Welcome to Me

Taking a swing at the cultural climate that stokes and rewards self-obsession, Welcome to Me is the second feature from director Shira Piven. The title refers to a TV show devised by a lottery-winning Oprah Winfrey fan and "emotional exhibitionist" (Kristen Wiig) who's suffering from borderline personality disorder and has come off her meds. Fed with stacks of cash and with no one to rein in its creator, the resulting product is an indulgent, autobiographical mess. The film's rainbow-bright visuals reflect its protagonist's deluded outlook and it has great fun with the talk-show format, as our unlikely heroine shares unappetising recipes, relives formative frustrations and airs petty grievances. There's also ample enjoyment in the exasperation of the production team (who include Joan Cusack, James Marsden and Jennifer Jason Leigh). More successful at the surreal than the satirical, this terrific platform for Wiig's deadpan comedic skills never quite goes for the jugular and fails to draw out the cynicism of the enterprise; although it dabbles with the dark side, it feels a little lightweight.