Lynn Shelton’s brand of indie dramedy has been a little hit-n-miss. After her breakout film Humpday put the Seattle director on the map, her next effort, Your Sister’s Sister, received widespread critical acclaim. But its follow-up, Touchy Feely, failed to ignite that same zing, despite capturing the same elements that have marked her as a director to watch. Now we’ll get a chance to revisit Shelton’s quirky style in theatres this autumn with the release of her latest flick, Laggies.
Premiering at Sundance earlier this year, the response so far has been divided. Starring Keira Knightley and Chloe Grace Moretz, the film follows Megan (Knightley), who jumps ship on her life when her boyfriend proposes to her out of the blue. Struggling to figure out her early onset life crisis, with no goals in sight, she winds up moving in with her new buddy, a 16-year Annika (Moretz) and her dad (Sam Rockwell.)
The latest trailer has landed for UK audiences, who’ll be watching it under the European title of Say When. The purpose of the name change is unclear – but the new preview still looks promising. In the two minute clip, Knightley’s rolling with the American accent once more for this Pacific Northwest tale, that’s got a bunch of laughs crammed in. If it’s another case of “the best bits are in the trailer” we haven’t got long to find out.
Laggies opens on October 24th in the U.S., and under the title Say When on November 7th in the UK. Check out the plot summary and trailer below and let us know what you think.
Having spent her twenties comfortably inert, 28 year old Megan (Keira Knightley) reaches a crisis when she finds herself squarely in adulthood with no career prospects, no particular motivation to pursue any and no one to relate to, including her high school boyfriend (Mark Webber). When he proposes, Megan panics and given an opportunity to escape – at least temporarily – she hides out in the home of her new friend, 16-year-old Annika (Chloë Grace Moretz) and Annika’s world-weary single dad (Sam Rockwell).
Lynn Shelton, whose unique directorial voice created such astutely observed comedies as YOUR SISTER’S SISTER and HUMPDAY, crafts a warm, funny romantic journey of three people who find their lives intertwined in sudden, unexpected ways, as they try to make their way in the imperfect reality of modern day life.