Talking about low self esteem, stalking, obsession, depression and suicidal…then you’ve gotta watch Ingrid Goes West. The first scene was a bit confusing and I almost did not want to watch. But remembering the trailer I saw earlier in the day, I was super curious and I lay right on my bed to enjoy.
It’s going to be a little of spoiler but I am not sorry. I am too excited as I type this.
PLOT
This movie tell the tale of a young lady called Ingrid. We were not told about her previous life but as you watch, you can tell she struggles with low self esteem, she tries hard to be normal with the popular kids of Instagram. She’s a chronic Instagram addict whose whole daily life existence surrounds Instagram.
In the opening scene, she follows her “friend” Charlotte’s wedding via Instagram, liking all her photos, then storms in with a can of pepper spray to assault the bride for failing to include her on the invite list. Later, we learn that they were never friends at all. Ingrid simply read too much into a sympathetic comment the woman was kind enough to leave on one of her posts.
She was jailed as a result of this and by the time she was released, she had lost her mom. But she inherited a whopping $60,234.21.
During this period, she stumbled on another Instagram celeb, Taylor Sloane, a photograph. Next thing we knew, she was stalking her while craving her perfect life and attain to be the BFF.
When Taylor responds to Ingrid’s comment under a post about, of all things, avocado toast, Ingrid is inspired to take her inheritance money and decamp to the sunny climes of LA before we could decide how she could spend the money.
Through deception, she found her way into Taylor’s life becoming her sidekick until things went sour.
Related: Social Media Detox
REVIEW
From her first contact with Sloane through the end of their friendship, we realized one thing – the internet is not really the best place to rid loneliness. It is rather a place where users are made to believe in the world of the poster. But because we have been stereotyped to believe that likes and followers validates celebrity status, we are made to accept that the world of our celebrity status is heaven.
Through the friendship between Ingrid and Sloane, it becomes obvious that everyone have their own imperfection and struggle. While Ingrid was so desperate to fit into Sloane’s life, she lied, spent recklessly, becomes so obsessed with her that she almost became a shadow of herself.
She must have asked herself, “Who am I?” or maybe not.
This movie is the kind of social media satire we need. A little bit from the humor social media afford us to the real truth underlying beneath it. The lies, hate and anger it arouse in users who are less noticed. I love how it focuses on Instagram to depicts it.
Ever find yourself completely obsessed about an Instagram user that you will go ahead to create a life similar to theirs? Wear the same clothes they wear? Visit same restaurant? Shop at the same stores? Then Ingrid Goes West is the movie you should see. And then in between all these, you begin to feel sorry for the character of Ingrid, beginning to wonder what will happen when she can no longer live up to the lies.
MENTAL HEALTH IN INGRID GOES WEST
Before we could really answer these questions, the movie has gone from the humor to becoming serious. Ingrid started becoming so depressed and lonely and it’s no wonder she became suicidal. As much as you will say, “It hasn’t gotten to that”, that’s likely the only thing she could have thought of at that point. Her little victory at becoming associated with a ‘celeb’ suddenly went through the window, she was broke and became super lonely.
While watching this movie, at some point, I became irritated at her creepy nature. But then you cannot help but feel sad and then sorry for her almost at the same time.
SOCIAL MEDIA ADVANTAGES
As much as the disadvantages of social media was highlighted in this movie, we still realized the good in it. The good people of the Almighty Instagram came through for Ingrid after her video was posted. From the comments, to the rescue, to the hashtag and the overnight popularity, we realized that as much as the internet can kill, it can also save. This however largely depends on its users and their approach to what goes on in that world.
ARTIFICIALITY VS REALITY
Ever been so lonely, zero friends or family, that your idea of perfection only exists on Instagram? Then you should really see this movie. A lot of us find it so easy to build relationships online than in reality. We are socially awkward but our life online is extremely perfect.
Some of us only live a life that is not ours but preferable the one we have seen on Instagram, daily exemplifying it into ours. How more pathetic and sad can that be?
Overall, this movie focuses on how young women use social media as self-actualization, to create intimacy, and to bolster feelings of connection, as well as Instagram’s addictive, toxic qualities as I have emphasized above.
This is definitely one of the best movies I have seen in a long time and I am definite that I would see it again and again. It’s so dark yet humorous and emotional.
I rate it 9/10.
Have you seen this movie? What do you think of it? What’s your opinion about social media obsession? As well as validation of perfection through likes from random people?
