Ingrid Goes West

Front Row at the Movies by Shirrel Rhoades

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Ingrid Thorburn is a stalker. No, not a gal obsessed with a guy. Rather, she’s a social media fan who wants to insinuate herself into the life of a famous Instagram star.

So, as the film’s title — “Ingrid Goes West” — suggests, our gal moves to L.A. in hopes of being befriended by celeb Taylor Sloane.

As the tagline on the poster says, “She’ll Follow You.”

Aubrey Plaza (TV’s “Parks and Recreation”) plays the slightly unhinged Ingrid. Elizabeth Olsen (“Avengers: Age of Ultron”) is cast as Taylor, the woman Ingrid wants to be.

“Ingrid Goes West” is currently showing at Tropic Cinema. It’s a dark comedy of errors, mistaken identity, and unlikeable characters.

We use Instagram and social media to connect with one another. That’s the backdrop for Ingrid’s search for friendship and for a lifestyle to appropriate as her own. It’s a sad — and sometimes funny — commentary on our alienated technological times.

You might call “Ingrid Goes West” social satire. It gives new meaning to “friending” someone online.

Email Shirrel: srhoades@aol.com