Girl Most Likely, formerly known as Imogene, the comedy-drama passion project for Kristen Wiig, has had its first trailer hit the internet. Fans of Wiig, who serves as star and executive producer, and of Darren Criss, co-starring in his first big-screen production, can watch the trailer below.
Girl Most Likely tells the story of Imogene (Wiig), a failed New York playwright who fakes a suicide attempt to win back the attention of her former boyfriend. The plan backfires, and she is carted back to the family home in New Jersey. Imogene attempts to re-examine her life whilst living with her mother (a gambling addict called Zelda, played by Annette Bening,) Zelda’s boyfriend (Matt Dillon) – an alleged CIA agent known as the Bousche; her reclusive brother Ralph, played by Broadway veteran Christopher Fitzgerald, and Lee, the Yale-graduate lodger renting Imogene’s bedroom while he moonlights as a Backstreet Boys impersonator (Criss). The film was a passion project for Wiig, who fought hard to get it made after reading Michelle Morgan’s script, and it is directed by husband/wife team Robert Pulcini and Shari Springer Berman.
Given that, in this preview, the film is still titled Imogene, it would appear that this was the trailer created to initially sell the film to potential distributors, not the official theatrical trailer. Girl Most Likely was filmed in the late summer of 2011, and premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2012. Almost immediately, Girl Most Likely (as Imogene) was picked up for U.S. distribution by Lionsgate, who will release the film in conjunction with its partner, Roadside Attractions. In December, the change of title was announced, along with a theatrical release date of July 19, 2013.
In our opinion, the film looks great. It’s fascinating to see the classy Annette Bening as a trashy Jersey mom, Matt Dillon is absurd to the point of causing hysterics, and we definitely enjoy seeing Darren Criss approach a more mature role – a college grad and Imogene’s scruffy and charming younger love interest. Kristen Wiig as Imogene herself seems dysfunctional and prone to behaviour that should make you dislike her – that’s the point of the film – but of course manages to be warm and vulnerable as well.