Girl Most Likely is a very welcome example of a big name cast doing more than just spouting average lines and expecting us all to fall about in wonder. Kristen Wiig, Annette Bening, Matt Dillon and that shiny-toothed Glee boy Darren Criss combine their stacks of talent to produce a funny and sadly very realistic story about a girl drowning in a sea of lost potential.
At one point, Imogene (Kristen Wiig) had been the girl most likely to go on to be a superstar playwright but finds herself living in New York with a man who doesn’t care about her and friends who she thinks would reject her if they knew who she really was. Poor Imogene has an episode and ends in the distinctly irresponsible custody of her tacky New Jersey mother Zelda (Annette Bening) and from there it’s not really clear if Imogene is living a comedy or tragedy. Will Imogene ever get her shit together? Maybe, if she can find out what happened to her dad.
Everything about this film is a quiet joy, even in those moments when you are cringing and feeling desperately sorry for our unfortunate protagonist. The story is all too familiar but so heartfelt and laden with honesty that you can’t help but warm to Imogene and her struggles. Annette Bening is nothing short of sheer awesomeness, creating a comedy double act with onscreen amour Matt Dillon who, in a deliciously bonkers sub-story, plays a secret agent in hiding. The relationship between Imogene and her brother, nurtured by Kristen Wiig and Christopher Fitzgerald, is so very touching that you might even want to ring your own brother to say hi. Darren Criss is the juicy cherry on the cake, most definitely shrugging off that super-chipper character he plays in Glee.
The brilliance of this film is to be found in its low-key style. You might think that with such a big cast that the film would be buoyant with gas from its bloated self-important dialogue but the screenplay, from Girl Most Likely Michelle Morgan, is considered and really quite sparse. Many will identify with Imogene’s fears of being found out and there’s plenty to watch out for in the arena of guest appearances; Whit Stillman, Cynthia Nixon and Julia Stiles all pop up along the way. There is also a great (and kitsch) appearance from Orange is the New Black/American Pie hardnut Natasha Lyonne.
Extras: Short and cute featurettes on the making of the film.
Maryann has awarded Girl Most Likely on DVD four Torches of Truth
