Laggies

Maybe I’m a bit emotionally weak, but if you were a single father with a high school daughter, who wouldn’t want Ms. Knightley showing up as a house guest?

There are a number of reasons why I treasure independent films, and Laggies is a perfect example. Far from a great film, it has an edgy playfulness that makes the experience enjoyable.

Without theaters that play independent films, they would die on the vine in any city, including Indianapolis. They frequently deal with well-known actors performing in unknown territory, and you love them all the more for it.

In Laggies, you have a rather twisted plot made believable because of the performances by both Keira Knightley and Sam Rockwell. It is to Ms. Knightley’s everlasting credit that she would take the time to be in this small film after a fantastic performance in this year’s Begin Again and the forthcoming The Imitation Game, and the same applies to Mr. Rockwell after his unforgettable turn in last year’s The Way Way Back.

In this film, Director Lynn Shelton centers on Megan (Ms. Knightley), a young college graduate losing her connection to childhood female friends. The foolishness associated with teenage years are no longer acceptable as a young adult.

To make matters worse, Ms. Knightley’s boyfriend, Anthony (Mark Webber) proposes to her, and she feels locked into an unresolvable dilemma. Fleeing a wedding celebration for a close friend where she stumbles upon her father (Jeff Garlin) having a regrettable sexual encounter, she only wants to find some comfort. Nothing seems to make sense.

In the process, she bumps into some teenagers led by the extraordinarily capable Chloë Grace Moritz, and she agrees to buy them liquor due to the fact that they are underage. What evolves from that point is profoundly foolish, yet also strangely interesting.

Seeking a brief period to be alone and collect her thoughts, Ms. Knightley ends up staying at Ms. Moritz’ home. She discovers a bright young girl still haunted by the fact that her mother abandoned her and her father years ago. As Ms. Knightley tries to help, there is the expected encounter when a father wants to know the obvious, namely, “What in the hell are you doing staying in my home?”

As the father, Mr. Rockwell seems a bit too understanding when allowing Ms. Knightley to remain. On the other hand, given that he is a divorce lawyer, you quickly feel that a single dad didn’t mind having Ms. Knightley around. Good grief, who would?

Though the film becomes a bit ridiculous, the energy and likeability of both Knightley and Rockwell holds everything together. We all understand that life becomes a bit confusing at times for everyone, so there is no need to take unnecessary pot shots at our loveable stars.