What if the girl who seems too good to be true is, in fact, planning something completely beyond your comprehension? In the Prime Video psychological thriller “The Lay of LaLa Land,” that scenario becomes a bizarre reality. It follows Lenny Morral (David Lohnes), an insecure psychology major struggling with his past, who thinks he’s finally found his dream girl, Jane (Nalita Murray). The catch? Her greatest goal in life is to set an insane record in the world of adult entertainment.
Yeah, you read that right. Lenny acts like he’s cool with it, but it doesn’t align with his morals or what he considers acceptable. So he takes it upon himself to try to “save” Jane from her own choices. This underrated gem is a quick, darkly comic watch that poses heavy questions about trauma and the desperate need to play hero. And here’s some fun trivia: It’s based on a novel of the same name, which is drawn from true events.
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What is ‘The Lay of the LaLa Land’ about?
Lenny Morral (David Lohnes) is an insecure psychology major. He’s dealing with the usual pressures that college life brings, as well as trauma from his abusive psychologist father and an inappropriate stepmother. But he still lives a somewhat livable life — until his roommate bribes the gorgeous Jane Gallagher (Nalita Murray) to talk to him.
Lenny and Jane genuinely hit it off, and he finds himself falling for her, trying to build what he hopes will be his first real relationship. But after one particularly shocking discovery, he learns Jane’s secret: She’s planning to set a record in the world of adult entertainment.
That sends Lenny down a rabbit hole, and he starts questioning everything he thought he knew about her. He begins to plot ways to “save” Jane from her choices.
But even if Lenny isn’t particularly fine with what Jane plans to do with her life, she is still her own person. Does Lenny continue his “rescue” mission, or does he try to accept Jane’s chosen path?
The movie doesn’t go exactly the way you might expect, so it’ll be a fun ride, no matter what it is you’re looking for. And it’s sprinkled with plenty of surprises beyond that as well.
Why you should stream ‘The Lay of LaLa Land’ on Prime Video
Writer-director Andrew Miles takes what could have been a predictable college drama and turns it into something much more twisted and unsettling with this indie, based on the novel of the same name. And trust us, once you’ve seen this flick, you’re going to want to read the novel.
(Image credit: Lionsgate)
That novel was drawn from a “crazy-ass date” the author once had, and the film has many of the same notes. Miles imbues the story with a sense of psychological dread, where the threat isn’t a monster but the horrifying, self-destructive plan of the girl Lenny’s falling for. But is it really self-destructive just because Lenny doesn’t want her to do it?
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There’s also a lot to love about the actors’ performances. You may never have heard of them, but they each turn in a believable portrait of teens feeling lost in life. David Lohnes perfectly captures the awkward, fumbling confusion of Lenny, who remains desperate to “save” someone when he can barely manage his own trauma.
But it’s Nalita Murray who delivers an electric performance as Jane, forcing you to look past what she wants to do (likely for shock value) and see the troubled person at the movie’s center. You’re never quite sure what’s motivating her, and that always makes for an unnerving ride.
This is one Prime Video flick that we can almost bet you’ve never heard of, let alone seen. If you want something a little different in that realm, don’t hesitate to give this movie a try.
Stream “The Lay of LaLa Land” on Prime Video
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