Ingrid Goes West Blurs the Lines of Virtual and Reality in Our Own World
Social media has drastically changed the way in which people communicate with one another and it’s become a fascinating topic for filmmakers. There are a lot of ways technology has brought us together, but also a lot of pitfalls in dealing with the new reality. (Remember the Bryce Dallas Howard episode of Black Mirror?)
The latest exploration of how upping your followers can be cool or creepy is the black comedy Ingrid Goes West. Ingrid (Aubrey Plaza) develops a dangerous fascination with Instagram star Taylor (Elizabeth Olsen). Her obsession drives her to great lengths to become a picture perfect celeb like her idol. The film is a warning that not everything online is as it appears.
The film’s promotion team took things seriously and blurred the lines of virtual and reality, even developing Taylor’s actual Instagram account. You can browse the character’s 29 posts at handle @_welltaylored_. Only eagle eyed fans would have noticed the account that has pics appearing in the film. The account gives no nod to the film and none of the images show the face of either actress. It does, however, follow the film’s official account @ingridgoeswest.
Skimming through the posts, you can see why Ingrid idolizes Taylor’s carefully curated lifestyle. Poolside pics, colorful brunches, and clear skies in idyllic vacation spots fill the page. The account’s bio calls Taylor a “Treasure hunter. Castle builder. Proud Angeleno.” Sounds like a pretty good gig.
The account currently has 775 followers and in turn follows real life Instagram stars like @wanderlust_la_nyc and @songofstyle. Check it out to see what other clues you pick up on.
Ingrid Goes West is in theaters now.
