Ingrid Goes West

Ingrid Goes West is a dark yet humor-infused social media-centric film released in 2017. It showcases the life of a young woman navigating her path in an era extensively driven by online interactions and digital personas. Directed by Matt Spicer, the vibrant ensemble includes Aubrey Plaza, Elizabeth Olsen, O'Shea Jackson Jr., Wyatt Russell, and Billy Magnussen.

Aubrey Plaza portrays the protagonist, Ingrid Thorburn, a lost soul grappling with mental health concerns, who fixates on the perceived perfect lives of others via social media. Ingrid is a character who tends to blur the borders between merely admiring someone and compulsively obsessing over them, a complex part of her tormented personality that Plaza impeccably captures. Amid these struggles, her fragile world takes a hit when her mother, her only family, passes away, leaving Ingrid in solitude and with an inheritance at her disposal.

As she delves further into her social media obsession, she stumbles upon Instagram starlet Taylor Sloane, portrayed by Elizabeth Olsen. Taylor exudes a life predominantly framed by sunny California beaches, avocado toasts, and high-end designer clothes- an existence that ignites envy in Ingrid. Olsen superbly embodies a social media influencer whose life seems precious and picture-perfect to outsiders but, upon closer inspection, is glamorously hollow.

Ingrid, unable to resist the aesthetically appealing life that Taylor projects, decides to impetuously relocate to Los Angeles and become part of Taylor's world. It's here that she uses her inheritance to mirror Taylor's lifestyle in an eerie, eccentric, and often hilarious way. As Ingrid reinvents herself, the persona she builds is deeply invested in the idea of a manufactured life that social media glorifies and popularizes. This duplicity forms the backbone of the narrative, exploring the notion of how appearances can be misleading, particularly in the world of social media.

The character of Dan Pinto, played by O'Shea Jackson Jr., provides a refreshing take within the storyline. As an ardent Batman aficionado and Ingrid's landlord, Dan turns out to be a loyal friend, showing her genuine kindness and friendship, contrasting with the artificial relationships Ingrid pursues. Jackson's portrayal of Dan provides moments of poignant insight and hilarious escapades, particularly through his Batman fanaticism.

Wyatt Russell plays the artist husband of Taylor Sloane, Ezra O'Keefe, who, despite living in the whirlwind of Instagram likes and hashtags along with Taylor, despises the artificiality of it all. Billy Magnussen puts on an impressive show as Nicky Sloane, Taylor's brother, who tends to cause trouble for Ingrid, casting doubts on her intricate web of lies.

Ingrid Goes West successfully scrutinizes and permeates the dichotomy between real and online lives. It shows how social media sparks longing for the ideal whilst hiding the messy realities. This film, while grimly illuminating, also generates many laughs with witty dialogue and quirky scenarios, hitting close to home in a society dominated by perfect-looking, Instagram-filtered lives.

Director Matt Spicer and co-writer David Branson Smith have managed to weave a disturbingly comedic tale with an aptly cautionary tone. They cleverly alternate between comedy and tragedy to portray a story that seizes the viewers' attention from the get-go. Cinematic aesthetics and color palettes are used to dazzling effect to complement the Instagram-'perfect' world view. Also, the film's soundtrack is an excellent compilation of both original and well-known tunes that amplify the narrative's evolving moods and the protagonist's state of mind.

Ingrid Goes West is a brilliantly crafted dark comedy that strikes a chord with its pristine depiction of social media obsession. Through memorable performances, especially Aubrey Plaza's captivating portrayal of the despondent Ingrid, it explores the poignant theme of isolation and longing beneath the digital era's glitzy surface. It's a film that provokes thought while delivering entertainment in equal measure, making it a worth watching satirical commentary on the bittersweet side of life in the modern age.