If you’re not familiar with the films of Lynn Shelton, you’re missing some of the very best of modern day independent cinema. Previous efforts like YOUR SISTER’S SISTER and TOUCHY FEELY are good examples of her splendid work, and she’s even directed several episodes of the beloved Fox series NEW GIRL. Her newest work as director is LAGGIES, an easy to relate to dramedy about growing up while still feeling young.

Megan (Keira Knightley) is a woman who never quite left her high school days behind. All of her friends are now married, working serious jobs, or raising children. While Megan and her longtime boyfriend Anthony (Mark Webber) seem happy, she is hardly content with her life, and starting to seriously feel out of place. Her friend Allison (Ellie Kemper) gets married, and at the wedding Anthony tries to propose to Megan, but this just doesn’t feel right for her. She skips out of the reception to a liquor store, where a group of teens approach her hoping she’ll buy them booze. The alpha of the group is Annika (Chloë Grace Moretz), who reminds Megan a bit of herself at that age. These two form an unlikely but strong bond. As an attempt to get away from her own life for a while, Megan tells Anthony she’s going off for a school program, and ends up crashing for a bit with Annika in her father’s house. Annika’s dad Craig (Sam Rockwell) discovers their friendship, and at first is a little disturbed by it. Eventually, Megan finds herself having doubts about love, her own life and more. As she offers life advice to Annika, her own may be unraveling in the process.

One thing Lynn Shelton excels at is character studies, introducing realistic characters and letting us watch them deal with life. What is great about LAGGIES is how easy to relate to these people are. We’ve all been in Megan’s shoes in one way or another, or can identify with people like Craig or Annika. Everyone has had those trials of youth and high school uncertainty, and eventually we all encounter those woes of getting older and leaving behind the more innocent and carefree times. Watching Keira Knightley struggle with her problems here is like re-reading a diary entry, and the screenplay by newcomer Andrea Seigel feels masterfully familiar. This is also one of the best ensemble casts ever to grace a Shelton film, including brief-but-great characters played by folks like Jeff Garlin and Gretchen Mol. As Chloë Grace Moretz gets older I can’t help but think this may be one of the last times we see her in this kind of role, playing the high school student who seems confident and smart but doubts herself on the simplest of things. She’s great here, and in the hands of Shelton feels very honest with her reading. Sam Rockwell is terrific (as always) but more vulnerable than normal as the wise father who we’d all want to be friends with, yet somehow seems very alone. This is one of his strongest roles in recent years, and he plays very well off Knightley. And speaking of the leading lady, she’s the only cast member that seems like an odd choice, yet plays the American girl quite convincingly (she’s British you know). I initially thought she was a peculiar choice for the character, but by the end I forgot I was watching someone from the UK in the Seattle setting of the story.

LAGGIES is one of the strongest films of its type, and easily one of the best independent films to hit this year. It continues to solidify Lynn Shelton as a force to be reckoned with behind the camera. There’s nothing flashy or over-dramatic here, just people being people in fun and funny ways, with just the right amount of drama thrown in. There’s also a few surprises in the script you might not see coming, but that’s all part of what makes it so great. If you’re looking for a movie you can relate to regardless of age or gender, and enjoy the experience along the way, this is the one.

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