Imogene

I've never reviewed a movie here before, but I'm doing it because most of what I've seen online and in my local paper were at best tepid, if not downright negative. Frankly, it is a much better comedy of manners than "Bridesmaids" was-- that one relied far too heavily on the Judd Apatow gross-out factor. (As if proving that women could be as stupid as men is some kind of feminist triumph.) Wiig's skill-- and the terrific Annette Bening's, as well-- is to tread the fine line between comic sketch exaggeration and the rueful comedy in the human condition. One of the better comedies I've seen in awhile, and deserves spreading the good word.

"Girl Most Likely" is Imogene (Kristen Wiig); a girl once likely to become the next big playwright in New York City, now she's desperately hanging on to the upper-class lifestyle convinced that it's all about who you know, where you live, and who you are with. A failed attempt of a fake suicide attempt sends Imogene back where she came from. All the way to New Jersey.

It's an indie film with a fairly minimal distribution, which generally means the film is going to try to survive on quirky comedy. Luckily, Wiig has had a decade's worth of experience doing quirky comedy on "Saturday Night Live". Also, luckily the film is more than just a quirky indie comedy. It's very much a character study, and a bit of a quarter- life crisis dramedy thrown in for good measure. Imogene doesn't know herself very well. She once knew she was a good writer, now she just thinks she's a good writer. She once knew she was better than the family she came from, now she just thinks she's better. She also thinks her life will be better if she gets to know her great and successful father whom she doesn't know.

Her home life features comedy from her weird and bizarre mother, Zelda, her weirder and more bizarre new-step-father-like figure, George, and her weird but well-intentioned younger brother, Ralph. There's also a strange man sleeping in her bed.

This strange man is Lee (Darren Criss), who is actually not strange at all. He is a young man mired in a quarter-life crisis who has rented out her room as a place to stay. He represents the romantic angle of Imogene's attempt to get her life back on track, and was actually a very welcome addition to the movie. Lee was much more sane, understanding, and more aware of his place in life than any of the characters. He was exactly the type of guy who could keep Imogene more grounded with her distorted life views.

The comedy is sweet, although at times it can become to quirky to be all that funny. The writing is good, even though at times it can be a little too self-aware to be all the great. But "Girl Most Likely" is a fairly enjoyable journey of a girl who has completely lost her way in life. It focuses on family, ambition and ties it all up with quirky comedy.

I went to see this movie in Paris last night for a premiere, though it was called Imogene. I was inclined to go not because of the story line but that Kirsten Wiig and Darren Criss were doing a Q & A after the showing. That was worth seeing the movie in itself, but I was very pleased with the film.

It may not be a movie you want to spend $10 on a viewing at the cinema but it is very much worth seeing. The dialogue was well written, the characters you grew to care about very quickly. Though, Kirsten has done a movie where her life has gone out of control and she has to get back on her feet, i.e. Bridesmaids, this did feel different. Christopher Fitzgerald as Ralph did brilliantly and often steals whatever scene he's in. Darren Criss does a great job and proves he doesn't need to be typecast he has much more range than you've seen on Glee.

I highly recommend catching this movie at some point and for those who wait for DVD its worth renting for sure.

This movie has some good bones but what's in between isn't that great. The dialog and situations could have been funnier. A Manhattan writer gets laid off and has to go back home to New Jersey for a while.

The cast is funny and likable especially the supporting cast. Annette Benning does well as the mother with impulse control problems. Matt Dillon is always a great comedic actor and he plays Annette's boyfriend. Kristin Wiig is good but her character she plays isn't terribly sympathetic or lovable. Darren Criss of Glee plays a lodger in Annette's Ocean City home and sings a bit.

The contrast of the culture difference between arty Manhattan and Ocean City NJ is funny and could have been played up more.

Overall worth one watch for the cast but it is a little lacking in laughs.

Doesn't require too much thinking, just a nice watch. For everyone complaining that it's not funny enough and leaving bad reviews based on that, just know that funny actors are capable of playing non-comedic roles. This is more of a drama than a comedy but has some funny moments sprinkled throughout. Nothing spectacular, but enjoyable. I've seen it a couple dozen times probably lmao.