Rid of Me (2011)

50% of critics liked it
(14 reviews)
79% of users liked it
(135 ratings)

From writer/director James Westby comes Rid of Me, a black comedy that follows Meris, an awkward young woman trying too hard to perfect her marriage, amongst a new group of friends. With a breakthrough lead performance by Katie O'Grady, and an ensemble that includes Art Alexakis (of Everclear) and… More From writer/director James Westby comes Rid of Me, a black comedy that follows Meris, an awkward young woman trying too hard to perfect her marriage, amongst a new group of friends. With a breakthrough lead performance by Katie O'Grady, and an ensemble that includes Art Alexakis (of Everclear) and Theresa Russell, Rid of Me follows Meris' rejection from the cool crowd down a path towards truth and salvation which includes a job at a local candy shop, a group of punk friends, community gardening and a newfound love for Cambodian rock music. -- (C) Official Site

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 29 min.
Directed By: James Westby
Written By: James Westby
Genres: Comedy

In Theaters: Nov 18, 2011 Limited
Studio: Independent Pictures

Critic Reviews

J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader
This hectoring visual style becomes particularly irritating in combination with his rigid social stereotyping.
Lou Lumenick, New York Post
O'Grady is very good, but she can't make the hard-to-watch Rid of Me dramatically credible.
John DeFore, Hollywood Reporter
Unconvincing tale of self-empowerment has attitude and anxiety but nothing underneath.
Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News
Westby's nervy story is like "Desperately Seeking Susan" played straight. Let's hope O'Grady's next film meets this one's potential.
Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times
Comes at you like a horror movie before settling down into something quieter but equally skin crawling.
Nick Pinkerton, Village Voice
Rid of Me is a bad movie, but at least it's a flailing, innocent badness.
Shawn Levy, Oregonian
O'Grady is miraculous, but "Rid of Me" is more ordinary stuff.
David Noh, Film Journal International
The beginning may have you wanting to bolt, but stick around, like its heroine does, and you'll be surprised by and drawn into this director's sick but quite relatable vision.
Alison Willmore, Movieline
It's a bittersweet ode to downward mobility and letting go that's a throwback to a time when slackerdom was more of a lifestyle choice than something forced upon you by grim economic realities.
Cole Smithey, ColeSmithey.com
"Rid of Me" is a dud.
Sam Adams, Time Out New York
Think of it as a coming-of-age story ten years too late.
Andrew Schenker, Slant Magazine
At once hopelessly amateurish and given to desperate assertions of auterist "virtuosity", the film seems as lost as its perpetually confused and gratingly childlike protagonist.
Kent Turner, Film-Forward.com
Director James Westby breathes life in the suburban satire (hipsters don't come off that well either) and also brings a caffeinated jolt to micro-budget Northwestern filmmaking.

Read all 13 critic reviews

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Cast

            Katie O'Grady as Meris

            John Keyser as Mitch

            Storm Large as Briann Lockwood

            Orianna Herrman as Trudy

            Theresa Russell as Mrs. Lockwood

            Art Alexakis as Virgil

            Melinda Chilton as Sue Ellen Haggemyer

            Jana Lee Hamblin as Colleen Baumgartner

            Chris Harder as Dale Masterson

            Geno Romo as Chris "Haggy" Haggemyer

            Dwight Slade as Pete Baumgarten

            Julie Vhay as Lacy Masterson

            Adrienne Vogel as Linda

            Evangeline Douglass as Dolly

            Ed Keane as Couple in Restaurant

            Karen Keane as Couple in Restaurant

            Melik Malkasian as Masud

            Bob Blackey as Baseball Player

            Kristin Coleman as Baseball Player

            Maren Mcguire as Baseball Player

            Marilyn Faith Hickey as Baseball Fan

            Derek Estes as Pizza Delivery Man

            Byron Beck as Bookstore Patron 1

            Lawrence Johnson as Bookstore Patron 2

            Betty Moyer as Mrs. Hurbold

            Ritah Parrish as Dawn

            Morgan Hobart as Jeremy Bunquist

            Joe W. Spencer as Steve

            Denny Lamson as Karaoke Singer

            Suzanne Rhodes as Karaoke DJ

            Ryan Ruelos as Bartender

            Lori Lewis as Karaoke Bar Patron

            Mike Prosser as Karaoke Bar Patron

            Leanne Littrell as Karaoke Bar Patron

            Karla Benson as Karaoke Bar Patron

            Melissa Claire Egan as Karaoke Bar Patron

            Bruce Lawson as Karaoke Bar Patron

            Zachary Reed as Karaoke Bar Patron

            Eric Sellers as Karaoke Bar Patron

            David Fletcher as Karaoke Bar Patron

            Denise Chanterelle DuBois as Sunshine the Barfly

            Leslie Taylor as Missy with BumbleBee Sweater

            Danny Taylor as Missy's Husband

            Cora Benesh as Freak Girl

            Emily Galash as Alice

            Pete DeNiro as Man at Garden

            Coco Cobra and the Killers as Band at Club

            John Breen as Bry-Guy

            Nina Newsom as Girl at Candy Shop

            Coleman Newsom as Boy at Candy Shop

            Grady Newsom as Other Kid at Candy Shop

            Olive Westby as Other Kid at Candy Shop

            Sabine Westby as Other Kid at Candy Shop

            Angie Rutan as Britney
See full cast

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