, whether they're a cat enthusiast from the next state over or a voice actor with a long list of credits - and easy for that feeling of familiarity to transform into expectations, a projection of a complete personality, or an imagined invitation. 'Ingrid goes west' explores that weird, dark side of social media with a keen eye, and it's very discerning in its judgment.
There's much to be said, too, for the isolation we feel even as the Internet offers endless connections, and that doesn't go unexamined here either. Ingrid is a person struggling with her life, and in need of help, but the resources are wanting, her means are limited, and the escapist vision she sees online is all too alluring. Under the wrong circumstances, facing similar hardship, it's not difficult to imagine us throwing our own lives in an ill-considered direction, too, if passing whimsy seemed for a moment like a real possible alternative.
By the time the narrative reaches its stunning climax, the happy-go-lucky feature we thought we were seeing seems a distant memory. 'Ingrid goes west' has a lot to show us about ourselves, and the comedy it brings to do so is much less casual and pleasant than it is sharp and biting.
Given the tone that the movie strikes, this may well not be for everyone. But I'd be hard-pressed not to recommend 'Ingrid goes west' to just about anyone: Whether you're in it for the performances, for the narrative, for its dark humor, or for the social commentary, there's much more under the surface to take in.
If you happened to miss this when it was in theaters, do try to find it streaming online - these 100 minutes are well worth your time.
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