Laggies

Laggies feels relevant and propelling. Teens and adults may come from different planets, but they still have something in common, particularly when it comes to identity and confidence; in LAGGIES, director Lynn Shelton explores this theme with delicacy and sensitivity, as well an admirable empathy for the struggles of both teens and adults trying to come into their own. The lessons doled out -- it's OK to be a mess, as long as you work your way toward a solution; go for what you want instead of waiting for it to happen to you -- are, if obvious, still ones that capture a particular conflict that many of us, no matter our age group, still face.

Knightley has an ease about her acting that makes Megan recognizable, even if she's maddening. Moretz doesn't try too hard to be angsty, which makes for an appealing performance. Rockwell is a firecracker -- he almost always simmers, at the ready to boil‚ lending the film much-needed energy. Still, some epiphanies feel contrived, and it's hard not to question the premise that a father as apparently concerned as Craig is would allow a stranger to bunk in, no matter how nice she seems to be. And although the bond between Megan and Annika is palpable, it also feels forced too quickly into a full friendship. It's all a little too neat, but it doesn't really matter: It's a fun movie, anyway.