-Written by Kyle Bain.
2024 FILM MAUDIT 2.0 REVIEW!
Let’s go on a journey through a series of million-dollar homes in Los Angeles–as the homeowners brag to us about all of the wonderful things that they own. These larger-than-life individuals tell us how great they are, all of the exciting things they’ve done, and why we should love them. My Imaginary Life for Someone is a mockumentary, poking fun at the eccentric and obnoxious millionaires that plague the world. Strap in, this one’s going to get weird.
If you watch television shows like The Real Housewives or Keeping Up With the Kardashians I judge you…HARD! These shows aren’t entertaining, the people in them aren’t enjoyable, and the fact of the matter is that these things rot our brains. While these individuals and the situations in which they find themselves are often fabricated to reel in viewers, people like this actually exist in the real world (and, honestly, I think most of the people in these shows just play exaggerated versions of themselves anyway). My Imaginary Life for Someone aims to call them out on their bullshit, expose them for what they really are, and enlighten the world–expressing just how toxic and invaluable they are.
As I sit here, writing this review, my blood is actually beginning to boil. I cannot stand shows of this nature, but that allows My Imaginary Life for Someone to thoroughly entertain viewers like me. Writer-Directors Ryan McGlade and Molly Wurwand put the individuals associated with these shows on blast. My Imaginary Life for Someone isn’t mainstream, and it likely won’t make its way into the mainstream media anytime soon. The fact of the matter is that it won’t rake in as much money as those aforementioned shows–though it should. This film is art, this film is effective, this film is warranted.
I don’t think there is a ton of technical prowess present in the film, other than the fact that McGlade and Wurwand, with the help of Director of Photography Cody Powers, capture everything wonderfully well. Viewers bounce back and forth between stories and moments in time throughout the course of My Imaginary Life for Someone, and Powers is in charge of ensuring that viewers don’t get lost along the way–and more importantly, the comedy that exists is realized and understood.
That’s the most important part of the film: the natural, yet brilliantly satirical tone. It’s the key to My Imaginary Life for Someone’s success, and it’s effective every step of the way. It gets annoying, but intentionally so, adding to the depth of character of My Imaginary Life for Someone, and appealing to me even more. I cringed time and time again at this film, sometimes even being forced to look away–but everything that causes this is done with purpose, and I believe that this team executes their film so well. I won’t lie to you, this is a film made for a niche audience, and that’s part of the reason that it won’t end up in the mainstream canon, but it holds so much weight and value; it’s incredibly important for everyone to see My Imaginary Life for Someone.
Written & Directed by Ryan McGlade & Molly Wurwand.
Starring Sania Dela Cruize, Summer Fannin, Kevin Glynn, Martin Hardlund, Annette Homewood, etc.
8/10 = WORTH RENTING OR BUYING
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