Laggies
2014 · Directed by Lynn Shelton
Original language: English
- comedy
- drama
- romance
The story
Overeducated and underemployed, 28 year old Megan is in the throes of a quarterlife crisis. Squarely into adulthood with no career prospects, no particular motivation to think about her future and no one to relate to, Megan is comfortable lagging a few steps behind - while her friends check off milestones and celebrate their new grown-up status. When her high-school sweetheart proposes, Megan panics and- given an unexpected opportunity to escape for a week - hides out in the home of her new friend, 16-year old Annika and Annika's world-weary single dad Craig.
What it’s like
Soft, unhurried daylight through suburban windows, handheld camera that stays close to faces and lets conversations drift and overlap, the naturalistic mumblecore look of a small crew shooting real houses, sunny backyards, a grocery aisle, and a teenager's bedroom with posters and fairy lights. The palette is warm and washed, with muted pastels and the easy glow of late afternoon, and the sound is mostly ambient: kitchen clatter, a skate-park hum, a lo-fi indie soundtrack that comes in and out like a radio left on. The vibe is wry, tender and a little adrift, the feeling of a lazy weekend when nothing is quite decided. It suits a rainy Sunday, a slow afternoon on the couch, or a comfort rewatch with someone you love. The pacing is loose and conversational, with long pauses and improvised-feeling exchanges, and the emotional register stays low-key and funny without tipping into cruelty. Its arcs follow a stalled young woman who slowly confronts her reluctance to grow up, and the friendship that forms across generations. Intensity is gentle: some profanity, a few awkward sexual references, and no violence or gore. It is for people who want a warm, character-led comedy about drifting, growing up and unexpected friendship.
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