Instalife

While this movie might end up looking obsolete in a few years depending on where technology goes, sociologically, it's damn on point and prescient. Not so much funny as dark and disturbing, it did a good job of showing how empty everyone was, even the so-called "heroes." The ending was a nice touch as well.

Dark comedy with Aubrey Plaza and Elizabeth Olsen? Sign me in.

But what I got, was definitely not a comedy. There are some laughs in this film, but mostly it's a heavy drama about unbalanced, desperate people. And a very well made one.

'Ingrid Goes West' is so real, so brutal, that it makes the audience uncomfortable, but you still can't look away. This is what the world of social media is when taken to extreme. It's reality for thousands of people, if not for millions.

Sad, yet important and powerful, look at our society today.

There is a LOT of weird hate in these reviews for very strange things that kinda aren't even aspects of the movie? Nothing about the shots or scenes appears particularly "cheap" or "cringe", despite what some have said - it looks the same as any other current movie. The bad reviews stink of violated expectations and not much else. You were hoping for some more Parks & Rec or something? This just happens to be a really dark movie about mental illness and isn't maybe as quirky and cutesy as a lot of people were hoping. But review the thing for what it is, not what you were expecting it to be based on seeing one actor's face on the cover. The whole thing was actually really believable and wasn't afraid to get dark and uncomfortable in order to actualize. I was ill-at-ease the whole time, too, but, ah, it's about an unpredictable stalker, so it's kinda supposed to make you feel that way. Not perfect by any means, but I quite admire how dark and honest it is.

The plot line and comedy/drama categorisation do not reveal much when it comes to this film. It is a good thing since it offers more than you would hope for. I would say it is more of a drama than a comedy, there are some quite serious issues covered in this story.

Aubrey Plaza is great as Ingrid, she managed to find a nice balance between being unhinged, vulnerable, obsessed and yet her familiar facial expressions will sometimes still make you laugh.

I believe that the obsession with social media was portrayed nicely here, I am sure you all know or knew someone who is practically glued to their phone and can't imagine lasting a day without it. Instagram, Facebook and other media can really make a person feel a bit depressed since everyone seems happy all the time, they eat at nice restaurants, travel to nice places, go to great parties where in reality it is all a bit phony which is another thing that this film shows. There are not many people who would post something sad because they are having a bad day or are going through a rough patch, the fear of being judged is always present and it would break the balance of everything being seemingly perfect with everyone. If you combine that with a troubled personality or a mental illness, the results can be pretty bad. And that basically describes Ingrid.

It is a solid indie film with good performances and something to think about.

This film's portrayal of obsession and social media taking over modern lives and interests is spot on, and overall it's thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish. Just know what you're getting in to!

Too many of the lower reviews are complaints that the film was too dark and not funny enough - this shouldn't reflect on the overall score. The writers had a point to make and they made it well while creating something that is entertaining even at it's saddest moments. It's a far more powerful movie than a lot of people seem to expect but that's not a bad thing. And don't even get me started on the people taking the comedy as some sort of twisted justification for the darker aspects, this film is not at all defending online obsessions or humouring the idea that online attention is important at all. It's simply shown to us from Ingrid's (well-established) sick mind.

If the premise interests you at all then it's a safe bet you'll enjoy the film, just don't expect a light afternoon comedy based on a dark concept, it is very much a miserably solid display of that dark concept with comedic aspects lining the fabric.