Ingrid Goes West
Directed by Matt Spicer
- comedy
- drama
The story
Ingrid becomes obsessed with a social network star named Taylor Sloane who seemingly has a perfect life. But when Ingrid decides to drop everything and move west to be Taylor's friend, her behaviour turns unsettling and dangerous.
What it’s like
Sun-bleached Los Angeles in flat afternoon light, with saturated Instagram-ready pastels of pool decks, bungalow interiors and palm-lined boulevards set against a glossy, slightly too-bright digital sheen. The camera stays close and observant, often handheld in tight two-shots or framing faces against the blur of phone screens, so the awkwardness lands in the body. Sound leans on bright indie pop and wry, unforced dialogue, with long quiet gaps where the unease settles in. The vibe is sunny unease: comedic and cringing, then sharply sad. Pacing is brisk and conversational, with the comedy sliding gradually into something darker. Its emotional arc follows a lonely woman whose fixation on an idealised online life exposes how much she is missing, and whose desperation curdles into something frightening. Intensity: some profanity, a suicide attempt and self-harm, brief physical confrontations, and a tense, dangerous undercurrent; violence is sudden rather than gory. For viewers who like social satire with real bite, and who can handle uncomfortable moments of dread beneath the sunshine.
More films like Ingrid Goes West
Closest in mood, pacing and theme. Tell us why you loved Ingrid Goes West and we’ll explain which ones fit you.
