Well, here's the funny thing: I don't find it very funny. "Ingrid Goes West" follows Plaza, as Ingrid, after a breakdown and stint in a mental institution after stalking and attacking someone who doesn't know her and only liked a picture of her on Instagram. After she leaves, she follows Olsen's character, Taylor Sloane, to California and becomes a fake version of herself just to feel loved for the first time since her mother's death.
Strangely enough, I was really excited for the film. I adore Plaza and the trailers looked great. Plus, one of the companies behind it, Neon, has had some pretty good movies before. The real downfall in the film is how tonally unbalanced it is. I've found many films like this, where they're labeled as comedies when they're really just slice-of-life character studies with empty comedy in boring scenes which don't have any reason to be there other than to try to keep the movie interesting.
Now, I don't hate the film. It's passable. Plaza gives her all as always, and Olsen is perfect for the role. Jackson was Ice Cube in "Straight Outta Compton," and while this performance didn't require nearly as much range, it was still a good turn and I'm glad to see him get some more work.
This is writers' Matt Spicer and David Branson Smith first film, and it shows. They reach for subtext and a deeper meaning, but the saccharine ending ruins any chance of that and the film is always just out of grasp of reaching these ideas. It seems to go for the message that celebrities are vain and even when being "real" and "honest," they still put on a mask and only exist for money and personal happiness to whatever extent possible.
The film meanders through the first act with the occasional strong joke, but it really falls apart once Sloane's brother, Nicky, arrives; he's the absolute worst. I think the best way to describe him is that he's Logan Paul on a sugar high. I've honestly never sat down to watch his content. Still, that's what it seems like. Nicky is wholly invested in himself, never shuts up, constantly speaks in a surfer dude-bro or shrill screening tone of voice. Within the plot, I understand his unlikeability, but it just seemed like too much. He eventually shows that he's not that way all the time, but it seems like a major misstep to take just to make his eventual turn a surprise.
In conclusion, I'd recommend checking out "Ingrid Goes West." While I'm not a major fan of it, comedy is subjective; especially with something so centered around a lifestyle I don't like nor care to sympathize with, it's simply not my thing. I also will pick out flaws a lot more than most people. I'm a judgmental guy. If you want to watch this, go right ahead. That being said, have fun, but f*** Nicky.
GRADE: C
