When Megan’s (Knightley) boyfriend proposes at their friends’ wedding reception she’s forced to finally confront both her growing apathy for the relationship and her increasing distance from their group of high school pals.
Running out on the proposal she befriends a group of kids – including 16-year-old Annika (Moretz) – who are struggling to buy alcohol at a late night supermarket.
This sudden lawbreaking rapidly and improbably turns into a deep friendship between the two women and it’s not long before Megan’s camping out on Annika’s bedroom floor, discussing boys and agreeing to go to the school prom with the girl.
Enter dad Craig (Rockwell) who not only conveniently accepts the claimed relationship between his daughter and her newly arrived BFF, but also agrees to let this total stranger stay for the week.
But daddy rapidly decides that Megan fits the love-shaped hole in his life and, somewhat selfishly, pulls her out of his daughter’s orbit and into his bed.
It’s not just the sudden relationship between Megan, Craig and Annika which is unbelievable, Megan’s high school friends are so unlikeable and so dismissive of her that even the character’s apathetic approach to life can’t explain why she puts up with them.
As it meanders towards the predictable happy ending, the film relies on the audience either not noticing the thinness and absurdity of the plot, or simply being too charmed by Knightley to care.
Out November 7th
