The Hunger Games’ Elizabeth Banks is an unexpected choice as the muse of this Canadian comedy-drama, adapted from Michael Kun’s pre-social media-era novel about a sadsack software worker’s obsession with Heather Locklear – who, to be honest, was more front-and-centre than Banks in the zeitgeist of her day. Debut director Scott Abramovitch’s gentle film is less a look at digital-age fandom than an affable primer on accepting your own unremarkableness.
Sid Straw (Tony Hale) is pootling along in his job as VP of marketing at a generic firm, waving/drowning on the midlife dating scene, and irritating his sister-in-law Janet (24’s Elisha Cuthbert) with his try-hard perkiness. So when he is called to organise a college reunion, he spies a golden opportunity to bolster his standing: by persuading his famous one-time pal Elizabeth Banks to attend. He begins leaving messages on her Facebook page, oversharing about his personal life and invariably signing off with “Eat wheaties!”; the special farewell the future Hollywood star would shout out to the volleyball team.
