Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Latest
    • Thank You
    • 4000. Scenes From A Marriage (1973)
    • 3999. The Pianist (2002)
    • 3998. Philadelphia (1993)
    • 3997. Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975)
    • 3996. The Green Mile (1999)
    • 3995. Doctor Zhivago (1965)
    • 3994. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)
    The Mad Movie Man
    • Home
    • Blog
      • All Posts
      • Best Of The Year
        • Best Of 2015
        • Best Of 2016
        • Best Of 2017
        • Best Of 2018
        • Best Of 2019
        • Best Of 2020
        • Best Of 2021
        • Best Of 2022
      • The Decade In Review
      • Box Office Analysis
      • James Bond
      • Oscars
      • RANKED
      • Star Wars
      • The Big Questions
      • Top 10
      • World Cinema
    • Ratings
      • Top 250
      • Top 100 Foreign Films
      • Bottom 50
      • 0 – 1.9
      • 2 – 3.9
      • 4 – 5.9
      • 6 – 7.9
      • 8 – 10
    • Genres
      • Action
      • Anthology
      • Animation
      • Christmas
      • Comedy
      • Crime
      • Documentary
      • Drama
      • Fantasy
      • Film-Noir
      • History
      • Horror
      • Kids’
      • Musical
      • Psychological
      • Romance
      • Sci-Fi
      • Short
      • Silent
      • Sport
      • Superhero
      • Survival
      • Thriller
      • Western
    • Release Year
      • 2020s
      • 2010s
      • 2000s
      • 1990s
      • 1980s
      • 1970s
      • 1960s
      • 1950s
      • 1940s
      • 1930s
      • 1920s
    • Country
      • Afghanistan
      • Argentina
      • Australia
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • Brazil
      • Cambodia
      • Canada
      • Chile
      • China
      • Colombia
      • Costa Rica
      • Czechoslovakia
      • Czech Republic
      • Denmark
      • East Timor
      • Faroe Islands
      • Finland
      • France
      • Germany
      • Georgia
      • Greece
      • Hong Kong
      • Hungary
      • Iceland
      • India
      • Indonesia
      • Iran
      • Iraq
      • Ireland
      • Israel
      • Italy
      • Japan
      • Latvia
      • Lebanon
      • Laos
      • Malaysia
      • Mexico
      • New Zealand
      • Nigeria
      • North Korea
      • Norway
      • Paraguay
      • Peru
      • Philippines
      • Poland
      • Romania
      • Russia
      • Saudi Arabia
      • Singapore
      • South Korea
      • South Africa
      • Soviet Union
      • Spain
      • Sweden
      • Switzerland
      • Syria
      • Taiwan
      • Thailand
      • Turkey
      • Uganda
      • United Kingdom
      • United States
      • Uruguay
      • Vietnam
      • Zambia
    • About
    The Mad Movie Man
    You are at:Home»Review»2057. Ingrid Goes West (2017)

    2057. Ingrid Goes West (2017)

    0
    By The Mad Movie Man on February 16, 2018 2017, 8 - 10, 90-99 mins, Comedy, Drama, Feb 18, Movies Of 2018, Review, United States
    8.0 Enthralling
    • Acting 8.0
    • Directing 8.0
    • Story 8.1
    • User Ratings (0 Votes) 0

    Starring: Aubrey Plaza, Elizabeth Olsen, O’Shea Jackson Jr.

    Director: Matt Spicer

    Running Time: 98 mins


    Ingrid Goes West is an American film about a woman that obsessively follows Instagram stars who takes her stalking to a whole new level, by moving to California to live near and infiltrate the life of her latest craze.

    This is a really clever and interesting film with a strongly modern mindset, bringing to light a contemporary story that not all that many people may know much about, yet bringing about a riveting portrayal. With a great screenplay that mixes dark, emotional drama with effective and appropriate humour throughout, furthered by a fantastic lead performance from Aubrey Plaza, Ingrid Goes West is an enthralling watch from beginning to end.

    Let’s start off with the story, because that’s the thing that struck me most about this film. What’s most interesting is how it brings to light a story in an incredibly modern context, surrounding how people use social media and its potential relationship to various darker issues, offering a plot the likes of which you probably haven’t seen before, but is undoubtedly relevant and powerful enough to make a riveting watch throughout.

    Now, I don’t know how widespread a problem social media users stalking their Instagram favourites is, however it’s clear that it’s something that’s come to light enough to make a very emotional and intimate piece such as this film. In that, Ingrid Goes West isn’t just about social media, but it’s a deeply emotional character study that uses the effects of social media to tell its story.

    From start to finish, I was absolutely fascinated by this part of the film, and its strikingly modern mindset combined with an impressively emotional and dramatic story throughout meant I was enthralled from start to finish. What’s more, however, is that the film features a fantastic lead performance from Aubrey Plaza.

    Having seen a few misfires in bigger, dumber Hollywood comedies, it’s great to see Plaza return to a slightly quirkier role with a little bit more meat and depth to it. As a result, she uses her talents to craft a riveting character in Ingrid, portraying her as a clearly unbalanced and deluded young woman, however is always charismatic and likable enough to reinforce the idea that her intentions are never malicious, but instead deeply misguided as a result of her own psychological issues.

    So, as well as the deeply fascinating contemporary story, I was intrigued by the balance between the lead character’s internal mental struggles and a genuine, almost innocent desire to be as good as her favourite Instagram star, giving the film a whole extra layer of drama and conflict beyond its social commentary.

    Of course, as impressive and riveting a drama as this is, Ingrid Goes West proves even more successful thanks to its use of humour throughout. It’s by no means an all-out comedy, and the drama is by far the most important and striking part of the film, but the way that the film employs very human comedy that feels totally genuine in a real-world context further grounds it in reality.

    So, rather than being either a simple, slapstick comedy, or a serious downer of a drama, Ingrid Goes West strikes a fantastic balance between the two, and in the process making for a fantastically convincing, and as a result even more riveting watch, furthered by a great screenplay and an excellent lead performance, which is why I’m giving it an 8.0 overall.

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    The Mad Movie Man
    • Website
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    The Mad Movie Man, AKA Anthony Cullen, writes articles and reviews about movies and the world of cinema. From January 1st, 2013 to December 31st, 2022, he watched and reviewed a movie every day. This is the blog dedicated to the project: www.madmovieman.com

    Related Posts

    8.2

    4000. Scenes From A Marriage (1973)

    7.8

    3999. The Pianist (2002)

    8.2

    3998. Philadelphia (1993)

    Follow Me Online!
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • Tumblr
    New Releases
    8.2
    December 25, 2022

    3994. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)

    5.6
    December 10, 2022

    3969. Falling For Christmas (2022)

    6.9
    December 4, 2022

    3956. The People We Hate At The Wedding (2022)

    5.4
    December 3, 2022

    3954. Disenchanted (2022)

    7.4
    December 3, 2022

    3953. Meet Cute (2022)

    7.6
    November 23, 2022

    3934. Do Revenge (2022)

    7.0
    November 18, 2022

    3929. The Wonder (2022)

    6.7
    November 13, 2022

    3924. See How They Run (2022)

    Recommended Movies
    8.1
    Review
    August 12, 20160

    1449. Double Indemnity (1944)

    8.3
    Review
    November 7, 20200

    3145. Abigail’s Party (1977)

    9.6
    Review
    January 8, 20150

    810. Hot Fuzz (2007)

    8.0
    Review
    September 17, 20130

    287. Casablanca (1942)

    7.7
    Review
    December 5, 20220

    3957. Before I Go To Sleep (2014)

    Popular Posts
    December 31, 2022

    Thank You

    8.2
    December 31, 2022

    4000. Scenes From A Marriage (1973)

    7.8
    December 30, 2022

    3999. The Pianist (2002)

    8.2
    December 29, 2022

    3998. Philadelphia (1993)

    7.5
    December 28, 2022

    3997. Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975)

    9.1
    December 27, 2022

    3996. The Green Mile (1999)

    7.6
    December 26, 2022

    3995. Doctor Zhivago (1965)

    © 2023 ThemeSphere. Designed by ThemeSphere.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.