Not Okay ( Hulu-2022) This movie thinks its up-the-the-minute, unforgiving gaze at an addled 20-something mass media striver justifies sitting through it.
And does 'Not Okay' accomplish that? Not really.
I've already viewed a few films and read a few novels that take satiric aim at instagrammers, tweeters, tik-tokkers, youtube influencers and the global audience of cyber-trolls who dote on their every word and images.
None of these people should feel flattered, since they're mostly depicted as narcissistic, calculating dopes, sociopathic psychotics and/or outright idiots hungering for undeserved fame. (Check out BQ's 2/7/18 post on the 2017 indie "Ingrid Goes West" with Elizabeth Olsen and Aubrey Plaza)
Danni (Zoey Deutch) is no exception, since she possesses all those woeful character traits. She's a photo-editor for a trendy pop culture website but she aspires to write groundbreaking social commentary. Her self declared mental instability and desperate need for affirming attention render her toxic and friendless among her co-workers.
(It's a tribute to Zoey Deutch's innate comic timing and adorability that you'd tolerate this character for the entire length of the movie.....)
A sudden brainstorm inspires Danni to fill her instagram account with phony selfies inserted into postcard images of famous, beloved Parisian landmarks.......thereby posting a fake but click-worthy glamorous vacation for herself, guaranteed to make her a social media star.
Which does indeed happen, since her bogus Audrey Hepburn-like excursion goes wildly viral moments before actual terrorist bombings occur at all the sites she supposedly visited. Further seizing her 15 minutes of fame, Danni basks in the instant celebrity bestowed upon her for surviving a catastrophic event.
And this completely unaccomplished feat puts her in the path and friendship of the emotionally traumatized Rowan (Mia Issac) a real, genuine survivor of a horrendous school shooting.
Even if you're mildly entertained by Deutch's natural charisma and the film's frequent stabs at the current social media-verse, it's overall an ugly, unpleasant journey from start to finish. It's a given that Danni's deception will be uncovered, assuring her utter crushing humiliation and shame.
But by the time she gets around to making her obligatory attempts at redemption, I really wondered if this was worth 100 minutes of my time.....or anybody else's. Just think of all those youtube videos of piano-playing cats I could've watched instead.....or of supermodels giving tutorials on how to fold towels. For Zoey Deutch alone, 1 star (*)....as for rest of it.....far ,far from okay.
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