Not Okay is a sledgehammer satire about narcissism, social media influencers, and the caustic effects of online fame. The film uses a privileged millennial's desperate search for attention, and of course a boy crush, to mock stereotypes and society's lemming-like behavior. None of it is clever or incisive. Not Okay's attempts at thoughtful discourse through ugly portrayals falls offensively flat. The reliance on terrorist attacks and school shootings to make its case is abhorrent.
Danni Sanders (Zoey Deutch) stares at her computer with tears gushing. Her social media accounts are filled with hateful comments. She's been branded "the worst person in the world." Two months earlier, Danni struggles with being a nobody. A photo editor at Depravity, she wants to hang out with the cool queer kids. Danni lusts after her co-worker, Colin (Dylan O'Brien), a bleached-blonde, marijuana-vaping influencer with the "WeedBoiiColin" social media handle. Danni, who aspires to be an online writer at Depravity, pens the essay, "Why Am I So Sad", which inspires ridicule from her editor.
Danni decides to fake a Parisian writers retreat to impress her hipster colleagues. She cuts and pastes herself into fabulous French settings. Then posts social media stories of her exciting trip. She even books airline tickets to validate her fraud. The deception takes an unexpected turn when terrorists bomb Paris landmarks.
Danni's follower count explodes in the aftermath. Her parents (Embeth Davidtz, Brennan Brown) call repeatedly to check on her safety. Dannie stages her return home to fanfare. She's exalted as a traumatized survivor. Everyone who ignored her previously clamors to be a friend. Colin can't wait to date her. Danni raises the lying stakes by attending support groups. She befriends Rowan (Mia Isaac), a teen who survived a school shooting and gun control influencer, to gain even more followers. Danni becomes a celebrity, but not everyone at work believes her story.
Not Okay Objectifies Real Disaster
Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, any popular messaging app, is rife with brainless banter and disgusting vitriol. Like it or not, this is the modern public square where information gets disseminated. Not Okay could have made salient points without objectifying real disasters. The terrorist bombings are hinted in dream sequences that reflect Danni's growing guilt. Rowan's pain and emotional distress from a horrifying experience becomes the teachable moment. Danni's brutal takedown by "cancel culture" is shown as deserved comeuppance. Duh, what else would happen to an egregious fraud exposed? It's all a crock because Danni only feels regret after being caught.
All the supporting characters are lame caricatures of cause célèbre themes. "Weed boii Colin", the mass shooting survivor, à la David Hogg from the Parkland massacre, and an overlooked lesbian writer (Nadia Alexander) all devolve to black comedy props. These personality types can be satirized, but their message isn't trivial. The film then boomerangs back to serious when the unlikable protagonist tries to rectify her actions. Director/writer Quinn Shephard (Blame) overstates the obvious to an insulting degree.
There are no insights on the ills of social media gained here. Fame seekers will do anything for attention. Faking an exotic getaway and pretending to survive a terrorist attack is par for the course in today's arrogant, hashtag-driven modern world. I wanted to take a shower after watching this movie.
Not Okay is a production of Makeready and Searchlight Pictures. It will have an exclusive Hulu premiere on July 29th.