Ingrid Goes West

Ingrid Goes West is a dark comedy-drama film that explores the familiar territory of social media obsession and the lengths people are willing to go to become accepted by others on the Internet. Released in 2017, the movie stars Aubrey Plaza as Ingrid Thorburn, a young woman who has recently become obsessed with Instagram celebrity Taylor Sloane, played by Elizabeth Olsen.

The movie opens with Ingrid scrolling through Instagram, living vicariously through Taylor's curated and filtered posts. Ingrid's own life is far from picture-perfect, having recently lost her mother and been released from a mental institution. In an attempt to fill the void in her life, Ingrid becomes fixated on Taylor and her seemingly perfect existence.

Following a particularly dramatic event, Ingrid decides to uproot her life in Pennsylvania and move to Los Angeles to be closer to Taylor. She quickly ingratiates herself into Taylor's life, using her inheritance to rent a house in the same neighborhood and purchase the same clothes and items Taylor posts about on Instagram. Ingrid pretends to be everything Taylor wants in a friend, but the facade starts to crumble as she becomes more desperate to maintain her image.

Throughout the film, Ingrid's behavior becomes more erratic and unhinged as she becomes more and more despondent about not being able to maintain her fake persona. The film also explores the cost of being a social media influencer, as Taylor's picture-perfect life begins to unravel as well. We see that despite the carefully-curated Instagram posts, Taylor is struggling with her own insecurities and problems and is essentially trapped in her own social media image.

The performances from the main cast are fantastic, with Aubrey Plaza giving a standout performance as Ingrid. She manages to balance the character's humorous and sympathetic sides, making it clear that Ingrid's behavior is a symptom of her real-world struggles. Elizabeth Olsen is equally impressive as Taylor and manages to make the viewer feel some empathy for a character that could come across as shallow or unlikable.

O'Shea Jackson Jr. plays Ingrid's landlord and love interest, Dan Pinto. He provides a relatable and grounding presence in the midst of Ingrid and Taylor's chaotic worlds. He also offers a unique perspective as he is not as involved in social media as the other characters.

The film is directed by Matt Spicer, who co-wrote the screenplay with David Branson Smith. Together, they do an excellent job of both satirizing and empathizing with the characters' relationship with social media. The film makes the viewer question the authenticity of social media and how it affects our relationships with others.

In terms of cinematography, the film has a very hip and stylish feel to it, complete with bright colors and trendy outfits. It feels very much like a film that was made with a keen eye for Instagram aesthetics. The film's score, composed by Nick Thorburn, also helps to set the mood and enhance certain scenes.

Ultimately, Ingrid Goes West is a thought-provoking and entertaining film that will likely resonate with many viewers. It takes a lighthearted approach to a very serious subject, which makes it all the more effective. Viewers will come out of the film questioning their own relationship with social media and how it affects their daily lives, which is a testament to the film's power.