B Movies Blog

Hello, Movie Mavens! Welcome back to the ol’ B Movies Blog. Today, we’re popping Lynn Shelton’s Laggies into the VCR. 

Laggies hold a special place in my heart for two big reasons: 

1. It’s one of the first A24 movies I watched.
2. It always seems to find me when I need it. 

I first watched Laggies when I was a recent college grad who was working two jobs and had absolutely no idea of what I wanted to do with my life. I rented Laggies from a Redbox at the HEB I was working at on a whim. I’d seen the trailer, but I hadn’t read much about it. By the end of the movie, I was crying because I knew how Megan felt. Granted, I haven’t had the same friend group and boyfriend since high school, but I fully understood where Megan was coming from. 

I felt so untethered, and I was absolutely miserable. I was drinking a lot to “have fun,” but I was lying to myself and everyone around me. I did have some good times during my early to mid-20s, but I absolutely used alcohol as a crutch. It’s also one of the main reasons I don’t drink anymore. 

I had created this idea in my head that I was squandering my potential, and people were expecting so much more of me. I’d graduated at the top of my class in high school, and I’d been involved in Residence Life throughout college. Then, I graduated. Regardless of what your parents or loved ones tell you, nothing prepares you for life after college. For the first time in my life, there wasn’t a plan. College was the plan. 

I’ll be honest. It took me years to find my footing as an adult. But, there’s nothing wrong with my timeline. It might have taken years of drinking and working jobs I hated and having my heart broken numerous times to realize it’s okay. I eventually stopped drinking and found a good job. I cut out some people who didn’t have my best interests in mind. I become comfortable in my own skin. I started prioritizing my own mental health. I stopped being afraid to say no. 

That’s one of the most important takeaways in Laggies. You can release the past. You can put yourself first. You can make your trajectory. Your path might be full of curves and forks, or it might be a straight shot. As long as you’re happy, healthy, and not harming yourself or others, it’s okay to get a little lost. 

You also don’t have to live up to the expectations of others, and familiarity isn’t synonymous with happiness. It might take you befriending a group of high school kids and falling in love with one of their dads to get there (we can all agree that Sam Rockwell is a stone-cold fox), but you’ll get there. 

RIP Lynn Shelton, and thank you so much for directing a movie I find something new in with each watch. 

Laggies is now streaming on HBO Max.