'Ingrid Goes West' is a loving takedown of its own likely audience

The new black comedy Ingrid Goes West is already being taken to task by some critics for not breaking any new ground with its indictment of vapid selfie culture, but I don't think this movie ever intended to be a game-changer. Sure, it's not news that there is a whole culture of 'doing it for the gram' that perpetuates false images and narratives about people.

This film touches on that -- but it's not about it. Instead, it is a wholly fun and breezy vehicle for the talents of Aubrey Plaza, who once again proves she has the presence to be a major movie star, if only she continues to take on more challenging roles like this one.

She plays the Ingrid of the title, a painfully lonely, social-media obsessed eccentric with no discernible skills or aspirations besides a desire for an extremely close female friendship. I actually like that the film does not do much to justify or judge Ingrid's shallow drive, instead it just lets her story unfold and the chips fall where they may.

This is where Plaza's skill as a comedian and actress really work wonders. She has to be at turns both likable and pathetic, sympathetic and creepy. Her character makes many choices in the film, almost all of them bad, and as a viewer you still can't help but root for Plaza's character because she never condescends to her or plays her at a remove. It's affecting work and picks up where she left off in the great Safety Not Guaranteed.

She's surrounded by a terrific supporting cast too. Elizabeth Olsen is note perfect as a sort of aspiring wannabe Gwenyth Paltrow type (she is a professional hawker of high priced goods on Instagram). And O'Shea Jackson Jr., (a standout in Straight Outta Compton) nearly steals the movie as Ingrid's Batman-loving love interest.

And the film itself is unpredictable and funny enough to hold our interest, even if the stakes really aren't all that high. Occasionally the film nearly veers into truly dark territory (almost calling into mind thrillers like Single White Female, which is knowingly name-checked), but then it pulls back on track as lighter entertainment.

In fact, this movie has such a soft touch it'll likely be enjoyed by the very kind of people it is so deftly satirizing. After all, this is a quirky indie comedy aimed squarely at hipster coastal millennials. And while Ingrid's character clearly takes her social media preoccupations to absurd extremes, she is essentially a heightened version of a lot of people who many of us know and love.

That won't likely detract from your enjoyment of this movie, which is disarmingly funny even if quite a few of the film's best bits are spoiled by the trailer. And Plaza's performance is worth the price of admission, she shows more range here than ever before and deserves to be a bigger deal.