Laggies | 3.5/5

SINGAPORE — Laggies is perhaps best described as a coming-of-age story about a woman who should already have come of age — 10 years ago.

Surrounded by friends who are already getting married or having children, 28-year-old Megan (Keira Knightley) realises she doesn’t quite know what she wants to do with her life. When her high school boyfriend proposes, Megan panics and confides in 16-year-old Annika (Chloe Grace Moretz), whom she meets by chance. Megan decides to take a week off to re-evaluate her life and convinces Annika to let her stay over at her place. And that’s where she meets Annika’s lonely and single father, Craig, played by the wonderfully charming Sam Rockwell.

Laggies sounds like a romantic comedy but the story really focuses on Megan and her struggle to make difficult decisions in her life. To be completely honest, we weren’t initially sure how Knightley would be able to pull off playing an American girl in arrested development but she actually plays her character quite nicely. Megan is lost, vulnerable and makes mistakes, but she is endearing and likeable enough so you’ll stay on her side.

The film puts in a considerable amount of time building up Megan’s relationship with her friends and boyfriend from high school, so we would understand her need for a break, although we wish more time was spent developing Megan’s relationship with Craig as well. More interesting than Megan and Craig’s blossoming romance is her unlikely friendship with Annika. Knightley and Moretz play off each other to great effect and it’s an unusual dynamic between two people who shouldn’t even be spending any time together — that of camaraderie, sisterhood and mentorship.

Laggies is a film that will feel particularly special to those of us who, like Megan, don’t ever feel as though we belong where we should, or who will never be ready for adulthood. And perhaps, like Megan finds out eventually — it really is quite all right.

(PG13, 102 mins)